The Prisoner's Release and Other Stories Read Online Free PDF

not to betray Sasha had crumbled, but felt the stirrings of righteousness inside him; Sasha should have asked him for help, not taken it from him. The mouse had ruined their friendship, not he. His paws flexed, the claws sliding out and back in, and then he lifted his muzzle and walked through the corridors to room seven, to go to work.
    His third client of the night was a familiar one, a lanky fox by the name of Alexan who had been coming to him every week for several months. Aside from his dominance habits, which he shared with many of Jonas’s clients, he had a curious quirk: a habit of calling Jonas “your highness” when he was inside him and about to come. Usually, Jonas was too distracted to think about it, and forgot afterwards; after all, people said all kinds of things when their energy was mostly focused away from their muzzles. Once or twice, though, he’d felt a sort of déjà vu, as though he’d met Alexan before somewhere else, but he’d never been able to remember where.
    On this night, Alexan was in fine form, growling and thrusting hard, his teeth clamped in Jonas’s neck ruff. It was a little uncomfortable, but Jonas was lost in his own thoughts and hardly noticed when Alexan growled “yrrrf rrrnsss, rrrrf!” and shuddered above him, his knot expanding inside Jonas.
    Afterwards, Alexan rested his muzzle between Jonas’s ears, the only fox Jonas had ever met who was tall enough to do so. He murmured, “Are you okay?”
    “ What?” Jonas was jolted out of his reverie.
    “ You seem a bit listless.”
    “ Oh.” Jonas swallowed. “I am sorry. If you have any complaints, please see Tally and he’ll refund—”
    Alexan nosed his ear. “No, no, don’t be silly. I’m just a bit worried. You’re usually more lively.”
    “ I’m sorry,” Jonas repeated. “I have a lot on my mind.” He shut his muzzle immediately. It wasn’t good practice to talk too much to the customers.
    “ Oh.” Alexan stroked his chest. “Tell me about it.”
    “ It’s just been…just been a hard week.” Jonas sighed. The paw on his chest felt good. Larger than Sasha’s, but its gentle, firm touch reminded him of the mouse. “Friend of mine left.”
    “ Left?”
    “ Left the Staff.”
    “ Oh, I’m sorry to hear that.” Alexan’s paw continued to stroke, his claws ruffling through Jonas’s chest fur. “I suppose you two were close.”
    “ Yes.” Jonas felt himself relaxing. “But I shouldn’t let that affect my job.”
    “ Nonsense.” The fox nuzzled him. “It makes you seem more real. I like that. You know, you’re the best thing about this country.”
    “ Country?”
    “ Mm. I told you I’m Ferrenian, didn’t I?”
    “ No.” Jonas had heard very little about Tephos’s eastern neighbor. He knew vaguely that there was some sort of tension between the countries. He considered whether this made a difference to him, and decided it didn’t. “What brings you here?”
    “ I’m a merchant. I come here in the summers to sell and buy fine weapons and other things. But mainly weapons.”
    “ I didn’t know they allowed merchants between the countries.”
    “ Oh, yes, you just have to know who to get the right paperwork from. And of course, nobody here asks questions. Still, not the sort of thing you want to advertise. But it feels nice to talk to someone about it.”
    “ I won’t tell anyone.”
    Alexan laughed lightly and kissed him on the ear. “Thank you, sweetie. But I go back in another week anyway. Though I do hope to keep coming back, especially now that I have you to look forward to.” His paw brushed up under Jonas’s chin.
    Jonas automatically said, “I hope you come back too. I’ll miss you.” Standard talk he’d learned, and learned how to put some heart into, even if Alexan would be gone from his mind like all his clients when the day was over.
    “ If things keep going well, I’ll be able to. There’s a fellow here who is making some really nice designs. And I might