Page 107 of Tamiko and the Two Janitors
“So this is for class?” Melissa checked.
“Purely academic.”
She gave in with a weary grumble. “I’m still armed.”
“No touching. Probably. And True’s here.”
Melissa asked, “What are you going to do?”
He waved his hands vaguely. “See if I can recapture themoment. Prolong the connection.”
“Reavers can’t give a true accounting of souls,” shereminded. Only an Amaranthine could determine a reaver’s quality and issue agrade.
“Who says?”
She shook her head. “Everyone says.”
“Not my mentor.” Jiminy arranged himself in a comfortablesprawl on the straw at her side, hands behind his head, eyes shut.“First-sensei regularly deals with all kinds of potent souls, and he developeda technique that allows the essence of two souls to touch while he mediates. Hemakes it safe for both parties. Nobody can be overwhelmed.”
“And this works with two reavers?”
“Sensei didn’t mention trying it, butwecould.”
Melissa pointed out, “It’s not even remotely the same.”
“Well, no. But doesn’t Sensei’s discovery prove that thereare still things we can discover?”
What was the harm? “Go ahead. Rule me out.”
“Relax. Take the receptive attitude they teach for tending.”After a lengthy pause, he murmured, “Your personal wards are serious business.”
He was meddling with her wards? Melissa asked, “Should Itake them off?”
“Would you mind?” Jiminy’s eyes were open, his gaze speculative.“I could get past them, but they’d still limit my access.”
“To what? My soul?” Melissa undid buckles and braces. “Isn’tthere someone else’s soul you can mess with?”
“No one I know well enough to want to try. Something likethis is rather personal, don’t you think?”
“Idothink.” Melissa unfastened the cuff on theshell of her ear.
Jiminy sat up fast. “There were more?”
“These only have sigils. No crystals.” She pushed the curlsaway from her other ear, showing him the other cuff, watching his expression.Melissa preferred underestimation to estimation. It was much more useful inbattle and rarely led to personal remarks.
“You rank, don’t you.” It was a statement, not a question.
“Does it matter?” She turned to True. “Am I making youuncomfortable? This won’t harm the cubs, will it?”
“I am here. They are safe.” Doon-wen’s voice came from hisbondmate’s other side, where he’d undoubtedly been eavesdropping. “Slip thefinal ward, Melissa.”
Jiminy held out a hand, and she dropped the cuffs onto hispalm. He explored each carefully while casting surreptitious glances her way.Ignoring them, Melissa tugged up her pantleg, revealing an ankle chain. Sheundid the clasp and added it to the collection in Jiminy’s palm.
“This craftsmanship …?”
“Spider.”
His low whistle was all appreciation.
