Page 161 of Tamiko and the Two Janitors
Cyril’s calm was infectious, his manner poised. If he hadn’tbeen so attached to his role as educator, he would have done well on theAmaranthine Council.
“I am not relinquishing my post. I am not under arrest, norhas my conduct been called into question. I am not running for elected office. Iam not releasing a book. However, I didn’t gather you and the members of thepress together in order to tell you that I have nothing to tell you.”
Another murmur of amusement.
“I have always considered myself a scholar. A deep andabiding love of learning can enrich a lifetime. Truth be told, I have neverfelt more at home than I do on this campus.”
He was good at this. Telling the truth without saying toomuch.
“If you checked my bio on your way over, you probablyalready know that I’ve been president of Bellwether College for the pasttwenty-six years. What I’m here to share this morning is a quirky little aside.I also happen to be Bellwether’s founder.”
Silence seized the entire room.
Ash groaned softly. Rook huffed.
Cyril lifted a finger. “Take a moment to gather yourscattered wits while I welcome our international guests. They hardly need anintroduction.”
Without any sort of rush, Hisoka Twineshaft and ArgentMettlebright filed out and flanked Cyril, standing at either shoulder in asilent show of support.
And nobody yet dared to break the silence.
“You know me as Dr. Cyril Bellamy. My true name is CyrilSunfletch, and I’m an avian from one of the pheasant clans. I am Amaranthine,and since this country’s very inception, I have been an American.”
In the simplest form of greeting, Cyril offered open palmsto an audience being multiplied by every camera in the room.
“There,” he said warmly. “Have I shocked you?”
On the longest night of the year, theoak glen was alight, and Ash had a pretty good idea Kip had been showing off.Biddie’s tree shimmered with colored lights that would have bankrupted theenclave if they’d been real crystals. But Kip was a champ at making do. He’dfigured out long ago that while glass marbles didn’t cast light, they could belit.
However, the critters were new.
Ash waited patiently for one to drift near enough for him toconfirm that the thing wasn’t any kind of Ephemera. Nope, nothing of the sort.They seemed to be entirely made of sigilcraft, but they flitted among thebranches like birds and butterflies. He might have written them off as aspecialty of the evening’s entertainers, but the minstrels all bore the crestsof cozy clans. While merriment and music were part of their repertoire, theyweren’t known for the illusory arts.
“Clever bit of fuss, aren’t they?”
“Kind of pretty,” Ash agreed. “Are they yours, Uncle Denny?”
“Wish they were, seeing how chuffed our Chick-a-biddie isover them.” Kip’s uncle rolled his eyes dramatically toward the base of anearby oak. “Never would have believed him capable.”
Sitting in the snow, heedless of his festival attire, wasArgent Mettlebright, with Biddie perched on his knee. She wore a bottle greencoat Faisal had designed for her, along with a floppy tam o’ shanter, intowhich he’d tucked a single curling peacock feather. Because it matched hereyes—or so he said.
Argent’s agile fingers pulled another bit of magic intoexistence—a midivar this time—and Biddie clapped and laughed and brought thefaintest of smiles to the austere fox’s face.
“Easier to believe he takes in orphans when you see him likethis.”
“Have you seen Kip?” asked Ash. He’d need his friend’s helpto banish the wards that hid his wings.
“Recently?”
Classic evasion. “Do you know where he is?”
Uncle Denny hummed and huffed. “He outdid himself today. Wouldn’tsurprise me at all if he was tucked up somewhere safe, taking his fill. Where’syour lady?”
“The mice have her.” Some of the minstrels were teachingTamiko the steps to a walking dance that had exploded in popularity ever sinceit led up to Kimiko Miyabe’s fourth time kissing Eloquence Starmark.
“She’ll lure you into a mating dance yet!” Uncle Denny tookpossession of Ash’s arm. “Since she’s well occupied, how about you and I have alittle chat with a cat.”
“I … haven’t actually been introduced.” Ash lowered hisvoice. “What are you up to?”
