Page 171 of Tamiko and the Two Janitors
“Probably all the way.” Joe gave a small shrug. “Argentasked us to.”
“Thank you.” After a thoughtful pause, Hisoka said, “I haveaccumulated so many secrets that there are few mysteries left in the world. Youare one. Truth be told, I am another.”
While Joe didn’t feel mysterious, he’d already figured outwhere the problem was. “I shouldn’t be a beacon. I don’t have the pedigree.”
Hisoka visibly relaxed. “Yes.”
“And you want to know why?”
“Among other things.” His posture loosened further. Rubbinga hand over his short hair, he leaned forward, elbows on knees, and ticked offitems on his fingers. “Someone arranged for your great-grandparents to leaveWardenclave without Glint Starmark’s knowledge. Someone knew that this is whereyour family resettled. Someone kept enough contact to know of Lisbet’s death.And someone took steps to ensure that the buried seed would have a twin.”
Joe could see the chain of events, and he could tell wherethey were headed.
“Someone warded your sister, who is certainly a reaver.Lovely and above average, but not exceptional.”
“Wasn’t that Grandad? The necklace is a family heirloom.”
Hisoka hummed. “Everyone agrees that Tami’s wardstones werehanded down from Lisbet Reaverson. But no one remembers when the gift wasgiven. And no one finds that strange. Which is really very strange, indeed.”
Joe tried to think back. “She’s always had her necklace. Shealways wears it.”
“Andsomeone sealed you.” Hisoka nested his fingersloosely together. “I wish I had seen the seal myself. Argent says it wasalready beginning to decay—much to the delight of local Ephemera—so certainmarkers were lost. But Argent believes that the seal was directly responsiblefor your covert rise through the ranks.”
“I’m not ranked.”
“Ah, but youare. Argent is more than qualified torender an assessment.” With a gesture Joe couldn’t interpret, Hisoka quietlysaid, “Congratulations, First of Beacons.”
Joe winced. “Why doyouthink that’s a bad thing?”
Hisoka’s eyebrows lifted. “You can sense my reservations?”
That was one way of putting it. Joe admitted, “I’ve been tryingto calm you down since you came over.”
Sensei drew himself up, but in an embarrassed way. Like whenyou’ve just told a guy his zipper’s down.
Unsure how else to reassure him, Joe said, “I won’t tell.”
“Thank you.” Hisoka ran a hand over his hair again. “Webelieve the seal was designed to draw upon this tree’s power in order to add toyours. In a sense, Biddie has been tending you. It may be why you feel sodeeply attached to this place.”
Joe said, “But Biddie chose Tami. She’s the one who became tree-kin.”
“True.” Hisoka sighed deeply. “The person who placed yourseal may have had the best of intentions. Things certainly worked outfavorably. But the possible repercussions of the seal’s existence and usage are… concerning.”
“You’re worried about the trees?” Joe guessed. “Like whenhumans raided the old groves, searching for ways to live longer?”
“It could begin again. Only it would be the reavers thistime, seeking fresh power, no matter the cost.”
Thinking of the protectiveness of the preservationists, Joe’sheart sank. “That sounds kind of like it could lead to a Betweener civil war.”
Hisoka said, “I doubt it would come to that. But I’m verymuch afraid that somewhere, someone may be cultivating potent souls.Presumably, for harvest.”
That triggered a memory, a fragment from his dream. “Argentsaid something about people being snatched and caged. Is this what he meant?”
“In part. But there’s more, and we believe everything isconnected. You represent our first hint as tohow.” Hisoka slipped fromhis seat to kneel, like a supplicant before Joe’s childhood throne. “Can wespeak plainly, as one third twin to another?”
Joe felt the weight and worth of that single secret Hisoka allowedhim to know.
Keeping a proper balance meant answering in kind. Andtrusting all the way.
With a shy smile and a sure heart, Joe asked, “Have you evermet an angel?”
THE END
