Page 25 of Tamiko and the Two Janitors
Kip opened his mouth, closed it again, then solemnly asked,“Is he also royalty?”
Tami smiled. “A prince among men.”
ELEVEN
True
Melissa suspected she was pushing her luck by showingup at Founders Coffee before sunrise, but the lights were on and the doorunlocked. She checked to see if the hours were posted and found a discreetbronze plaque beside the entrance, emblazoned with two words—ALWAYS OPEN.
Inside, she spotted evidence of early morning activity—facultymeetings and what appeared to be a men’s Bible study. Once the semester waswell underway, she had little doubt that the place would be clogged withstudents pulling all-nighters.
Rook was the only one behind the counter, and his smile widenedat the sight of her. “Oh, I hope you really do rise this early. This shift isthe hardest to cover.”
“My mom always started us training before dawn.” Melissa demonstratedthe first several forms of a battler’s warmup. “And the members of my host familyare up with their chickens.”
“I’d hire you twice if I could. Jiminy’s no use in the morning.”Rook scanned the room, then beckoned for her to join him behind the counter. “Iknow I promised to introduce you to True this morning, but stuff happened inthe overnight.”
“Stuff?”
He lowered his voice. “Werewolves are in the news again.There’s a girl missing, and it was bad. The two boys who were with her didn’tmake it.”
“Where did it happen?”
Rook bared his teeth. “Close enough that we’re playing hostto a score of trackers. Do you remember the way back to my place?”
“Yes.”
“Good. Go on back. Watch for a wide, white door. We haveguests in True’s shelter, and I let them know you’d be dropping by. Torloo isquite capable of handling introductions.”
Melissa excused herself and wended her way to the enclave’sprivate section. Jiminy’s barrier let her through with a funny little burst of gladness,as if the hallway was happy to see her.
She was still puzzling over the combination of sigils thatmight be used to achieve the trick when she located the entrance to the Kithshelter. With a light rap for courtesy, she stepped inside.
Immediately, a low growl began in the central alcove, wherea large black wolf with silver eyes glared at her, hackles raised.
“True,” admonished a young voice. “That is no way to greet aguest.”
The she-wolf lowered her head to her paws, surly in her silence.
Melissa immediately took a deferential stance. “Should Igo?”
“No. You are expected. May I offer the first introduction.”
Easing to a seat on a golden straw bale right inside thedoor, Melissa extended her palms to one of the youngest Amaranthine she’d everencountered. He appeared no more than eleven or twelve, his voice untouched byadolescence, his eyes large in a face still rounded by childhood.
Still, he addressed her with the poise of a diplomat. “I amTorloo-dex Elderbough.”
Melissa looked more closely. “You’re part of Adoona-soh’spack?”
He drew himself up. “I am her son.”
Adoona-soh Elderbough was one of the Five, the leaders ofthe Emergence who had introduced the Amaranthine clans to the world. Melissacould see similarities in some of the boy’s coloring—tanned skin and dark brownhair. But his eyes were the clear blue of skies. She tried to think back andrealized she’d never seen or heard anything about Adoona-soh’s bondmate.
“May I ask about your name?” she inquired, matching hisseriousness.
“In the language of my people, my name means ‘petal moon,’because my sire’s den overlooks a flowering meadow. I was born at full bloom.”
“That’s lovely.”
