Page 106 of Mikoto and the Reaver Village
“Oh,” Lupe said, sounding disappointed. She turned towardthe back of the house and called, “Priska!”
Her Amaranthine mentor stepped into view, making it veryclear that they’d not been alone.
“See? I didn’t miscount.” Lupe’s chin tipped to a stubbornangle. “I knew one went missing.”
Priska inclined her head, then addressed Mikoto. “Where isthe hatchling?”
“He is in good hands.”
Her slit-pupiled eyes narrowed. Mikoto had no idea whichanimal was attached to Priska’s clan. That, along with most everything elseabout the Eldermost Islands, was veiled in secrets. But he guessed it must besomething fierce.
“A male, then? That is less tragic. Unless he is a rarecolor.”
Mikoto hadn’t expected to find the source of their mysteryso quickly. “Light yellow. Sort of creamy.”
“A shame,” Priska said flatly. “Many favor that hue. It isauspicious.”
“I did not know.”
She curled her lip. “You know more than you were ever meantto.”
He shuffled his feet. “I am headman, now.”
“This isgrovebusiness,” Priska counteredsnappishly.
Mikoto conceded that with a nod. Waaseyaa was the mostnoteworthy tree-kin in Wardenclave, but he wasn’t the only one. However, Denholm’sancient grove was under the founders’ protection,notthe Reaverfamily’s. Mikoto wasn’t sure where the trees were hidden, but he knew they werenearby. And secure.
Guessing wind dragons were a safer topic, Mikoto asked, “Sothere are more of them?”
Priska sniffed. “Enough that one will not be missed.”
“My friend knew of them, but he thought them extinct.”
“It was a close thing.” Priska’s tone mellowed slightly.“Their return bodes well for the finding of other lost things.”
Mikoto came to sit on one of the chairs across from Lupe.Again, he couldn’t quite bring up the most essential subject. “Can you tell meanything about your new home?”
Lupe’s smile was an apology. “You know I can’t.”
“Not secret things.” He carried plenty of those himself. “Ionly want to know that … that you do not regret your choice.”
She looked to Priska, who grumbled and shrugged. Whichseemed to mean that she’d allow her apprentice to speak. But the Amaranthine stalkedto the bookcase and pretended to peruse the titles. A chaperone? Or simplyready to jump in if Lupe seemed close to giving too much away.
“I live on an uncharted island,” Lupe began. “A safe place,untouched by storms. No one can find us, even by accident. Life is simple, butalso more magical.”
Mikoto nodded to let her know he was listening.
Her tone warmed. “There are sea turtles, and we ride themthrough turquoise lagoons. And on calm nights, the sea is a mirror, so that thestars seem to be both above and below.”
“Are the people nice?” He resisted the temptation to add,orare they all as prickly as Priska?
“My husband is gentle and generous.” Lupe smoothed a handover her abdomen. “He’s awaiting our return. Probably quite anxiously.”
“Is he …?” Mikoto fumbled for a nice way to ask. “Are you…?”
Lupe cut a glance in Priska’s direction. “He’s gentle andgenerous and … quite a bit older than me.”
Priska snorted.
