Page 21 of Mikoto and the Reaver Village
Tenma asked, “Are you teasing me again?”
“Even more than last time.” The clansman smiled. “Have youworked out yet if you’ll trust me? By all means, byanymeans,investigate the matter to your heart’s content.”
Permission.
This person reallydidknow more than he should.
Forming a hand sign that begged for secrecy, he lowered hisvoice to ask, “Did you know there are all different kinds of blue? It’s themoodiest color.”
Salali rolled his eyes to indicate Gent. “Tell me about it.”
With a sharp call, the blue jay beat his wings and mighthave stolen Salali’s hat if the squirrel hadn’t grabbed its brim with bothhands.
“Is that what you see, Tenma Subaru?” he asked. “Am I amoody blue?”
Tenma was getting better at putting the things he saw intowords. At helping people to understand the difference between what he saw andwhat it meant about them. So he dared to ask, “How long have you been friends?”
Salali sobered. “Long while. And then some.”
“That’s why.” Tenma studied the bird for a few moments andsmiled. “Gent’s blue is a part of you now, and he’s taken on your hue. May Iask a personal question?”
“Go on, then.”
“Is your blaze a reddish-purple?” The squirrel’s expressionwas answer enough, and Tenma nodded. “When it’s bondmates, the colors usuallyblend, creating a whole new one. But with longtime friends, they trade. As if they’reeach most on the other’s mind.”
“You are not the first to notice,” Salali said softly. As ifhe’d already known.
Tenma pushed at his glasses, trying to think. All this time,had the answers been here in Wardenclave? None of the clans had a record ofsomeone like him. Oh, but …oh. Salali had said he had no clan. “Youknow about my secret?”
“First rule of keeping secrets is not letting anyone knowyou have one.”
It was a little like a taunt, but a little like confirmation.
Salali casually asked, “Who sees the unseen world incolors?”
“Only me.”
“Wrong.”
Tenma couldn’t believe it. Finally! “You know what I am? Arethere others like me here?”
“Not here.” He lifted a finger. “Notyet. But she’son her way.”
TEN
Share and Share Alike
People seemed to think Lilya didn’t understand that sheand her brother were different. Which was both silly and true.
She and Kyrie had always been together. They’d shared theirfirst day and her mother’s milk. They’d shared a crib, then a bedroom. Pets.Plans. Books. Biscuits. Siblings. Secrets. They even shared each other’s parents.
And then there was Ginkgo. He belonged to both of them. Notin a parent way, because Ginkgo was terrible at rules and manners and bedtimesand boundaries. But in his own way, because Ginkgo was wonderful about holdinghands and making faces and midnight raids and leading adventures. This beingthe biggest of all.
Ginkgo tapped the top of her head. “Something on your mind?”
Lilya said, “You.”
“That explains the smile on your face.”
