Page 38 of Mikoto and the Reaver Village
Yulin began packing his things.
Staring fixedly at the big hand Mikoto still held in both ofhis, he asked, “How did he know I am in love?”
Silence stretched for so long, he risked a peek at hiscompanions.
Uncle’s expression was soft, but he only shook his head. Asif such mysteries had no answers.
Yulin’s fingertips brushed Mikoto’s arm as he offered thesimplest answer. “Because you are.”
Mid-high had come and gone before Mikoto made his waytoward the Circle Green. Buses were already arriving, and he wanted nothingmore than to quicken his steps. But a little dog with short legs and a shorterattention span checked his stride at every turn.
Mikoto was sorely tempted to scoop up and pocket Noble. Butno reaver set his own convenience ahead of proper training. It would go againsteverything the In-between was founded upon.
The Amaranthine were patient with humans, treating them asequals despite their differences. And each clan looked to the animals withwhich they were associated. Life was life, even brief lives. And young livesneeded guiding.
So Mikoto slowed his steps and smiled over his puppy’santics.
Had he looked this silly and small to Merl when they firstmet?
Might Noble become a loyal friend if Mikoto was loyal first?
Loyalty. It defined him, yet his attachment was so hard toput into words. Maybe because it was a feeling. A sense and a sureness. Asymptom of the season.
He breathed deeply and knew it was summer. Sunlight seemedto dance, and with it came the certainty that she was back. It was always likethis when Lupe was near. Ever since the summer when a long jump to a slipperystone nearly ended in tragedy. But Lupe was a strong swimmer. She’d pulled himonto the riverbank, forced the breath back into his lungs, and hugged him tightuntil Merl arrived in a thunderclap and the day dissolved into confusion.
They downplayed the accident, since no harm was done. YetLupe’s heroics brought about two monumental outcomes. One that stirred Mikoto’syoung heart to devotion. And one that would carry her far from Wardenclave.Because saving Mikoto brought Lupe to Priska’s attention.
Priska of the Runefarer clan.
Priska of the Eldermost Islands.
She was a recruiter who traveled through the various camps,seeking young reavers whose aptitudes and inclinations fit the ever-shiftingneeds of her cooperative.
Nobody ever said what happened on those distant, undisclosedislands, except that it was important. As was secrecy. No reaver returned froma placement with the Runefarer clan.
Until now.
Lupe had sent word through her best friend, Mikoto’s sisterHana, to expect her arrival and to arrange for accommodations. She wasreturning with Priska for one last summer.
One last chance.
Part of Mikoto knew it was too late. Lupe had made herchoice, and his duty was to Wardenclave. It wouldn’t do any good to confess hisattachment to another man’s wife. Even if the reaver way allowed for certain …exceptions. But there was another part that refused to be ignored.
Against all odds, Lupewasreturning. There had to bea reason. And Mikoto couldn’t help hoping it was him.
SIXTEEN
Someone LikeMe
Tenma gravitated toward Wardenclave’s song circle, wherebuses unloaded streams of passengers and stacks of luggage.
Many of these campers would probably try their hand at pottery,and as Goh’s assistant, Tenma would meet them, get familiar, maybe even learn alittle about them. But he doubted he’d make friends. These kids were just …kids. To them, he was old. Hardly friendship material and worthless as amentor.
Times like this, he missed Class 3-C at New Saga. Andespecially Inti.
Pulling his phone from the back pocket of his jeans, he kepta promise he’d made before leaving Japan … and texted a friend.
Lonesome today. Must be the crowds.
