Page 52 of Mikoto and the Reaver Village
Manya gave him the oddest look, one of those rare momentswhen she looked him in the eye. As if seeing him for the first time. Or perhapsstartled that he would have formed any sort of attachment. Because sheobviously hadn’t.
“I’ll let you know how he’s doing,” Timur offered.
She nodded again and murmured, “You do that.”
Timur filed Gregor’s registration and received a letter fromGlint in return. He’d been tempted to let Fend shred it unread, for he wasdetermined never to take another paternity contract. Instead, he’d found thejob offer. Filling in for Boon. And a small postscript.Your line isestablished. Look to your house.
“Fend?” Timur leaned into his partner’s bulk. “Let’s gohome.”
Whiskers tickled. Paws kneaded. A tongue rasped acrossstubble.
“I’m all right now. Let’s reclaim our boy.”
Fend dropped to all fours, and they returned to the path. Waaseyaawas waiting on his front step, singing a song in what Timur suspected was OldAmaranthine. He admired the man, who’d probably raised more sons and daughtersthan any human alive. Maybe it was his confidence. Maybe it was the singularityof his attention. When Gregor was in Waaseyaa’s arms, the boy was all he saw.
“We’re a little late.”
Waaseyaa only smiled and said, “Welcome home, Timur.”
Gregor bounced and reached, and Waaseyaa turned the toddlerloose. Timur swooped him up and grinned. “There’s Papka’s little battler! Missme much?”
“Pah-kah!”
Timur grinned and glanced around. “Where is everyone?”
“Most of us were at Zisa’s. I brought Gregor out becausethings were becoming … noisy.” Waaseyaa’s smile tilted, and he chuckled. “Ibelieve Ginkgo is intoxicated. Or pretending to be. He is trying to cheer upMikoto.”
“Is something the matter?”
Waaseyaa nodded. “Although I am more concerned about Sinder.”
Timur was already backing toward Zisa’s house. “Whathappened?”
“I think he needs a healer. Ginkgo thinks he needs a harem.”Waaseyaa waved him onward. “Either way, he asked for you.”
Timur spun on his heel and whispered to Gregor, “We shallcatch us a dragon, yes? I can teach you how. It’s a family tradition.”
One that all his other sons and daughters were probably alreadylearning.
One that might bring them back together someday. In a placelike this.
TWENTY-ONE
Persons of Interest
Sinder was in familiar territory—fading into thebackground, overhearing more than people realized. Without really meaning to,he was filing away details about Tenma and Mikoto. They certainly counted as personsof interest.
The Savior.
The Successor.
But to Sinder’s wearily jaded eye, they seemed like a coupleof close-kept and cosseted kids. Maybe he envied them their safety. Maybe heshould be proud that he was one of the guys who kept them safe.
“Prismatic?” Mikoto looked too confused to be hidingsomething. “Are you talking about colors?”
Ginkgo’s attention fixed on the young headman. “Sure you’reseeing straight, Tenma? He’s definitely human.”
“Do me!” exclaimed Zisa, who eased between the two men.“Look at me.”
