Page 82 of Mikoto and the Reaver Village
“Not yet.” With a sigh, he admitted, “Nobody has said sooutright, but I am beginning to think I fell in love with the wrong girl.”
Timur went still, his gaze sad. “Tell me about it.”
“May I help with these?” Indicating the warming pots and crushedherbs, Mikoto asked, “Do the standard proportions change for dragons?”
With a bemused look, Timur said, “For dragons, I double the mallowpulp, and I’ve added some lemongrass for Sinder, since he favors bright scents.You know the healing arts?”
Mikoto supposed it was his turn. “I have been workingalongside a healer since I was old enough to sneak off. Merl Alpenglow is mybest friend, my brother.”
“Fandriel’s foresight, you’re a welcome surprise.” Timur shovedseveral implements into Mikoto’s hands. “Prep four full measures. Once he’s hada wallow in the lake, daub it on thick and hot.”
“Four measures,” he confirmed, calmly lining up ingredientsin the order he’d need them.
“Steady hands and a sweet soul. Looks likeI’mthefortunate one, having you here.” Timur scratched at the stubble on his chin. “Ifyou can also handle Sinder’s tending, I can focus on closing the smaller woundswith sigils. It’s the dragon way.”
Mikoto was eager to see that sort of treatment but onlyasked, “Is there an ideal temperature?”
Timur rattled off an acceptable range while poking through asmall pouch on a cord around his neck. Withdrawing a pale greenmarble—undoubtedly a remnant—he addressed Sinder. “Ever had a wound warded?Medical barriers? Sigil-soothing?”
Sinder’s claws gracefully formed ano. It hadn’t evenoccurred to Mikoto that hand signs were an option. In hindsight, he felt silly.
“Advanced sigilcraft wrought upon the body.” Timur held upthe green marble. “This will anchor my sigils. You can keep it under yourtongue, or you could swallow it. Either way, I’ll need it back. Eventually.”
There was a teasing light in Timur’s eyes.
Sinder extended a clawed hand to accept the crystal. He heldit up to catch the light, studying it for several long moments, then took itinto his mouth.
“Did you swallow it?” asked Kyrie, sloshing around to peercuriously into Sinder’s face.
The dragon’s brow ridges arched, but he kept his own counselon the matter.
“Oh.” Kyrie’s giggle had a fluting quality.
“Did he say something?” asked Mikoto. He’d lived among theclans long enough to know that not all communication was verbal.
“No.” The boy’s smile was wide enough to reveal fangs. “Butthe stone did.”
“Dragons have an especial affinity for both wind and stone, whichare rudimentary for all forms of sigilcraft.” Timur grappled out of his bootsand sat on the lakeshore in order to roll up his pantlegs. Finding them alreadydamp, he shucked off his breeches and dropped them over a nearby bush. “Amaranthinescholars believe sigilcraft originated with the dragon clans, but some of thelore suggests that they learned it from the stars.”
Kyrie said, “Mother thinks that sometimes when the storiessaystar, they meanangel.”
“Who can say for sure?” Timur pointed out, “The stars arelisted among the lost clans of sky, so they could have been Impressions. Butnobody seems to know for certain.”
“Hisoka-sensei might,” said Kyrie.
Timur grinned. “Cats do love their secrets. Which puts usright back at … who can say for sure? Because everybody—especially theillustrious Spokesperson—rarely says all they could.”
Mikoto wasn’t sure what to make of the teasing tone. Hishesitation must have shown on his face, because Timur wagged a finger at him.
“Hisoka Twineshaft is an old friend of the family. Myrespect for him is second only to my fondness.” Turning to Sinder, he made ashooing motion. “Into the water. You need a long soak before I work my magic.”
Sinder slowly eased back on his haunches. Clearly, he wasstill in pain. Mikoto checked for—and found—the numbing agent to add to theointment.
“Signal if the little fishes start to nibble,” Timurdrawled. “Kyrie can chase them away.”
The dragon’s response was to pick Timur up and toss him intothe center of the lake, then slip sinuously after him, Kyrie clinging to hismane.
With a backdrop of calls and splashing, Mikoto turned hisfocus to the level of flames and the viscosity of the warming ointment.Familiar tasks. Soothing motions.
