Page 92 of Mikoto and the Reaver Village
Zisa took one look at Rifflet and dropped to his kneesbefore Lilya. “I love you already!”
While he tried to discover what kinds of things the little creaturewould eat, Lilya watched the moonrise from Waaseyaa’s front step. And waited.
Glint and Radiance had escorted her back together, fussingat each other in fond ways the whole while. After extracting a promise thatshe’d keep tomorrow’s appointment, Glint gruffly vowed to not to meddle … much.But he might know of a boy in France who was an up-and-coming ward. And how didshe feel about tree-kin in a hypothetical sense?
Lilya leaned into Waaseyaa, whose arms must be strong tohave been cradling Gregor for so long. He was a nice man. She liked him andZisa both. But marrying Waaseyaa would mean staying here. It might be differentif she happened to fall in love, but there wasn’t time for that.
“What’s the most important thing?” she asked.
Waaseyaa hummed.
Maybe there was no answer. Kyrie would have known a betterway to ask.
But Waaseyaa said, “Listening, I think.”
That sounded very wise. Almost like something Aunt Tsumikowould say.
“Here they come,” announced Zisa.
Waaseyaa murmured, “He always knows.”
“Because he’s a good listener?”
His twin nodded. “Zisa pays better attention than peoplerealize.”
That made her want to pay closer attention. As Zisa hurried togreet his guests, it occurred to Lilya that she usually only paid close attentionto Kyrie. Could watching someone else be considered part of growing up?
And then Ginkgo was crouched in front of her. “New scarf?”he asked lightly.
“His name’s Rifflet.”
Lilya held up her arms for a hug, and Ginkgo immediatelygathered her close. “What’s wrong, little girl?”
“My turn,” she whispered.
They were magic words. Like a pact, they were so important.She saved them up for emergencies, for those times when she needed to have Ginkgoall to herself.
Without letting go, Ginkgo turned his body. “Kyrie, watchover Gregor until we get back.”
“Gladly.”
Lilya looked up into Kyrie’s face. He spared Rifflet a quizzicalglance, but simply asked, “Later?”
“Yes, please.”
Ginkgo scooped her up and sprang away—strong and sure andstraight into mischief. “I know where the camp’s kitchen hides their ice cream.How about a midnight snack?”
“It’s not midnight.”
“Might be if we hang around long enough.” Ginkgo sprangplayfully from one rock to the next along the edge of the song circle.
Lilya tightened her hold around Ginkgo’s neck. Her familywas everything she cared about and the only thing she’d ever wanted. Even ifshe grew up, she couldn’t imagine that part ever changing. But maybe that justmeant that she wasn’t grown up yet. Being eleven was a bigger problem thanshe’d ever suspected.
Ginkgo carried her to the kitchen behind the dining hall andworked a little foxish magic. He never used a door if there was a windowavailable. Scooping two bowls of butter brickle, he sprinkled their dishesliberally with pecans. They found seats at one of the long tables in the emptydining hall.
“Ready when you are,” Ginkgo said.
“Remember when Darya needed to get married?”
