Page 95 of Mikoto and the Reaver Village
“What did Yulin say?” checked Salali.
“To ask a dragon,” said Lilya.
Okay, that was some more name-dropping. Salali clearly hadmore of the facts, and Ginkgo needed to get up to speed. Giving up on his icecream, Ginkgo asked, “Can I have a look?”
Lilya turned to him with a smile.
He mumbled reassurances as he worked his fingers under Rifflet’slithe body, but he needn’t have worried. The little one came easily, windingaround Ginkgo’s fingers, then forearm. With more soft vocalizations, Riffletrubbed his jaw against Ginkgo’s knuckle. It was tough to say who was tamingwhom.
“Darn cute. Dad’ll want a dozen.” With extreme care, hepressed the smooth side of a claw into Rifflet’s mouth. “Give us a look, littlemister. What are you packing?”
“He’s not poisonous,” offered Lilya. “Glint said so.”
“Ephemera aren’t aggressive. No stingers, no fangs, nopoison. They don’t bite, they don’t hunt.” Pulling free, Ginkgo tickled Riffletunder the chin. “Which is why I seriously doubt your new friend qualifies. Hehas a proper set of teeth, and that usually spells carnivore.”
“Interesting,” remarked Salali. “May I?”
“What do you say?” Ginkgo asked the little dragon. “Do youhave room in your affections for this scruffy squirrel?”
Lilya giggled.
Rifflet’s answering twitter sounded like laughter.
“I do apologize, Miss Ward. I know nearly everything thatcan be known about Wardenclave and its environs, but he isn’t from theseparts.” Salali stroked Rifflet’s crest with one finger. “By all means, askSinder. Though if you tarry a little longer, my friend may offer some insight.”
Ginkgo glanced at the door. “Whoisthis friend ofyours?”
Salali angled his head toward the front door, which swungopen.
Tenma dragged through, looking—and smelling—like he’d lost along siege against a mud puddle. “I’m late. I’m sorry. Goh-sensei needed me toprep tomorrow’s clay since he’s filling in for Sinder tonight. Good evening, Ginkgo.Hello, Lilya-chan.”
“Already friends?” Salali’s eyes were bright with interest.
Without hesitation, Tenma provided some oblique context. “I’vebeen a guest at Stately House.”
Ginkgo wondered how often. Dad definitely depended on him tohelp Tsumiko with the running of the household. But when it came to grandschemes, Lord Mettlebright kept his own counsel. Or confided in Jacques. Anddespite appearances, Tenma was a top tier, grand scheme kind of guy.
It was becoming increasingly difficult to follow the strategiesthat kept his dad busy, but Ginkgo was okay with his need-to-know basis. Hisfocus was on the den, not the world outside.
Which made this summer exceptional.
At first blush, Dad had sent him to watch out for thekids—Kyrie, Lilya, Timur, and Gregor. With understated instructions to keep hisears and eyes open. Information about trees. Information about foxes.Information about dragons. All the sorts of things you’d expect.
Except Ginkgo couldn’t shake the idea that Dad was doing Dadthings. Which meant he might be in the middle of a very foxish endeavor.
No place was safer than Stately House. But people knew aboutit. So Dad had stashed them someplace thatwasn’ton any maps. BorrowingSalali’s longstanding barriers and Denholm’s pack of over-protective dogs, he’dlimited—if not outright eliminated—the chances of discovery.
Argent Mettlebright’s eggs were no longer in one basket.
Was he acting on Hisoka Twineshaft’s advice? Or had he arrangedthings because he was acting on his own … and unable to personally ensure hissons’ safety while away from Stately House? Where was Dad now? Ginkgo had noway of knowing.
“Your ice cream is melting,” Salali called as he escortedTenma to the freezer.
While he was out of earshot, Ginkgo nudged Lilya. “We okay?”
“Better than,” she assured. “But … do you think we can talkto Sinder tonight?”
“Not sure. We can try, though. But let’s see what Tenma hasto say about Rifflet.”
