Page 154 of Mikoto and the Reaver Village
Salali sidled over and helped Ginkgo to his feet. No easytask, given the pup’s heft. Before retreating, the squirrel tucked a crystalinto his pocket and whispered, “If motherhood interests you, I can pull a fewstrings, bend a few branches.”
Ginkgo rolled his eyes, but he had the uncomfortablesuspicion that his mentor was only half-teasing.
And suddenly, it was time. There was no way Ginkgo was goingto mess this up. Not when it meant so much to Snow. And to this pup. And toGlint, whose cheeks were already wet.
Taking a deep breath, Ginkgo said, “I speak for PathStarmark.”
Glint shuffled forward. “I am listening. I will hear.”
“We shared a den. We shared a pack. We shared a promise.”
“I remember.” Glint quietly added, “I will always remember.”
Ginkgo blinked hard and continued. “I did not forget ourpact. A son for a son.”
“Your promise is fulfilled. And he is beautiful.”
“May he be a tribute to the Starmark clan, and may he be acomfort in my absence.” Ginkgo couldn’t quite keep the tremor out of his voicenow. This was breaking his heart.
Glint wasn’t trusting his voice at all. He simply nodded.
Ginkgo glanced at Snow, who inclined her head. So he smiledshakily and said, “Father?”
“IamPath’s father.”
“A son for a son,” Ginkgo repeated. “Here is my promisekept. His name is Pact.”
FIFTY-FIVE
Levels of Stupidity
Lilya couldn’t help feeling that something washappening. Like Stately House on the eve of the Frost Festival, or when UncleJackie returned from a trip with Uncle Argent and began doling out souvenirsfor each of them. The air seemed to be humming with anticipation. Or maybe shereally was hearing humming.
Gregor propped on her hip, she hurried after Timur, scanningthe sky for any sign of singers. “Maybe it’s the wind,” she said to Gregor.
He lay his head on her shoulder and said, “Pah-kah.”
“Yes, your papka needs us.”
Inside Zisa’s little house, which was now swathed in creamyyellows and golds, she found her big brother already slouched in a chair thathad been dragged to the corner and Sinder huddled on the larger of two beds.
Timur beckoned for her to pass him Gregor. “Thank you,Lilya. Take care of Sinder for me.”
“Wouldn’t it be better ifIheld Gregor soyoucan …?”
“No.” Timur’s tone was tightly controlled. “I will stayright here, and I will hold Gregor, and you will take care of Sinder.”
“Why?”
“Because I am angry.”
Lilya had never seen Timur angry, but she’d seen Mum angry.Once. Things could get scary without someone—in Mum’s case, Papka—to calmeveryone down. “Where’s Fend?” she asked.
“I shut him out.”
“Why?”
Timur’s jaw tightened. “He’s even angrier.”
