Page 100 of Fumiko and the Finicky Nestmate
The pervasive scent of grilling meat made more sense to Juuyu as soon as Moon strode into view. He hustled them into the guesthouse, trading packish pleasantries with Jiminy all the while. So Juuyu had no idea that Hallow’s war room had been turned into a clinic until an enormous male in healer’s colors pressed an aspirator between his lips and ordered, “Inhale.”
“My brother.” Colt sat meek and shirtless in a row with Hallow and Sinder. “He has five distinct masteries in the healing arts. Bavol, the pride of the Thunderhoof herd.”
Bavol prodded, kneaded, and scrutinized Juuyu without remark. Only after he’d finished his examination did his gaze come into a friendlier focus, “Well met, Kindred. Ricker always mentions you with fondness. Thank you for looking after him.”
Juuyu inclined his head. “We rely upon Colt for reasons I have no difficulty remembering.”
“Feeling forgetful?”
“Selectively,” Juuyu confirmed.
“An effect of pollen, I am told. Which is one of the reasons Hisoka Twineshaft called upon me.” With a fond look in his brother’s direction, Bavol explained, “It is one of my five masteries. Though your symptoms are a mystery to me.”
Sinder raised his hand. “I get that we have a bunch of preservationist expertise to pull from here, but I was coming to a point earlier.”
Bavol straightened. “I will hear you out.”
“You want to know wind lore, you ask a dragon. You want moon lore, grab a wolf.” Sinder met Juuyu’s gaze with palpable urgency. “If we need to know about pollen, I think it’s pretty obvious where we need to go.”
“To the trees?” asked Hallow.
Sinder rolled his eyes. “To the bees!”
Everyone exchanged puzzled glances. Finally, Juuyu said, “Hypothetically speaking ….”
“I’m not talking about hypotheticals!” Swearing under his breath, his partner jumped from his perch and pointed out the door. “He’s probably still here. Let me bring him in.”
Juuyu caught on first. “Buzz.”
THIRTY-FOUR
While Away the Hours
Juuyu left the interrogation of bees to Sinder and went in search of Akira. The young man was sitting on the beach near a long, low grill, where Moon and Diva presided over sizzling meat. But Akira’s attention wasn’t on the excitement surrounding the wolf or his meal. He was curled over his phone, tapping messages.
Heedless of his attire, Juuyu sank to a seat in the sand at his side.
Akira’s attention bounced up, and he leaned in.
“I apologize.” Juuyu eased closer and pulled Akira snugly against his side. “I was presumptuous enough to believe I could keep you safe. Yet it is you who have protected us.”
“How much do you remember?”
Juuyu hesitated. “Less than I should. But my duty to you remains clear.”
Akira turned into Juuyu and whispered, “I don’t know whether to be happy or scared.”
“Tell me.” Juuyu might not be able to remember, but he could listen. “Tell me all the things that happened to you.”
Akira searched his face. “You’ll just forget.”
“The telling will not be for my sake. It is for yours.” Juuyu urged, “Let me bear witness to your struggle, even if you will need to remind me in a few days, when I am rid of the pollen’s effects.”
So Akira began to talk.
Juuyu had never experienced the like. He struggled to fit the facts into a framework, to commit every detail to memory. But too many slipped from his grasp, leaving him with a piecemeal account.
For the first time in his life, Juuyu gave up trying.
