“I’ve made another decision.” The words weren’t hard to say. They blurted right out. “I know what I want most.”
Tenma tipped his head to one side, looking more closely. “You’re much better at big decisions than I am. What is it you want, Lilya-chan?”
“You, of course.”
FORTY-ONE
Bygones
Ginkgo slipped inside the Kith shelter and dropped onto the straw at the white dog’s side. “He’s trying to kill me. Or at least humble me.” Flinging his arms wide, he let himself go limp. “Behold, I have been humbled to the very dust.”
She snuffled his neck and nuzzled his ear.
“That Salali.” Ginkgo blindly reached for the dog and petted. “Does anybody realize how amazing he is? Because the things he does aren’t just next level. They’re on par with miracles.”
She shuffled closer, trapping him between her forelegs.
He felt safe and relaxed further. “Heaven help me, I need a nap.”
It felt so good to rest his eyes after spending half the night studying interlocking sigilcraft and the other half trailing Goh Impleer. The monkey clansman had apparently taken Sinder’s place tormenting that allotment of young battlers. Salali made certain he and Ginkgo remained undetected.
Observation, he called it.
Stealing tricks, more like.
“Monkey clans are all risks and rigamarole. Goh pulled tricks I’ve never seen, let alone imagined.” Ginkgo curled onto his side. “His nonsense works, but I don’t know why. And it’s going to drive me crazy until I figure it out.”
The dog licked him.
Even as he burrowed closer, Ginkgo reminded himself that he shouldn’t be zoning out. “Need to tell Waaseyaa. Supposed to be the one … bring Gregor next time.”
“You should ask him.”
Ginkgo’s head snapped up.
“Goh Impleer is a teacher at heart. If you want to know something, ask for a lesson.”
He sat up and slumped into the white dog’s chest. “Well, hey. I was hoping someone would show up to make introductions. Figures it’d be you, Lady Starmark.”
Radiance’s posture was all dominance, but her smile offered nothing but welcome. “It’s nice to put a face to the scent, young Master Mettlebright.”
“Ginkgo,” he corrected.
“And you shall call me Radiance.” Brows rising, she asked, “Is Kyrie to blame for your arrival in Snow’s domain?”
Snow, was it? He reached up to give the dog a friendly scratch. “Salali changed my security clearance, and that brought this place to my attention. Not surprised to hear that little bro found it first, though. Barriers are no match for him.”
With a sharp look at Snow, Radiance asked, “Is this a common trait of all dragons?”
“Nope, not at all.” Recalling Salali’s hopes for him, Ginkgo suggested, “Could be an upshot of having both Amaranthine and reaver blood.”
“So crossers make excellent cat burglars?”
“The heists we could pull,” Ginkgo joked. “But seriously, let’s not give Kyrie any ideas.”
“He’s a good boy. A tribute to Argent’s care. And yours.” Radiance arched a quizzical brow. “Although I really must ask why you’ve decided to ignore boundaries.”
Ginkgo looked up, trying to catch Snow’s eye. “Is she complaining?”
“Usually. But not about you in particular.” Radiance remained where she was, studying the two of them as if trying to unravel a mystery. Finally, she said, “I wouldn’t have expected her to tolerate a fox.”
“You’ve got fox issues?” Ginkgo was wide awake, now. This was one of the topics on Dad’s information-gathering wish list.
“Historically.” Radiance seemed to be listening. Probably to Snow. “Feud would be too strong a term, but Wardenclave had some trouble with foxes at the very beginning. Linlu’s ink was barely dry on the charter when a trio of hungry foxes attempted a raid.”
Ginkgo had heard similar stories from Dad. “With an appetite for reaver souls.”
“Yes.” Radiance’s lip curled. “Glint helped Gerard Reaver and his people drive them off, which gave Salali time to reinforce the barriers. But not before a life was lost.”
“You lost someone?”
“Not personally. This was before my time. Nor anyone from Wardenclave.” Radiance’s expression grew troubled. “One of the foxes caught the full brunt of a battler’s fury. When his sisters retreated, they dragged his body away with them.”
“Wardenclave’s people defended themselves.”
Radiance inclined her head. “Times have changed, and bygones are bygones.”
“Except?”
“Salali warded against foxes for more than a millennium.” She quietly admitted, “Up until a scant century ago, when Hisoka Twineshaft came with his hopes for greater cooperation between the clans.”
Ginkgo said, “Seems a long time to hold a grudge against foxes.”
“Turn that statement around in your thoughts, young Master Mettlebright.” Radiance’s chin lifted. “Those foxes have long held a grudge against Wardenclave.”
“You got proof of this?”
“Against foxes?” She laughed mirthlessly. “They smile and say all the right things. But they delight in dropping hints that all is not forgiven nor forgotten.”
“And you can’t keep them out?”
Radiance smirked Snow’s way. “Our security team knows its business, and upon my eldest son’s recommendation, Salali refined his wards. That was eleven years ago.”
Ginkgo ran through all the things that’d happened eleven years ago. Tsumiko’s arrival. Kyrie’s birth, close on the heels of Lilya’s. Dad’s freedom, at long last. And his appointment to the Five. Replacing … oh, boy.
“Two sisters,” he said warily. “Which clan?”
With a grim smile, Radiance answered, “Hightip.”
Ginkgo was still composing a report to Dad when Tenma stumbled through Waaseyaa’s kitchen door and sagged to his knees beside Ginkgo’s chair.
“Classes done for the day?” Ginkgo asked with a glance out the window. It was too early. Pushing back his chair, he crouched beside Tenma and grabbed his shoulders. “What happened? Is it one of the kids?”
“Safe,” he gasped. “They’re fine.”
Tenma’s heart was pounding, and his scent was a far cry from his usual calm. Ginkgo chaffed his arms and grumbled, “Get ahold of yourself and tell me what’s going on.”
His confusion only mounted when tears sprang to the man’s eyes and he begged, “Kill me quick. You’ll be kind about it, at least.”
Ginkgo couldn’t help laughing. “Who in their right mind would dare raise their hand against a packmate of Harmonious Starmark, let alone the almost-bride of Lapis Mossberne.”
“Sansa-san, for one. Isla, I think.” With a cringing posture, he whispered, “Maybe even you.”
“Back up. Start over. Shouldn’t you be up to your elbows in clay right about now?”