Turning aside, Kyrie slipped his hand into Sinder’s. “Is this a wedding?” he whispered.
“Hope so.” His smile was wry. “Do I look as awkward as I feel?”
Kyrie studied his attire, which was certainly more lavish than the stuff Sinder usually wore. “Lapis usually dresses in a similar style.”
“There’s a good reason for that.” Fiddling self-consciously with gauzy layers of sheer fabric, he muttered, “He loaned me this get-up. I managed to talk him out of most of the jewelry.”
“You look very pretty.” Touching the necklace Lapis had loaned him, Kyrie added, “I feel special.”
Sinder grudgingly admitted, “It’s not so bad. Once in a while. To pretty up a bit.”
Wardenclave’s founders arrived together, and Radiance swept to Lilya’s side. She and Glint were clearly taken with her. So much so, Kyrie couldn’t help wondering if Ever would be jealous. Which reminded him of something.
“Will it cause a problem that Mikoto’s children will be crossers?”
“They won’t be.”
Kyrie hesitated. “They are not compatible?”
“No, no. If the stories are to be believed, they’ll have no trouble. Untouched by the Waning, and so forth. However, I have it on good authority that an imp’s contribution to a mixed mating is … unmixed.”
“Could you clarify?” asked Kyrie. “If it is not a secret.”
“Nah, not this. It’s lore.” Still, Sinder kept his voice low. “If a moon maiden accepts a wolf as her bondmate, she’ll give him strong cubs. If a wind joins with a dragon, all their young will be exceptionally beautiful dragons. If a tree gives its fruit to a phoenix, the resulting child will be a phoenix.”
“So Mikoto’s children will be human, even though their mother is a wind imp.”
“Not just human. They’ll be reavers, and they’ll probably rival Waaseyaa’s lot for power once they’re ranked.” Sinder’s gaze settled on Wardenclave’s headman. “Couldn’t have happened to a nicer kid.”
Just then, Ginkgo signaled for Kyrie, so he excused himself.
His big brother was still with the Japanese woman, and Glint had joined them. They’d switched to English, probably for the dog clansman’s benefit.
“I was going to tell you, and then I didn’t.” Ginkgo’s ears went all cockeyed with embarrassment. “This is Mikoto’s mother. She’s from Japan, and her maiden name is Hajime. Sora-san, this is Kyrie Hajime-Mettlebright. Like I was saying, I also have Hajime ancestry, so in a way, we’re kin.”
Kyrie looked up into the woman’s face, searching for any resemblance to Mom. There were commonalities, things typical to the Japanese people, but that was all. He offered his hands in greeting.
“My pedigree is a matter of record.” Sora looked thoughtfully at Glint. “If anyone can trace our connection, it would be you, Lord Starmark.”
“Odd thing, that.” Ever’s grandsire casually offered a hand to Kyrie. “Your father personally searched our records. Quite thoroughly. He was researching Tsumiko’s heritage. Even unregistered reavers can usually be placed on a chart if we cross-reference family registries.”
Ginkgo’s ears pricked. “He never mentioned that to me. What did he find?”
With a low chuckle, Glint said, “He never mentioned that, either. Although I got the distinct impression he was … annoyed.”
Kyrie had been so focused on the dragon half of his heritage, it had never occurred to him that being a Hajime might be special in its own way.
Yulin encouraged Mikoto to limit his guest list to the bare minimum. His mother and his best friend. His five mentors. He’d wanted Waaseyaa and Zisa in attendance, so they were hosting. They needed Lapis and Sinder, who’d outlined a plan that required Timur’s support.
He’d promised a place to Kyrie, and it was only natural to include Lilya. And Ginkgo for that matter. Lupe had also been invited, but she’d politely declined. Maybe that was for the best. Mikoto could only assume that she was being considerate of Tzefira’s feelings.
“Cold feet?”
Mikoto hadn’t specifically invited Radiance, but neither would he dream of excluding her. Lady Starmark found a warm welcome wherever she went. He considered her teasing question and answered seriously. “I have no doubts.”
“Good boy.” She bumped shoulders with him. “Did you know that your parents didn’t meet until the day they exchanged vows?”
He shook his head.
“It was the same for Glint. He was adorably flustered when I ambushed him. But like you, he squared his shoulders and faced me.” Radiance dimpled. “I’m happy for both of you.”
Mikoto slipped into a grateful posture, but he wasn’t sure what to say. Wasn’t it too early to celebrate? They weren’t even sure this would work. Then again, if it didn’t, they’d keep trying until something did.
“She has only been here for summers.” He liked knowing Radiance would support their choice. “She will finally see our village in autumn and winter and spring.”
“May all the seasons ahead be joyous.”
He wanted that, too.
“Mikoto,” called Timur. “We’re ready for you.”
He hurried into a circle set with wardstones. Most were pale blue, but at the center Timur placed a single red crystal.
Timur grabbed him by the shoulders and backed him out of the ring. “You’ll be on this side of the barrier. Otherwise, our dragons may inadvertently woo you to their side, and that would leave your lady lonely.”
“Understood.”
“I’ll monitor things from inside. Ginkgo and Kyrie will keep watch out here. Lapis and Sinder will be piling on the charm, and nobody here would be able to resist.”
“Because they will be singing a love song?”
“A traditional ballad with admittedly amorous subtext.” Timur indicated the crystals. “I’m pretty sure one of the reasons Lapis insisted on the barrier is because it’s a clan secret.”
“If they’re inside a barrier, how will Tzefira be able to hear them?”
Timur blinked, then chuckled. Gesturing with both hands, he explained, “It’ll be switched. You and your guests are on lockdown. Lapis and Sinder will be singing to the open sky.”
“What if they attract more than they intend?”
“Won’t matter,” assured Timur. “Even if the stars themselves are lured in by their song, they don’t have Tzefira’s reason to stay.”
“And the song will help her know what to do?”
“That’s what they tell me.” Timur lowered his voice and took a more serious tone. “It’s a very old, very long ballad that teaches by example. A dragon friend slipped me the transcript once. It’s called ‘The Temptation of Lord Beckonthrall.’”
Mikoto started out nodding, then shook his head. “What good will it do to hear about him? I cannot duplicate his methods.”
“You’ve got it switched again, my good man.” Timur’s eyes sparkled. “According to tradition, Persiflage Beckonthrall was the one who succumbed to temptation. And the song was composed by the four winds who wooed him.”