Mikoto and the Reaver Village (Amaranthine Saga #4) - Forthright . Page 0,9
his guardian.
“Hello,” Michaelson murmured, sitting forward and extending a hand. “Any ill effects?”
Sinder allowed the brush of fingertips, even though he was pretty sure he hadn’t dreamed up the late-breaking news flash with regards to the Order of Spomenka. “You’re a dragon slayer?”
“Family tradition.” Timur quietly added, “You had a right to know.”
“A ringer among the rookies? Who knew about …?” He faltered, because he knew the answer. “Twineshaft arranged it?”
Timur glanced toward the door, then rubbed the back of his neck. “Sensei knows, sure. But that’s not why I’m here.”
“So it’s pure coincidence that you’re part of an intensive on tracking dragons?”
“I’m filling in for Boon.”
Sinder snorted. “Torloo is filling in for him.”
With a gesture that begged for patience, Timur said, “Boon was also scheduled as a camp instructor. I’ll be working with the academy kids. But I’m mainly here because Argent arranged it.”
“You?”
Timur seemed confused.
Sinder eased onto his side, testing muscles and gritting his teeth against several new aches and twinges. “No offense, Michaelson, but you can’t expect me to believe you’re Mettlebright’s spy.”
“Are we spies, then?”
“I never said that,” he muttered, grateful the room was warded.
“Believe what you want. I can’t deny that I’m here for … reasons.” Timur’s lips quirked. “But they’re largely familial.”
“But not entirely familial,” he challenged. Sinder wasn’t sure what kind of confession he expected to wrest out of the man. Why was he running at the mouth? And then it clicked. “What did you dose me with?”
“Huddlebud. You had a second dose two days ago. I can brew a tea that’ll wash away any lingering effects.” Timur came to perch on the bed’s edge. “The room’s been warded the whole time. Nobody heard.”
Sinder’s eyes widened. “What did I say?”
“This and that. Nothing worth repeating.” Timur chuckled as he added, “Though I would like my phone back. Eventually.”
He found it under his pillow.
Timur’s eyes sparkled with laughter. “You were cuddling it like a teddy bear.”
Sinder clutched it to his heart. “Wardenclave doesn’t have wifi.”
“Denholm does.” As if on cue, the phone vibrated.
“We’re in Denholm?” Sinder glanced at the screen. Someone with the handle BeastieBestie had texted, I could walk faster than this bus is rolling.
“No, we’re at the heart of Wardenclave.”
Something in the way he said it made Sinder take a closer look at his surroundings. That dose must have been fresh as flowers. Then again, Sinder was used to leaving setting details to Juuyu.
Daytime, roundabout mid-high. Bedroom, probably guest. And downright palatial, by Wardenclave standards. “They gave me a tent.”
Timur laughed. “I have a little cabin, same as the other instructors. But this was both more secure and more convenient for … reasons.”
Sinder wasn’t letting that go. “You know I know Inti, right?”
With a quick nod, Timur rejoined, “And you know where he is.”
That hung in the air between them for several moments. “Right. Well,” muttered Sinder. “The less said, the better.”
“Now you sound like Boon,” Timur accused.
Sinder hung his head, at a loss. Finally, he asked, “How much do you know?”
“More than I’m supposed to, but not enough to be dangerous. I’m trying to reassure you. We have people in common. You can trust me.”
“Me, trust a Spomenka?” Sinder gave him the side eye. “That would be preposterous.”
Timur nodded. “Almost as preposterous as having a phoenix for a partner.”
Sinder flopped back and waved an accusing finger. “You’re a harrowing, hulking security risk.”
“Not a bit of it. But I am here for security reasons.” He reached over and unlocked his phone with the touch of a finger. “How are they coming?”
More text messages from BeastieBestie.
I could walk faster than this bus is rolling
Unpaved roads = first line of defense
Lilya says to bring Fend
Smoother, faster ride
Next came a selfie that made Sinder sit up. Dark green seats and windows with a tundra view confirmed that the sender was on a camp bus. “The reavers are coming in already?”
“In a couple more days. Glint gave permission for an earlier arrival.” Timur craned his neck to see the photo. “This room’s for them.”
The selfie showed a grinning male in a faded blue shirt that set off his eyes. His rumple of silver hair would have sent Juuyu into fits, but Sinder was more interested in his ears. Silver fox ears perched atop his head, marking him as a crosser. And a celebrity one, at that.
He was crammed into a seat with two children. A girl with long brown hair had her arms wrapped around the shoulders of a boy who clung to her waist. There