Weather Forecast

Tsumiko took Akira by the arm and guided him upstairs, explaining, “While Lady Starmark was visiting, there were four beacons in the house, and Vanya isn’t far behind in brilliance. Argent did what he could, but Ella’s been inconsolable ever since Boniface left.”

“Who?” asked Akira.

She bit her lip, then breezed on. “Twosies is sulking, and he wouldn’t say why. Thankfully, Dad knew the reason right away, and Elara confirmed it. I feel just terrible, but how could any of us have known? We put an ocean between two best friends.”

“Sis, slow down.” He pulled her to a standstill on a landing. “I mean, I can sympathize, but it’s not up to you to make sure everyone’s happy.”

“Except it is.”

“Not entirely. I’ll call Fumiko. Maybe even talk to Juuyu. If they have a sad tree on their hands, they’re going to be just as ready as us to make it right.” He searched her face. “Let me help more. This is my family, too.”

“Thank you. I’ll be relying on you. In a way, I already have been.” She really should have asked sooner. “How’s Uncle Jackie?”

“Jacques has pretty bad nightmares, and his appetite’s kind of pitiful. But he’s mostly bored. I’ve been enduring more than my fair share of facials, and this morning, he threatened to resume my dance lessons.”

“I think I want to hear more about your trip. The parts that make you smile like this.” She reached up to touch his face. “You and Uncle Jackie came back different.”

“We got to know each other pretty well.” This time, he took her arm, guiding her up the final flight of stairs. With a crooked smile, he quietly added, “Suuzu and I will make sure Jacques is okay. And I’ll happily take a turn holding Ella, but Jacques is still her favorite. Couldn’t he rejoin the naproom rotation?”

“If Argent and Suuzu can agree …?”

“Guess I’ll have to talk to Argent when he gets back.”

They’d almost reached the naproom when Sibley hurtled out the door, colliding with Akira’s legs and wrapping both arms around his waist. The boy—her new son—was almost combative in his affections, as if daring anyone to try to come between him and the people he cared about.

“You came! Can you stay? Perse likes you, so that’d be good.” And in a gentler tone, Sibley added, “Hi, Lady. Hey, do you know where Kyrie is?”

“He had an errand to run, but he should be on his way home.”

Sibley pulled away from Akira, looking uncertain, maybe even uneasy. “He left?”

“Yes. Quite early this morning.”

“He didn’t say nothing.” Sibley shuffled forward and lowered his voice. “Why’d you let him go? It’s not safe.”

“Boon is with him.”

“Oh, yeah?” Sibley gave a grudging nod. “Guess that’s all right.”

The same day two windships’ worth of dazed children arrived at Stately House, Sibley had proven to be a very brave boy, willing to take on Lord Mettlebright himself if it meant keeping the other crossers safe. He’d been everywhere. Counting heads and checking in. Grumping at the mares and whispering promises to the little ones. Overseeing bed assignments and dragging Kyrie around to make sure each child met their biggest brother.

Sibley’s belligerent pronouncements carried more weight than her father’s—they all knew Dr. Naoki—and even Elara’s. So when Sibley told them all, this is a good place, they’d believed him. And calmed.

Tsumiko had reason to be grateful, but she also saw how Sibley sagged into Kyrie, glad to share a burden no child should have ever had to carry. Even now, he was sacrificing himself. Given the chance, she was certain Sibley would have barged past barriers and claimed a spot in Kyrie’s room. Instead, he’d put himself in charge of the four children who seemed to think that the long rows of beds in their dormitories were a little too much like long rows of cages. So instead, they’d taken up residence in the naproom.

Twosies, the sulky boy-child who was part star.

Hotaru, a little girl with antennae who shone with a light all her own.

Perse, an older boy whose inheritances included both hooves and scales.

And the as-yet-unnamed girl who was somehow part Ephemera. Apparently, the closest thing she had to a name was Bother, which wouldn’t do for one so lovely.

Tsumiko reached out, silently offering to take Sibley’s hand.

As had happened before, he tucked both hands behind his back. “No offense, Lady, but I wouldn’t want these claws of mine to ... well, y’know. Safer this way. But don’t feel bad. When you’re close, it’s already like a hug.” Cheeks ruddy, Sibley escaped into the naproom.

Akira slipped his arm around her shoulders and gave a squeeze. “Seems like little half-dragons also have a way with words.”

Tsumiko whispered, “I need someone to ward a pair of mittens so I can hug that boy without worrying him.”

“Sounds good. And … sounds quiet. Ella’s not crying?”

“You’re right.” She led the way into the naproom. The padded flooring lent a spring to her step as she navigated around pillow piles to the oasis of firm flooring in the corner. Rhomiko had claimed one of the rockers, where they swayed with little Ella. Tsumiko smiled. “This is a nice surprise. She took to you?”

“She was calling, and I answered,” said Rhomiko.

“Thank you. Is Sensei all right?”

“Not all, no.” Rhomiko’s gaze shifted to Akira, who slid into the rocker next to theirs. “Hello, Akira.”

They hadn’t met yet. At least, not that Tsumiko knew.

Akira raised a hand in greeting. “Rhomiko, right? It’s good to meet you. I’m … well, I’m Tsumiko’s brother.”

“You are the phoenix’s boy.”

“That, too,” he replied easily. “Is that how someone described me?”

Rhomiko said, “Stars sing almost as much as wolves. But I would like to know you by more than the lyrics you have inspired.”

“I’m not sure you should trust rumors, even nice ones. It’d be better if we hang out. Like this.” Akira crooked his fingers at Twosies, who leaned against the arm of Rhomiko’s chair. “We can all be friends.”

Tsumiko sat on the floor nearby and shifted two pillows, uncovering their half-midivar child’s hiding place. “Come to Lady?”

With a slither of turquoise scales, the girl coiled around Tsumiko, hiding her face against her sweater, then trying to swarm inside it.

Sibley bustled over with one of the fur blankets. “It’s colder here,” he muttered. “She doesn’t like that. But everything else’s really good. Bother’s always liked exploring, and this place is full of rooms.”

“Will you help me choose a better name for her?”

“Me?”

“Why not?” She said, “I let Kyrie name one of his other sisters. Have you met Mercy?”

“Yeah, of course.” Sibley scooted closer on his knees and twitched the blanket up over the little girl’s shoulder. “You … you’re adopting Bother, too? She’s not a dragon-crosser. Not kin or whatever.”

“This may have started with the hope that we could reunite Kyrie with as many of his siblings as possible, but we’re welcoming all of you, no matter your heritage. Argent and I want each and every one of you. You’re home.”

Sibley scooted closer. “There’s a lot of us. Could be there’s more out there.”

“Like you said, we have a lot of rooms.”

“Umm … Sis?” Akira looked vaguely worried. “Rhomiko has a question, and I think it might be important.”

“Yes?”

“Are storms terrible?” asked Rhomiko.

“Some people find them unsettling. Are you afraid of lightning and thunder?”

“I do not know.” They glanced between her and Sibley. “Could I befriend them rather than fear them?”

“That would be interesting. I’m not sure if there are thunder imps or lightning imps specifically. But there certainly could be. As part of a sky clan.” Tsumiko wasn’t sure she was answering the question. “We do get storms. There are shutters and gutters and lightning rods. But this time of year, we expect snowstorms.”

Rhomiko asked, “What about rain? I think there will be rain.”

“In winter, we sometimes get rain, but it freezes as it falls, coating everything in ice. It can cause damage, especially to trees. And in the gardens.”

“Then you should warn the trees. And prepare your shutters and gutters.”

Akira stood, clearly ready to play messenger. “I’ll talk to Ginkgo. He’ll know what to do. We can check the weather forecast and notify the rest of the enclave.”

Tsumiko checked her phone. “Today. Tomorrow. All week. The forecast is for sunny skies.”

Rhomiko said, “Imps are unpredictable. They cannot be forecast.”

“Wind imps caused a lot of damage on that island,” said Akira. “Maybe I should talk to Lapis, too? Dragons are supposed to know all about winds, yeah?”

“He isn’t here. Council business. Maybe Opulence?”

“There is a storm coming.” Rhomiko’s tone was portentous, though with a small shake of their head, they amended, “Storms. Three of them. And they are angry.”