The last leaves were still clinging to the trees when Micah said he wanted to go to the village to declare themselves mates in front of Dragan. Sasha was setting up a fight to claim Micah as his husband in the Compound—apparently Timon, who’d decided Micah was going to marryhimwhen he grew up, offered to challenge Sasha before he was informed it was against the rules. He’d written Micah an outraged letter about it, and Sasha had howled with laughter.
“We should make another kiln,” Sasha said, poking around in the ashes. “Now that everyone knows there’s a toymaker nearby. I got three more kids asking for dragons.”
“Dragons aren’t even my best,” Micah protested. Viv snorted.
“Too late. Now everyone wants scales.”
It seemed like they received a new request from kids in the Compound every week. Some even left presents for him, candies or carved wooden utensils or pretty stones from the beach. It was a new feeling, being able to hear from a child how much they loved their toy, and Micah was using the kiln almost daily now.
Sasha let out a triumphant cry and pulled something out of the ashes—a lump of metallic ore Micah had used to make a cat that purred when you shook it. He took the metal from Sasha and held it to the light. It was bluish black and still polished.
“We could make our rings out of this,” he said, and Viv leaned in to look.
“That’d be nice.”
“Rings from the fire that brought you to us?” Sasha grinned. “All right, boss. Sounds like magic shit to me.”
“Probably is.” Micah wrapped the metal in a cloth and slipped it into his bag. “You all up for a walk?”
“Oh, am I ever,” Viv said, rolling her eyes. Her chair was still a pile of pieces in the living room, but they were taking the journey slowly, which meant they’d probably have to sleep at Zev’s place that night. Micah didn’t mind.
They followed the old lines he had set up in the woods, a complex system of shells, bells, and rocks meant to alert him to visitors. They passed the box where Dragan and Zev used to leave him supplies and reached the cottage closest to the woods, where a woman was patching a chimney with her wife looking on.
“It’s strange, but the village still feels familiar,” Micah said, holding Viv’s hand as Sasha tried to scrape together enough snow to form a ball. Sasha threw it, and it scattered, spraying snow and bits of ice. “Even that. They used to have snowball fights with the kids before the winter storms hit. I tended to sit them out.”
“Oh, man, we gotta do that,” Sasha said, just as Viv said, “I don’t blame you.”
Micah grinned at them and took a breath as Dragan’s house came into view, along with the fire pit where most of the village tended to gather. Micah slowed as they approached, but the only person he saw was Zev, who was walking toward the house with his hands in his pockets. He stopped and waved when he saw them.
“Hey! You all know it’s almost winter, right?”
“Is it?” Viv asked. “Tell me more.”
Zev pulled a face at her, and Viv pulled one back. Then he strode over to lift her in a hug. “Good to see you, witch girl.”
“You’re still looking happy, wolf boy.”
Zev howled softly and winked at Sasha. Then he nodded to Micah. “Good to see you, too. Uh. Any reason you’re here, or…”
“He wants to marry us,” Sasha said. “Three times.”
Zev looked like he wasn’t sure whether to laugh or not. “Three?”
“Yeah, we’re that hot. Once in the fighting pits, once with rings, and then here. He says you cut your hand and shit? That’s badass.”
This time, Zev did laugh. “I feel like I have some catching up to do. But good for you. Really. Dragan’s home—I bet we could do it now.”
Micah tried not to let his nervousness show as they walked up the hill to Dragan and Zev’s house. His memories of the village weren’t altogether pleasant, but that was why he was here, wasn’t it? To make a new memory. Something on his terms. He straightened his shoulders and picked up the pace, and when Dragan opened the door, Micah’s heart only pounded a little.
“Brought some new mates for a ceremony,” Zev said, and Dragan grinned.
“Fire-Keeper? You picked a handful.”
Micah blushed. “I havetwo hands.”
Dragan’s eyes twinkled. “I see that. Come in, then.”
Inside, there were big cushions in front of the fire, where three wolves were currently lounging. They looked like they were caught between wanting to check out the newcomers and wanting to stay warm, but the fire inevitably won out. They followed Micah with their gaze as Micah stopped in front of the dais where mating ceremonies were held.
