Heart Fortune (Celta) (30 page)

Thirty-two

S
top and breathe and think. She was still uncomfortable, but able to
handle her fear. Pressing her lips together, she decided she would not cry out to Jace or even Lepid. She should be able to handle this herself.

But looking up, she only saw diffuse light through the tall trees, not a trace of the sun to tell her what direction it was. Narrowing her eyes, she noted some disturbed bushes. Surely she’d come through there. She took a step toward them, then they burst open as Lepid jumped into the small copse.

Relief whooshed through her, making her light-headed enough that she let her weakened knees fold and sat on the downed tree. She wouldn’t have to depend on herself to find the camp.

We are heroes! We found lots and lots of good trees! Enough for the WHOLE building!

Lepid hopped on the log and pranced up and down it. When he butted her side with his head, she stroked him with a shaking hand he didn’t notice.

A niggle of cowardice settled into her. She didn’t know how long she’d have been lost, and hadn’t known how to return to the camp, solely by her own means. She had to depend on others.

She’d begun to love the wilderness, but had avoided it, and avoided survival training if she got lost. She could have used that training a few minutes before, she’d put it off too long. Now events seemed to cram her days even more full and she didn’t know when she’d get to that learning. She should have instituted a plan for training the moment she’d arrived at the camp.

This tree is very nice, too,
said Lepid, sniffing it.
I looked at the others you marked. Very nice.

“You can be a hero with me, too.”

Yes!
He licked her face.
Time to go back to camp and have clucker for lunch.
He darted back through the bushes.
I only ate one or two little mice.

“Wait for me, please.” At least her voice didn’t quaver.

Lepid zoomed back in, barked three times, then pranced his way through the forest. The hair on her nape rose as she realized he wasn’t going back the same way she had come. She had faith in her Fam, especially since he hadn’t seemed to understand that she’d been lost and fearful.

The camp was a bustle of activity, with a cheerfulness that she hadn’t seen since the first days she’d arrived. Jace’s face creased in laugh lines as he ate, entertaining people with the story of the amount of salvageable timber he’d found, and adding Zem’s dry comments.

Everyone else had seemed to have had good luck, too, and this new project to build a community center was ahead of schedule.

All through the day, Glyssa remained busy, and stayed fairly close to her HeartMate, and definitely in sight of someone at all times. By the time she showered and loved with Jace in the tiny cubby in her pavilion, then fell into bed, she’d almost forgotten about the scary experience . . .

* * *

G
lyssa and Del stood watching their men help build the community
center. Though he was older, Raz was in just as fine shape as Jace, though the actor moved with more deliberation—because of his profession or age or status, Glyssa didn’t know. It did seem to her that he was extremely aware of his body. An attractive man who sparked nothing in her except for a wish of friendship with an interesting person.

Jace, now, simply seeing how he moved, somewhat careless of his body, accepting his strength and skills without thinking, heated her blood. Zem sat on a post, watching, and Lepid darted in and out, “supervising.”

“Hmmm,” Del hummed approvingly as the two worked shirtless together to raise a pole.

Glyssa sighed. “Yes, beautiful men.” Then she caught the slide of Del’s gaze to her, a tint of red gracing the tan of the cartographer’s cheeks. “You know,” Del said, “even as HeartMates our courtship wasn’t easy.”

“What? I mean, I beg your pardon? You are so well suited. You’re HeartMates!” And so were she and Jace, and that sure wasn’t going as well as she’d wanted or expected.

Del rolled a shoulder, fixed her gaze on the men. “I’m a cartographer, I wasn’t ready to give up my career of exploring and mapping the world. Raz was an up-and-coming actor in Druida City, he lived for the stage, the audience, applause.”

Glyssa blinked, considering that. “But you worked it out.”

“Not before some heartbreak, and we both had to change.”

Jutting her chin, Glyssa said, “I’m willing to change.”

Del hesitated, then simply shrugged. The men gave a shout of satisfaction as they set the last pole.

Glyssa linked her fingers and stretched. “Time for the cross-beams and the fancy trusses.” She shook her head. “This building is not minimalist.”

“No,” Del said in satisfaction. “It has a few good features and doesn’t appear like a crude frontier hall. The proportions are good, so is the octagonal shape, and the design. Antenn Blackthorn-Moss did a fine job with the plans.”

Unlike the blueprints of
Lugh’s Spear
, Glyssa hadn’t seen the town plans. “Maybe you could show the rest of us?”

“We did, after Antenn finished them. He came out earlier this year,” Del said. “We had a meeting with everyone who thought they might buy into the town.”

“I haven’t seen the design,” Glyssa pointed out.

“Oh, sorry.” Del flashed a smile as Raz shouted, “All Flaired workers please report to the Community Hall building.”

“Maybe later,” Del said, moving toward the structure.

Glyssa frowned but headed over to the raw frame, held out her hands to join with Raz and Del and a few others. “Shouldn’t we be doing a ritual for this? Wouldn’t that be easier?”

“No time,” Del grunted. “We’ll be putting out more effort than if we were in a circle, but let’s face it, the community hasn’t really come together enough for everyone to trust everyone else with as much of a connection as a work ritual demands.”

“Oh. I thought—”

“Enough talk,” Del said. “Let’s get this done if we want a complete building by the end of the day.”

“Right,” Raz said, adding a smile for Glyssa.

Nodding, Glyssa inhaled deeply and prepared to help with her Flair, sending strength and energy to the others. As she concentrated on the building and the images the others held in
their
minds, she used her own Flair and sent them what she believed was the most efficient way to organize the materials and build the structure. She sensed Raz’s and Del’s surprised thoughts, then approval.

Then they began, and that was the last deep breath she had for the rest of the day until the evening turned into night and she slumped with the others on the polished wooden floor beneath her.

Pretty! We did good!
Lepid twitched the tip of his tail. He, too, had funneled energy into the effort and was exhausted. The first time Glyssa had seen him that way.

Only those who’d finished the interior paneling were still inside—eight of them, all completely spent. Jace wasn’t one of their number.

A knock came on the door.

“Who’s there?” whispered Raz, sitting, back braced against the wall. Both he and Del leaned on each other.

“It’s Jace and Zem,” Glyssa croaked. “They can’t hear you. Can I tell them and the others who’ve subscribed to the community to come in?”

“Might as well.” Raz’s formerly strong gestures had devolved to limp fingers lifted toward the large door.

“Beautiful building,” Del said. “But too much effort today. Mistake to have done it.”

“I don’t think so,” Raz said. “Makes a statement. Will impress both our staff—those who are wavering about investing in the town—and the outsiders who come in tomorrow. We could get more funding for the town because of it.”

“Uh-huh,” Del sighed as she fell asleep.

Come in,
Glyssa projected to Jace.
All those who’ve bought shares in the town can come in.
She scooted back across the glossy floor to the wall.

Jace flung open the large door, stepped in and stopped, tucking his thumbs into his belt. “Wow. Looks great.”

The floor was a darker shade than the honey-colored wood inside and out. Four of the eight walls held a window, square and multipaned and hideously expensive, in terms of making them permanent, with the Flair they’d had available. The ceiling angled up to a point with rafters that Zem immediately flew to. When Jace had opened the door, all the spell lamps set in intricate cages flickered on.
Those
were only funded for the eightday week.

As people filed in, exclaiming with surprise and delight, Raz nudged Del awake and helped her stand. Glyssa braced her feet against the floor and began to shove herself up. Jace hurried over and drew her into his arms, let her lean against him. He chuckled.

“What?” she asked.

“You smell like Glyssa.”

She grimaced, but he nuzzled her. “Must have used a lot of Flair if you sweated.”

Sighing, she said, “Yes.”

“It’s a wonderful place,” he said but didn’t take his eyes off her and she warmed. They were a couple, and accepted as a couple, but that didn’t quite satisfy anymore.

Let’s eat!
Lepid got to his paws.

* * *

O
nce again a huge transport set down in the ever-increasing-in-size
landing field. This one was less battered, smoother, sleeker; no doubt it had incredible opulence inside.

Pursuant to recent custom, most of the crew, save the guards, gathered to watch it. The hatch opened and a small platform extruded from the airship. The first passengers appeared in the doorway, several nobles whom Glyssa didn’t recognize but thought belonged to the Grace class. All had dressed more for impressing each other than the dirt of the encampment.

They made room for Camellia D’Hawthorn, carrying a large basket, a grin on her face. A man behind her, dressed in the red of Cherry Shipping and Transport, gestured and a large shelf extruded from the airship in front of the door. Camellia stepped upon it and the ramp descended slowly to the ground.

Glyssa ran to her friend. Camellia set down her basket and opened her arms and they hugged and rocked.

“I’m so glad you’re here!” Glyssa said.

“Is anything wrong?” Camellia asked.

“No. I don’t know. But I wanted you to see the encampment
so
badly.” Glyssa’s future was here, wasn’t it?

“And we’re glad to be here and view the venture,” Laev T’Hawthorn said as he strolled up to them.

After a last hug of Camellia, Glyssa frowned at Laev. “You didn’t say anything about founding a town in this area a week and a half ago.”

Laev smiled, twitched his fingers at a duffle that was half the size as the one he’d bought for her and it rose, began to follow them as they walked. He slung an arm around Glyssa’s shoulders, linked hands with his HeartMate. “It was something I was kicking around in the back of my mind. Talked a little about it with my journeywoman, Jasmine Ash—she’s very excited about such a project. But I hadn’t firmed up any plans until Vinni T’Vine visited me at the beginning of the week.”

“Vinni T’Vine,” Glyssa said. She hadn’t often met
the
prophet of Celta.

With a lift of his brows, Laev added, “Yes. He convinced me it would be a good thing to establish a town out here. He was even so helpful as to point out where . . . a spot by the Deep Blue Sea.”

“Oh.”

Laev glanced at the Elecampanes’ pavilion where Del and Raz stood, waiting for them. “I contacted the Elecampanes. They are not too pleased.” Laev’s teeth flashed. “But they agreed to work with me to show advisors and prospective settlers the land.” His smile faded as he looked over to the huge outline of
Lugh’s Spear
wistfully. “They’ve been adamant in not allowing FirstFamily investors in the excavation of
Lugh’s Spear
.”

“They want to keep control, nothing wrong with that,” Camellia said. “Just like I won’t let you buy into my teahouses.”

“Advisors?” Glyssa asked.

Nodding toward some of the stragglers disembarking from the airship transport, Laev said, “We have representatives from T’Vine, T’Reed, T’Blackthorn, and D’SilverFir of the FirstFamilies. Antenn Blackthorn-Moss sent a journeywoman from his architectural firm. The Clover Family sent an advisor, as did a consortium of other noble investors. The cross-folk religious group provided a priest, though I think the cross-folk want to establish one of their own towns in the same general area . . . or perhaps in the opposite direction, by Fish Story Lake.” He shrugged, but Glyssa believed he knew to the last silver sliver the amount of gilt each investor had in mind to apply to founding a new community, as well as all their motivations. She looked back and saw a few of the camp watching her and her friends including Andic and Funa and Trago.

“They will be staying tonight in the airship berth comfortchairs, but I brought some tents so we can experience every moment of the camp,” Laev said.

“Absolutely,” said Camellia.

At the back of the airship a door opened and a ramp angled down. A man—the cartographer—dressed in leathers much like Del’s, led a few stridebeasts from the vehicle.

“That should be all of them,” Laev said, his gaze skimming over the people decanted from the airship. He gestured for Glyssa and Camellia to head toward the tent town.