Heart Fortune (Celta) (29 page)

She wasn’t quite ready.
She
wanted more time with her friends, to see a new exhibit at an art gallery. Glyssa wished just to enjoy the solitude of home, the comfort of her rooms.

When she lay awake after sex, stupid tears dribbled from her eyes. No, she and Jace weren’t nearly as close as her sister believed.

* * *

E
nata’s appointment with Saille was in four days. The man had been
booked, but had made time. Glyssa hadn’t been able to finesse the reason why they were being given preferential treatment from her parents.

And after the morning appointment came the afternoon wedding between Enata and her true love. Apparently, T’Willow had already known of a man who’d take one look at Enata and fall in love with her—Barton Clover. Barton was the security head for that extended clan and the Clover Family saw no reason for one of their own to wait for his happiness. Thus the quick wedding that had the Licorices reeling.

Thirty

J
ace wanted to be anywhere but at the marriage ritual. The Clover Fami
ly was huge, and their joy at the wedding filled the great Temple.

The whole vast circle of people seemed to be nothing but couples, from young teens who were engaged, to oldsters who’d obviously spent most of their lives together. Well, there were the children, too, interspersed between the couples. More children than he’d ever seen at one time, including when he was one growing up in the village.

And Fams, too. Zem had been given permission to fly free. The other Fams, including more foxes than Jace expected, were confined to the edge of a quadrant.

Being linked together in the circle wasn’t like the large circles at camp. More of these people had greater than average Flair: the high priest and priestess; GrandLord Walker Clover and his wife who belonged to the FirstFamilies, as well as Laev T’Hawthorn. Camellia D’Hawthorn and Tiana Mugwort, who led the ritual, came from lower noble Families. There were also more noble Families than he’d ever seen gathered together, let alone been a part of.

Power throbbed through him in waves as he stood between Glyssa and her mother, nearly awed at the Flair cycling around the circle.

The whole atmosphere made him envious of the close bonds of the Families—the Licorices as well as the Clovers—and wary at how each person seemed to have a press of expectations on him or her to do certain things, fit into a Family slot.

Glyssa’s future had blown open, troubling Jace. Barton Clover was the head of security for that Family and had to live at Clover Compound. He wanted Enata with him. Maybe even wanted Glyssa’s sister to forego her heritage as D’Licorice and living in D’Licorice Residence.

Glyssa could actually become D’Licorice. He saw that her Family and the Clovers would accept her, and how she herself could grow into that status. That would be good for her. But not for him, and he was beginning to accept that she would be in his future. In fact, he couldn’t imagine a future without her.

Enata, the bride, spoke a little piece, thanking her Family, saying she loved them, including her new brother, her sister’s HeartMate.

Jace cringed. No, still not ready for that word. The ritual ended on a huge surge of joy that dizzied him and he shouted and could almost see the love aura around Barton and Enata. The circle was opened and he was finally outside of the circuit of Flair and more confused in his life.

Especially when folk treated him and Glyssa as a married couple.

She left his side for a few minutes and it was a relief until some Clover woman started asking about
their
marriage ritual and he choked on flatsweet crumbs.

Glyssa handed him a tube of alcoholic punch, made their excuses, and took him away from the main Temple area, through the circular corridor to a small room.

He blinked as he looked around. It was sort of like Glyssa, but different in a couple of basic aspects. A holo painting of the three friends was on the wall. All of them holding each other.

“Tiana Mugwort’s office?” he guessed.

“Yes,” Glyssa said. Thankfully she didn’t sit in the chair behind the small desk, or make him lie down on the chaise lounge. Instead she took his hand and sat on the lounge, upright, of course, and tugged on his hand so he’d join her. He sat next to her, his thigh touching hers.

She closed her eyes and a long sigh compressed her chest and he focused on her pretty breasts.

“What an event!” she said. “So many people!”

“Ah, nice.”

She laughed and her eyelids opened and she smiled. “I thought you’d be in your element.”

“Not really,” Jace said. “Hard to connect with so many strangers at one time, especially when they aren’t strangers to each other.”

“Yes.”

Silence fell between them, like it hadn’t since they’d come to Druida, like it hadn’t since they’d had that walk to the lake. And suddenly he missed the camp and the forest and the lake so much it was like a physical blow.

Glyssa studied his face with more of the compassion of a friend than the tenderness of a lover.

“They’re saying you could become D’Licorice in the future, if you wanted,” he said.

She shrugged.

“Do you want that?”

“I haven’t given it much thought,” she said. And though he was sure she told the truth, he figured she’d already come to a decision.

He took her hands, and stared into her lovely brown eyes flecked with green, and couldn’t find words.

More quiet between them and it hummed with questions Jace couldn’t nail down.

“What do you want, Jace?” she asked.

And his thoughts sorted out and he could let them out of his mouth. “I want to return to the camp.” He sucked in air. “Druida is interesting.” His lips twitched up. “Especially as seen with Laev T’Hawthorn, and experiencing it as almost a noble.”

He shook his head. “But I don’t want to live here. I don’t even want to live on this coast.”

“You love the camp.”

“I love that area,” he corrected.

Her brows arched and her fingers went limp in his. Her voice dropped to a whisper. “Is that all you want?”

He squeezed her hands, his own voice came out rougher than he liked. “You’re pushing me to say what I want?”

“Yes.”

“And you’re pushing me to stay here?”

“I asked you first.” Her hands twisted in his.

“I want you to come back to the camp with me.”

She stopped trying to pull away and her smile bloomed. “All right.” She took a choppy breath. “But things have changed between us here, and I want that change to be seen by the camp.”

Her body might be vibrating, trembling, but he froze. “In what way?”

“We will be a couple.
I
want us to be seen as a couple. Not just convenient sex partners.”

Simple relief. He squeezed her hands again. “Agreed. We’re a couple.”

“You can stay with me, or we can use your tent now and then, but we
are
a couple.”

“Yes. The regular shuttle leaves day after tomorrow, on Midweek. I’m finished with my gifts for your Family and left them in the mainspace.” He smiled. “Though I don’t anticipate Enata seeing hers for a while.”

“We can go on Midweek,” she said.

His turn to close his eyes. “Thank you.” Then, “Your Family will miss you.”

“And I’ll miss them, and my friends even more. But my fieldwork isn’t done, nor is our story.”

More staring at each other. “My Family has accepted you,” she said.

He wasn’t sure and grunted. After a minute, he said, “They don’t seem to be bad.” They’d been nice to him since the hearing.

Her lips quirked. “No, they aren’t. Sometimes they aren’t easy to live with, but they aren’t bad people. We follow our own paths and standards, as do you.”

Standing, he drew her up. “Right. Now let’s go break the news we’re leaving Midweek. Easier in public with a big crowd.”

“I suppose so.”

* * *

A
week passed in the camp and Glyssa’s relationship with Jace took on
a certain pattern and rhythm. Jace slept and made love with her in her bedroom, the Fams slept in the sitting room or roamed outside. But her HeartMate kept his own tent. Both of them showered and ate with everyone else. They’d moved the furniture around to feel more comfortable and so they could work together on the journals and the story. They celebrated Mabon, the autumnal equinox, in the camp with the crew as a couple.

And with their news about Myrtus Stopper, how he’d profited from all the work that everyone did, Jace was welcomed back into the campfire ranks and the smudge on his reputation disappeared.

Neither she and Jace nor the Elecampanes shared the information that Myrtus had claimed not to have stolen the original box or set the explosions.

When Jace wasn’t working with Glyssa, he was with those digging, with Flair and shovels and the two earthmovers, down toward where everyone believed the main entrance to be.

The Elecampanes had announced that no one who’d been in
Lugh’s Spear
showed any harm and they didn’t want to break up the camp for the winter yet. They’d do more research on the atmosphere in the spring, including getting opinions other than the Comosums’. Since no one had liked the ladies, the staff was willing to accept their findings as “mistaken.”

Everyone who’d wanted to leave the project was gone—and some folk had even reconsidered and bought shares.

Little by little Glyssa’s relationship with Jace expanded and deepened, with small revelations and vulnerabilities on both their sides. Progress, but not as quick as she wanted.

One night that held more than a hint of autumn chill, as they headed toward her tent, Glyssa felt a tickle on her mind from Camellia in Druida City, and gently pushed it away.

Because Jace’s breath was tickling Glyssa, too, as he nuzzled her neck. “Gotta have you, now.” His words were guttural and he took her hand and put it over his groin.

Her own core melted as she felt the strong length and thickness of him, the heat of him that had her breathing in pants.

She stroked him, her mind clouding until she only wanted him inside her, thrusting, riding her. Or . . . “And I want you, too. Me on top,” she whispered. “So I can tease us both.”

Only she could hear his rumbling groan, and it sent more liquid fire coursing through her.

They pushed through the spellshield, the door to the tent.

“Clothes off!” Jace ordered and she was naked and holding him, stroking him, and his body trembled with need before her.

Her breasts went heavy, her nipples ultra sensitized. Her anticipation of him, of their loving, making her damp.

Jace picked her up, and she had to let go or hurt him. He held her high with arms corded with muscle, the moonslight filtering in to accent the power of him, sinew, muscle, masculinity.

“Can’t wait.” He turned, sat in a wingback chair, slipped her onto his sex, her legs wide over the arms of the chair.

Totally delicious.

They simply sat for a moment, her enjoying the pressure of him inside her. As she angled her body for more control, their whimpers of need soughed out together. She grabbed his shoulders, lifted, hovered when he was barely inside her. Tiny movements, tiny thrusts, in and out. His hands on her hips encouraging, not forcing.

“Glyssa, Glyssa! Lady and Lord, every time is better! What you do to me!”

Then he forced her down, hard, and she screamed at the pleasure.

“Only you,” he said.

She liked hearing those new words, felt the sex bond overwhelm, thought she saw the glitter of the golden HeartBond, didn’t care. Only desire, yearning, delight mattered. Only the sharing of the climax.

“Glyssa, lover,” he moaned as he came.

She leaned against him, her damp body moving against his, one, two—and pure ecstasy flung her into the stars, with him, holding him.

His arms clamped around hers.

He teleported with her to the bed, arms and legs tangling, lips seeking each other’s, still joined, but ready to conquer bliss once more.

A knock came at the pavilion door.

Jace’s hands tightened on her, so nice! She snuggled closer, ran her fingers along his side to his hip.

“It’s the Elecampanes,” called Raz, projecting his voice and completely breaking the after-sex-and-before-the-next-round moment.

Jace dropped his arms, rolled. “You take the first waterfall.”

Her lips tightened. “No, you go ahead, I’ll summon a cleansing spell.”

His eyes hooded . . . that she had more Flair than he? She still didn’t quite believe it. She
sensed
strong magic from him. She wished she’d suggested that he be tested by T’Ash and his Flair-determining stones when they’d been in Druida.

“Glyssa? Jace?” Raz called, knocking again.

Del murmured something. “No,” Raz said. “We need to discuss this now.”

Glyssa whisked a cleansing spell around her that sent wildflower fragrance throughout the tent, listened as Jace grumbled about the tiny shower. Pulling on underwear and a long tunic, she muttered a Word and the field that looked like a door thinned.

Thirty-one

R
az Cherry Elecampane strode in like an autocratic king. Glyssa
sighed. He was followed by his HeartMate who nearly slouched her way into the tent, the ultimate in casualness.

Glyssa gestured to the chairs, flushing a little as she saw the one she and Jace had made love on out of alignment. Thankfully, the tent-cleaning spell had cleansed it, too.

Del took a different chair, stretching her legs out and crossing her ankles. She winked at Jace when he came in. He strode over to “their” chair and sat, grinned at Glyssa, and patted his lap. She flushed deeper.

Raz stood staring at her coolly. “I had thought you’d have told us of any plans by T’Hawthorn?”

“What?”

“I received a communication today from Laev T’Hawthorn. He informed me that at least thirty people are coming to the camp. Most of them wish to check out the countryside and found a town. T’Hawthorn will study this camp, too, since so far we’ve been successful in keeping him and other FirstFamilies from investing and meddling in our project. After the tour of the site, they want to move on to look at the landscape around the Deep Blue Sea.”

“Neither he nor Camellia said a word to me about this a week ago.” Walking over to Jace, she sat on the arm of the chair, put her hand on his shoulder. “Did they mention this to you?”

“No. But from what I’ve seen, Laev T’Hawthorn moves fast,” Jace said.

Glyssa nodded. “That’s right. From the moment I announced I wanted to do my fieldwork here, it was just two days before I arrived.”

The Elecampanes focused their stares on her, then Raz relaxed, went over to Del’s chair and lifted her from the seat, settled in himself with her on his lap.

“T’Hawthorn stated that there will be other investors in the party with whom he is not associated, as well as a group of cross-folk looking to found another town of their own. Outsiders are moving faster, so we have to move up our plans, too. But they find they will get nowhere without our help—at least if we go along right now and don’t force them to mount an alternative expedition to this area.” Raz smiled. “Which is why I’m inclined to help, so we can control events better.” He finally relaxed, saying, “They’re coming in the newest, most luxurious passenger airship of Cherry Shipping and Transport.” He linked his fingers and stretched out his arms. “And I get to fly it to the Deep Blue Sea!”

Del snorted. “You should let the pilot do that.”

“But she doesn’t know the area,” Raz said smugly.

Del chuckled and shook her head, but her own smile showed amusement at her HeartMate. A small twinge went through Glyssa. The couple was HeartBound, their connection so deep that should one die, the other would follow in a year.

Their hands linked and Raz absently kissed Del’s capable, scarred fingers.

Looking directly at Glyssa and Jace, Del said, “The Cartographers’ Guild is sending a man along to update some of my charts. There are a few people who want to travel overland to the Deep Blue Sea with him and me, if you want to come along, Glyssa . . . and Jace.”

“I’d love to! How long does it take by stridebeast? Do we have enough mounts?”

“About three very long days.”

Glyssa winced, she wasn’t a good rider.

“And we should have enough stridebeasts if some of the people here want to rent theirs out to the interested parties.”

“Sounds good.” Glyssa angled her body to Jace. “Do you think you’d like to come?”

He tensed a little. The couple opposite him watched with weighing gazes. She was tired of repressing herself so she wouldn’t ruffle his issues. She was in his life. She was his
HeartMate
. He should learn to deal with it.

“Jace, you haven’t been to the Deep Blue Sea lately,” Del said.

“I’ll decide later,” Jace said. He didn’t touch Glyssa.

Urgh! The man was maddening. Every time she thought they were getting closer, he took a step away. And
that
was tiresome.

“The transport will be arriving in three days,” said Raz. “We’ll let the visitors look around for a day, maybe two, then leave for the Deep Blue Sea.” Raz winked at his HeartMate. “I and my lot who fly in the airship will be at the Deep Blue Sea in a couple of septhours. The small group going with you, Del, will be latecomers. By the time you show up, I’ll have investors thinking that a village by the Sea might be an interesting prospect, and the cross-folk ready to settle down, too.”

“I’m sure. But they’ll start out small,” Del said, as if she and Raz had talked about this before.

“We’ll be larger, and they’ll rely on us.” He smiled wolfishly. “I like that idea.”

He set Del on her feet and stood. “We’ve decided that we want at least one permanent building up in camp
before
our guests arrive. We’ll be harvesting some lumber and building a common gathering place.” He frowned. “Not circular, but octagonal. We believe that spending the energy, physical and Flair, is worth the effort.”

“We already have plans, of that building and the whole future community, drawn up by the famed architect, Antenn Blackthorn-Moss,” Del said.

Glyssa was impressed.

As he had weeks before, Raz focused his attention on Glyssa. “We will be asking for volunteers from our investors and our shareholders to help with the construction. Are you in?”

She loved the camp, but go deep into the forest? Well, she’d be with others. “Of course.”

Raz stared at Jace. “And you?”

“Yes. I can give you more muscle than Flair.” His smile was lopsided.

“Done.” Raz nodded in satisfaction.

“Good doing business with you,” Del said.

Raz chuckled and bowed elegantly to them. “Thank you for relieving our minds with regard to your communications with Laev T’Hawthorn.”

“You’re welcome.”

The HeartMates left and a quiet humming with questions filled the tent. Lepid trotted into the tent.
I heard, FamWoman. I heard, FamMan! We are BUILDING THE TOWN, and having an adventure first!

“Sounds like,” Jace said.

Glyssa’s Fam had relaxed him while she hadn’t been able to.

* * *

T
he next day Raz T’Elecampane handed out the assignments and
Glyssa got one to “find a tree or trees for the door, dead, please.” The GrandLord handed her Flaired markers to set by the wood that could be tracked, examined, then hauled away by physical means instead of Flair.

She’d started out with Jace and Zem and Lepid. Jace was looking for strong, tall trees for the trusses and the weight-bearing poles of the building.

I know of a good place where many trees fell recently, excellent for building,
Zem broadcast to them. He glided to a nearby tree.
So this will go fast and be easy. Follow me, Jace!

Lepid chortled and hopped up and down.
We will be heroes!

Yes,
Zem replied and took off. Jace and Lepid followed him. Glyssa hesitated.

There was a grove of old growth and large trees to the south, Glyssa.
Zem banked in that direction.

There! The huge tree appeared newly downed, with dirt still clinging to roots and leaves crisping dry in the summer heat. Satisfied, she grinned, using the last marker she had. This would be perfect for most of the door planks. Then she continued to search for fallen trees ready to be harvested and having no wildlife living in them and no rot.

One small glen led to another as she scanned over the waist-high brush, and pushed through to find another perfect log for the door.

She stopped, petrified, lost in a tangle of green. She hadn’t watched where she was going. A rill of panic slithered through her, leaving a film of cold sweat in its wake. She’d never been by herself in the wilderness before. Where there were kilometers and kilometers of forest, unexpected lakes.

Unexpected beasts.

Her. Mind. Froze. She turned in place. Weird sounds thundered in her ears, birdcalls she didn’t know. Rustlings, were they really trees or something else?

She didn’t know where she was. She didn’t know what to do. She was
not in control
. She
hated
this.