Heart Fortune ch-12, page 4
part #12 of Celta's Heartmates Series
It reassured her that she was doing the absolutely right thing in going after her HeartMate—finding adventure herself.
Septhours later, they landed without a bump at a cleared area the pilot said was designated for airships.
Glyssa and the pilot off-loaded her supplies while most of the people milled around the back end of the airship and storage area, moving the equipment from Nuada’s Sword with great care under the gazes of the Elecampanes.
Suddenly, a shriek came to her ears. “No! Catch that FoxFam!”
Glyssa whirled, her chest constricting, as she saw Lepid heading for a hole in the ground. “Lepid!” she yelled. He didn’t listen.
* * *
Jace had been sauntering to the airship like the others in camp when the woman stepped out of the cockpit. He stared, stunned. Rumor had it that this ship brought brand-new tech for communications over a long distance developed by the sentient starship Nuada’s Sword, in Druida City. And an Important Personage.
He stopped, tucked his thumbs in his belt, and stared as he recognized Glyssa Licorice. The librarian he’d been having sex dreams about. A person who he’d never thought would be caught in the wilds of Celta.
A small animal dashed by him, then a scream came from behind him and he spun in time to see a fluffy foxtail wave as it started down the beam. A young FamFox. Great.
“Lepid!” Glyssa shouted.
Swearing and chanting the best damn spellshields to protect himself that he knew, he bounded toward the girder, running fast enough that he felt his hair lift and the sweat on his scalp dry. He got to the beam angling into the ground just in time to see the small fox stop and look over its back, mouth open and tongue loose in a smile.
“Wait!” Jace yelled.
Five
The fox flipped his tail. Catch me if you can! I looove hiding places, and this smells WONDERFUL. Smells all through the camp!
Which might be why the Elecampane Fams—two cats and a fox—had taken one sniff and never returned. Obviously “wonderful” was in the nose of the sniffer.
Another twitch of the tail and the fox disappeared into the hole. Jace struggled with temptation for a few seconds. Drew up memory to visualize what he’d seen down there the last time. A small clear area with a metal wall in front, a loose rockslide to his left. Solid wall of rock and debris to his right and behind him, though the top of another wall could be seen. At the end, when they’d opened it up and pulled him out, he’d seen sky.
With a last prayer to the Lady and Lord and a final test to his personal spellshields—he didn’t think the fox had any—Jace walked down the beam. No trembling under his weight, a good sign.
When he reached the hole, he sat and scooted downward. “I’m coming.” He kept his voice low, not wanting anything to trigger another landslide.
He was answered by a series of high, excited yips from the fox below. People shouted, words and maybe his name, but nothing he heard clearly. He slid into the hole, the leather of his trous caused him to pick up speed and he nearly lost his balance. “Coming down!” he said just before he tipped off the beam.
He landed with bent knees in the gloom at the bottom of the hole. Blinking as his eyes adjusted to the dimness, he saw no sign of the fox.
Scrabbling sounded to his left. “Are you there . . . Lepid?” That was the name Glyssa had screamed.
Rock fell from above, striking him on his left shoulder. He jumped to the side, coughed, put his arms over his face, caught a glimpse of a fox butt wriggling through a hole at the top of the rock.
“Whee!” The fox’s noise accompanied rock sliding on the other side of the left pile. Jace eyed the top where a rectangle of black showed. He could squeeze through it . . . if sufficiently foolhardy.
I see. I SEE, man!
Wiping his arm across his mouth even though he’d try telepathy, Jace pushed a mental comment to the fox. What do you see? He heard scratching and clicking that made him think of dancing paws, then a dash away. . . .
I see storage boxes, I see a hallway. I see more rocks. I see HOLES.
Envy whipped through Jace. “Come back here at once!” He scrambled for a threat. “Or I’ll ensure you have no treats for a month, a long time.”
He sensed the fox pausing, ears cocked. Treats? I will get treats?
Did that mean he hadn’t? Uh-oh.
Jace’s shoulders tensed. I promise. Come back now so you can tell all that you have seen to everyone!
So I can tell all that I have seen to everyone! The fox gave a cheerful chirrup.
Paw sounds running back. Leaps on the other side of the rock– pile.
Rockslide! Yelps of pain!
Jace plunged forward into the scree, taking bruising hits against his body, muscling through, snatching the fox just before a big chunk of metal hit red fur. Jace hunched over, turning his head for breath, while the sound of the fall echoed.
The small, young fox shivered in his arms. You are fast!
“Thanks.” He coughed at the renewed dust in the air, straightened and pivoted back to see the pile was now no more than three-quarters of a meter high. The rest of the rockfall had spread out into a room that held several round-cornered storage boxlike objects. A shelf with several smaller boxes had netting pulled over it and sealed against the wall. He wanted to run and open a box or two and see what was inside.
Not his place, and man, he wished it were. Wished he had enough gilt to convince the Elecampanes to take him on as a partner. Then he’d . . . Stupid. Stup! He didn’t have the means, he was just a worker.
When the dust diminished he noted a corridor leading off the room, a tilted and crumpled sheet of metal bisecting it, some boulders, but also dark space.
He gritted his teeth. People were shouting down at him.
“I’m fine,” he yelled up. “We’re both fine!”
It took fortitude he didn’t know he had to turn away from the beckoning adventure, back to the girder going up. The clear area around his feet was less, since rock had fallen there, too. He scuffed a foot to send some pebbles back toward the piles, making the spot less treacherous for the next feet coming down.
He didn’t know who’d be the next down, but . . .
“Are you sure you’re all right?” boomed Raz Cherry T’Elecampane.
“Yes. Coming up!”
The fox whined low in his throat, then wriggled and looked up at Jace.
I found a secret way! I am a hero!
Jace smiled. He understood that bright and shiny feeling.
The hole above was bigger now, he could easily see the deep blue sky and high, scarflike white clouds. He kicked at the beam which had fallen to a lower angle, but it seemed to rest solidly against rock. The girder didn’t move. Steadying his grasp on the fox, he began walking up. His work boots gripped the metal through the dust, didn’t slip or slide. He kept a good hold on the wriggling fox.
This has been very fun! Lepid said.
As people began to see them, they cheered. He strode faster, grinning. He’d beaten the odds again. He’d cheated death again.
He was a hero again.
Just the way he liked it.
“Thank you so much!” a woman gushed—Glyssa. Her voice tweaked his nerve endings as she broke away from Raz T’Elecampane holding her back in the circle of people watching. Jace didn’t like seeing the man’s hands on her.
No mistaking her carroty hair tightly controlled in a braid around her head. He would not remember the springy abundance of that hair slipping across his body.
She flushed when she saw him, glanced aside, brushed at the severely cut tunic and trous suit of dust brown.
The fox licked Jace under his chin. He enjoyed it, the weight of the animal, too.
I like you, too, Lepid said.
All right, the FoxFamiliar could read his mind or sense his emotions. He tightened his inner shields.
Lepid whined in disappointment. I can’t hear you as much, now.
“You don’t need to.”
And Glyssa was there, pale again and breathing hard with fear, followed by Funa Twinevine who eyed him narrowly.
“Thank you so much.” Glyssa looked up into his eyes and he knew she hadn’t forgotten their sex fling, either. She glanced aside. “GentleSir.”
His muscles relaxed slightly, glad she was playing this cool. He wasn’t ready to acknowledge their past small affair. If she was here for a while, they’d have to relate out of bed.
The FoxFam hopped back into her arms and licked her. Jace’s gaze fixed on her moist skin, remembered the taste of that. More than her skin.
“You’re welcome, GentleLady,” he said.
She stuck out her hand as the young fox climbed up her chest and settled around her shoulders. “Glyssa Licorice,” she said, “and my Fam is Lepid.”
He took her fingers . . . cool and smooth, and he accepted the sizzle of desire that went straight to his groin as he kept his face stuck in a casual smile. He found himself bowing over her hand, something he hadn’t done since he’d met GrandLady Del D’Elecampane. Some women’s presence simply demanded that. The innate elegance of Glyssa had always called to him.
A snort came from Funa. Andic walked up to stand next to Jace. He released Glyssa’s fingers as he straightened and let Andic shoulder him aside.
“Andic Sanicle,” the man said, taking her hand and also bowing. “And surely you belong to the PublicLibrary Licorices, the GrandHouse?”
She smiled at Andic. “Surely I do. I’m here to help with the recording of these historic events.”
Another huff from Funa at the statement and Glyssa withdrew her hand from Andic, pivoted to Funa. “And here for my field trip and research to qualify for my FirstLevel Librarianship status.”
“Huh.” Funa crossed her arms.
“Hey, Glyssa,” shouted the pilot from long meters away. “Come get your stuff.”
“Excuse me, please.” Glyssa nodded to them and turned, hurrying back toward the airship and a new, huge two-meter-long duffle bag of licorice red that would take Flair to move. With the coat of arms of the PublicLibrary.
Jace watched the sway of her body as she walked, supple, energetic, just like she’d been in bed.
The fox on her shoulders looked back at him, barked, and loosened his jaw in a smile, tongue out to taste the air.
“As for you . . .” She lifted the fox and as her path angled away Jace saw her making a grumpy face at the kit. “You be more careful, and can you please mind what I say?”
Lepid gave a sharp bark, though Jace couldn’t think the FoxFam had agreed.
“Interesting woman,” Andic said. “I heard she’s connected to the FirstFamilies somehow. Friendship, I think.”
Jace jerked. That hadn’t been true when he’d first met Glyssa at the middle-class social club, he was sure. Someone would have mentioned it. He didn’t care for nobles much, and like anyone with a bit of sense, would definitely avoid the highest of that lot.
“Worth cultivating,” Andic said.
“Hmm.” Now Funa sounded thoughtful.
And Jace became all too aware of the quickened throb of his pulse, the sweet tang of desire on the back of his tongue that he wanted to satisfy by kissing Glyssa, running his mouth over her body.
Unlike the other two, he didn’t want to get mixed up with Glyssa. At least that’s what his brain thought. His body was another matter. He let a sigh sift quietly out his nostrils. The odds of him being able to keep his hands off Glyssa Licorice were damn low. He wasn’t much on resisting temptation.
Glyssa could feel Jace’s—and others’—gaze on her as she walked to the items stacked in a neat pile: the picnic hamper, Lepid’s basket, her large pursenal, and a giant duffle bag. The last was provided by Laev, her Family wouldn’t have had the coat of arms put on the thing. She wasn’t sure what all was in the bag. She touched the coat of arms, activating the anti-grav Flair spell. The duffle rose waist high.
Lepid jumped from her shoulder to the bag. It didn’t even rock under his weight. She ran her finger under his collar. “This didn’t catch on anything when you were underground?”
No. I found a secret way into the ship. I am a HERO.
She tapped his nose. “You scared me. And we must sync your collar synced to the medical clinic here. Especially if you can’t be trusted to stay with me.”
One of the owners of the project, Raz Cherry T’Elecampane, joined them, aiming a charming smile at them. “He’ll be fine.” Raz’s smile widened. “Especially since my lady has a FoxFam, Shunuck, who will help you keep an eye on him.”
Lepid’s eyes rounded. Another FoxFam!
“That’s right.” Raz rubbed Lepid’s head, tweaked his large ears. “My daughter and I have cat Fams. I assure you that they will also keep Lepid in line.” He met Glyssa’s eyes. “We’ve cleared an area near our pavilion to set up your own.”
A pavilion! Did she have a pavilion? “Thank you.” How close was it to Jace’s? She still had to control her breath from the first sight of him, how he’d appeared more vivid than anyone else. Her heart still beat fast. Everything in her yearned for him . . . just to be in his company. But his eyes had been wary when they’d rested on her and she’d kept a mask on.
Raz T’Elecampane stared at her, raised a brow. She yanked her attention back to him.
He waved at the ship where his HeartMate stood with the pilot and some workers, uncrating the communications equipment.
“You have any ideas how that stuff goes together or works?”
“Oh!” Glyssa flushed. She bent down to her large pursenal and drew out a portfolio of papyrus along with a pack of recording spheres. “I’m sorry. Here are the specifications and the instructions.”
Raz Elecampane gingerly took the objects, smiled her apology away. “I won’t be handling this. I’m the people person.”
She believed that, the man’s charisma was palpable. He’d been a leading actor in Druida and at his own theater outside the city for years. She and her friends had taken turns with infatuations with him after seeing him perform when they were younger.
“Del!” he called. “I have the data!”
His HeartMate and wife looked up, strolled over with a long-legged stride that showed she’d walked the world. She nodded her curly and bright blond head to Glyssa, stuck out a hardened hand that Glyssa shook. “Greetyou, GrandMistrys Licorice. Good to have you here.” She cocked a brow at Raz. “My HeartMate has been agitating for a better detailed record of the project.” Del shrugged strong shoulders. “But I prefer to hire and pay excavators.”
“Laev T’Hawthorn and Camellia D’Hawthorn are handling my salary,” Glyssa said.
Del’s mouth tightened. Raz frowned.
Del said, “We’ve tried to keep the FirstFamilies out of the project.” She arrowed a look at Glyssa. “Especially Laev T’Hawthorn, that one is a pistol.”
Raz took his HeartMate’s arm. “We prefer to control the excavation of the ship,” Raz said smoothly. They began walking from the landing field to the tent city organized into rows with one large red and yellow pavilion.
Glyssa nodded. “I can understand being wary of Laev. My best friend, Camellia Darjeeling, was sucked into his orbit a few months ago and suddenly here I am.”
They laughed at that.
“Not that I don’t have a burning curiosity.” She glanced at the huge outline on the ground, under which they believed Lugh’s Spear rested.
“I’ve heard your curiosity is as hot as your hair,” Raz teased.
He was one to talk, his own hair was auburn.
I am red, too, Lepid said, looking at them. And I am a hero. I opened up a new room and a hallway.
They all stared at him.
“‘Fools rush in,’” Raz murmured as if quoting, though Glyssa didn’t recognize the words or the source.
“What did you see down there, fox?” asked Del.
BOXES! And a room! And a hallway!
“Boxes,” Glyssa breathed, sharing a glance with Raz and Del.
Del took work gloves from her belt and slapped them on her thigh. “I’d better order some security around the hole. And we’ll move the work there?” she asked her HeartMate.
“Absolutely,” Raz said.
Lepid gave one more yip, danced the few steps along the duffle, then curled up and dropped into sleep.
“Young ones,” Del said indulgently. She aimed her gaze at the hole. “You said you’re friends with Camellia Darjeeling?” she asked Glyssa.
“Since grovestudy days.”
“Huh. Camellia Darjeeling, who’s now D’Hawthorn, helped us with the general blueprints,” Del said.
“More.” Glyssa angled her pursenal. “Camellia has finally parted with copies of the last Captain’s, Netra Sunaya Hoku’s, journals.”
Raz and Del came to a stop, both staring at Glyssa. “You have them in there?” Del asked.
“Yes.”
Del eyed her. “You might be worthwhile after all.”
Raz bumped his HeartMate with his hip. “Helena D’Elecampane!”
“Thank you,” Glyssa said. “I am humbled by your opinion. I will endeavor to live up to it.” She dug into her bag and handed over copies of the original journals for the Elecampanes. She had a set of her own.
“Not much here,” Del grumbled.
“The last Captain was awakened from the cryonics tubes to pilot the ship down. The journals provide great insights into the last days of the journey, the ship life—rather militaristic—and the previous Captain.” Glyssa cleared her throat. “And as your own ancestor, the original D’Cherry, stated in her own diaries, Hoku was fond of maps.”
Del stared at the papyrus, then glanced back toward the communications equipment. Sighing, she gestured to Raz to take the journals. “You look through the journals. Get Maxima, our daughter,” she explained to Glyssa, gesturing to a small band of people in the distance, “in on it, too.” She scanned Glyssa. “Hmmm. How’d you like an assistant? Maxima is interested in history and stuff.”
“Sounds good,” Glyssa lied.
After a sharp nod, Del walked back to the airship.
