“Stay still, Lepid,” the Healer said. “The sooner you stop this wriggling, the sooner I can set the retrieval spell.”
Lepid caught Jace’s eye and glared.
This time Jace reached into his pocket, drew out a bit of furrabeast jerky, snapped a bite off and tossed it to Lepid who snagged it with his teeth and gobbled it down.
Zem’s head tilted and his bright black gaze fixed on Jace.
Jace gave him a small bite. “We’ll go get you food at the breakfast tent. And show you around. Later, ladies.”
They left Lepid whining.
Midmorning, Glyssa stood with most of the camp, watching the hole with the girder being widened with manual labor, spellcasting, and Flaired machines working together.
Lepid sat a half meter away from her, still peeved at her for keying his collar to the Healing clinic. He’d informed her with wide tail lashes that the BirdFam, Zem, needed him to capture live and newly dead prey for food. Lepid would spend several septhours a day doing that until Zem had healed enough to hunt his own food.
Zem particularly liked fish, but Lepid was unsure of his hunting skills in that area.
The images that rose to her mind when informed of this gave Glyssa the queasies, but she just agreed through a tight throat. She stated her expectations, too, that Lepid go slowly and not fish by himself, and that she wished he would remain in the tent at night with her.
He’d just sniffed.
Jace sauntered to her, Zem perched on his newly padded shoulder.
“Greetyou, Zem.” Glyssa gave a little curtsey to the bird. Her curiosity about him had been roused earlier, and she was pleased that she now had something more in common with Jace—a Fam. She knew from experience that a FamPerson could talk about their companion for hours.
She glanced at Jace, knowing she didn’t dare push him. Too many other unattached female arms she could drive him into. He was also the kind of man who liked to initiate most sexual moves. Didn’t stop her body from tingling in his vicinity.
So she kept a blandly pleasant expression on her face and said, “And thank you, GentleSir Bayrum, for walking with Lepid this morning.”
Jace ducked his head, a slight flush came to his tanned cheeks. “We aren’t formal here. Please call me Jace . . . Glyssa.”
“Thank you,” she said simply.
A huge grinding noise came and they both focused their attention on the hole—it appeared a portion of the starship had been found and peeled back!
“Oh!” She grinned, knew her eyes sparkled, and shared a look with Jace.
He smiled back at her. “Looks like after two years we are finally making progress.”
She shifted from foot to foot. “I’m so pleased to be here during this momentous time.”
“Yeah.” He tilted his head. “And record it?”
“Yes.” Did she dare refer to their past fling? She didn’t think so.
The next septhour showed excruciatingly slow progress on the hole—they hadn’t wanted to harm the outer shell of the spaceship. But standing with Jace, listening to his comments, being in his company, was luxurious. Even though something low and needy throbbed inside her.
At the end, the Elecampanes called a halt after the descent and tunnel was opened and cleared, then set a guard by the hole.
Most people wandered away and Glyssa knew Jace would follow if she didn’t detain him. Clearing her throat, not quite looking at him, she said, “I spent much of yesterday setting up my tent.”
He looked down at her with a mild expression in his eyes, but one quirked eyebrow. “It’s a pavilion.”
She felt heat on her cheeks, cleared her throat
He hesitated too long, but her ego was saved when Lepid raced back to her and jumped around her feet.
“Thank you.” She crouched down and ran her fingers through the soft fur of her dusty pet. “I’d like to see Fish Story Lake and the Deep Blue Sea, also.”
Jace added, “Both are some kilometers away. In that, Captain Hoku chose his spot well, to land the starship
Stretching her mouth in a too-bright smile, she looked up at him—he was scowling—and said, “I understand.”
He jerked a nod, tilted his head in the direction of the communications equipment that the Elecampanes had moved on to rearrange. “Later, Glyssa.”
“Yes, later. Good afternoon, Zem,” she replied faintly, covering the huge well of disappointment inside her.
Jace strode away from her and she spent the day with her FoxFam, forcing herself to banish the letdown and enjoy the simple pleasure of Lepid’s company as she bonded more deeply with him.
The camp was set up in orderly rows, comprised of all sorts of tents—and two living pavilions—hers and the Elecampanes’. The large mess tent was in the middle of the camp, the four cleansing tents and four latrine tents at the edge, and a storage and workshop near the middle. The stable was toward the south, closer to the Deep Blue Sea side of the encampment.
She was impressed by the organization that provided both closeness and privacy if a person wanted such.
As the sun set and twilight deepened the sky, stars appeared. Many more stars than she could see in Druida, thick spangles.
She sat in one of the two camp chairs she’d placed before her pavilion. Lepid curled on her lap, ready to talk to every curious passerby and be petted in between visits.
Jace didn’t stop by. At first that irritated her—then she just
They’d enjoy dream sex that she hoped to turn into more than sex, true loving. Become more than occasional lovers—friends. HeartMates.
She just had to figure out how to make that happen.
Glyssa shared some talk with Funa Twinevine and Andic Sanicle, definitely adventurers with an eye on her because of her connection with Camellia and Laev—whom she’d admitted knowing. She thought Lepid had been indiscreet in that matter, chattering about his noble friends.
He liked his glory, her FamFox.
Symphyta, the Healer, whom Lepid studiously ignored, also dropped by. The woman good-naturedly answered Glyssa’s questions regarding the staff’s and the camp’s history. Enough so that Glyssa knew she could really dig more data from the Healer, especially if she served good food and drink. The camp food was simple and filling, but the Healer appreciated the last delicacies packed in the trip basket.
