Heart Fortune

Jace had known a lot of adventurers, one of his favorite types of women to play with. Funa was certainly easy on his eyes with a heart-shaped face, wide, lush mouth, and large, dark-brown eyes. She’d been inventive and flexible in bed, something he also enjoyed.

“Greetyou,” he said.

She frowned, pursing those lovely lips that he had no intention of ever kissing again—at least not until after she stopped sexing with Andic—and leaned against him. His body remembered being atop a bedsponge with her, but his mind and emotions remained cool. He kept the smile, though.

Funa stroked his arm. “You haven’t been friendly, lately.”

He grunted and shook his head. “I don’t like sharing a woman. Just irrational that way.”

“You can’t tell me what to do.” She stepped back, fitted her hands on her hips.

“No. And I won’t. Do as you please.”

Tossing her sleek, long hair over her shoulders, she said, “You didn’t ask for exclusivity.”

He hadn’t even thought about that. Truth was, he hadn’t cared enough about her to think of that, but he knew she wouldn’t want to hear that, who would? “My mistake.” He made it regretful.

“Hmph.” Her shoulders wiggled. “I don’t want to give up Andic as a lover.”

Jace winced. “Ouch.”

And she let go a full-bodied laugh, punched him lightly in the shoulder, then sent him one of those under- the-eyelash sexy looks. “Not yet, anyway.”

Andic had discovered the last cache of artifacts near the camp, had gotten his cut for them up front.

Jace had empty pockets but hopeful dreams. He turned back to eye the beckoning but dark and narrow hole in the ground. He’d bet he could still fit, and in a couple more meters, if there was a passage, it would be wide.

Now Funa sighed. “That opening is so tempting, isn’t it?” She looked out at the crew heading with two heavy-duty earth-moving machines to where the Elecampanes thought the midship main door was.

“Yeah,” Jace said. Too tempting. He’d only get in trouble if he went down. And though he didn’t mind trouble, exploring on his own might get him thrown off the project. Not worth that.

So he turned back toward the camp some meters distant, saw Andic wave at Funa. She hurried from Jace’s side, and as a twitch hit between his shoulder blades, he knew he’d been right to refuse her. Just logical.

Didn’t have anything to do with recent dimly remembered erotic dreams. Or that very strong tug on his emotions he’d felt the day before. Or the incredible four-day sex weekend he’d had with that redhead, Glyssa Licorice, he’d visualized as he’d fallen down the damn hole. Really.

Years ago he’d had to force himself to forget Glyssa’s name, and now he recalled it again.

He scuffed back to his battered tent—large enough for two, to give him the personal space he needed— realized he kicked up dust on the dry land, and picked up his feet and hit the easy stride he liked the best. Too much thinking hampered a guy.

DRUIDA CITY

Glyssa stood in front of the review panel that would approve her field trip and a paper, pursuant to the procedure to become a FirstLevel Librarian of Celta. This was supposed to be a formality, but she knew it wouldn’t be. “I intend for my field trip to be to the excavation site of the recently located starship, Lugh’s Spear. And for my research to be on the last Captain of that ship.”

Her mother’s lips flattened, and Glyssa kept her flinch inside. Her father’s disappointed expression was worse. Her older sister hefted a long-suffering sigh.

As always, her mother spoke first. “We were under the impression that your final research studies would be on HouseHearts—one of the reasons we allowed you so much time in the PublicLibrary HouseHeart. And we believed that your field sabbatical would be around the city, and perhaps to a few of the budding sentient Residences outside of Druida and in Gael City.”

“GreatLord T’Hawthorn requested I write a biography of the Captain of the starship Lugh’s Spear. How Netra Sunaya Hoku commanded the ship as it landed, his leadership of the colonists on the journey to Druida City, and, perhaps, research his later life after he gave up fame and status as one of the FirstFamily GrandLords.” That topic would appeal to her supposedly egalitarian Family, though bringing up Laev T’Hawthorn’s name contrasted with that. Even her Family, who disdained the appearance of wealth and status, was aware of the highest social strata of the planet . . . and that Glyssa had connections there, since one of her best friends had married into that level.

Glyssa continued, “Laev has wanted a representative at the excavation for a while. His HeartMate, Camellia, not only is invested emotionally in the excavation, but under our laws, has a financial interest in the salvage of the ship.”

“He’s a sharp entrepreneur,” Glyssa’s father said with a hint of admiration.

“Will he be funding your trip?” Glyssa’s sister asked, acid in her tone, more from envy, Glyssa thought, than from worry that Glyssa’s research might be less than impartial.

Glyssa drew a sheaf of papyrus from the long, rectangular pocket of her formal gown, walked the pace to the desk the FirstLevel Librarians sat behind, and gave them the copy of the files Laev had sent to her.

Her father grunted, her mother looked up sharply. “This includes facsimiles of Captain Hoku’s journals!” Now she was excited. Camellia had been dilatory in giving that to the PublicLibrary though all of them had nagged her about it.

“I will have full cooperation from Camellia and Laev, and a letter of introduction to the Elecampanes who own and run the project, and who may bring me on as a secretary of the project.”

“A secretary,” her sister sneered.

Glyssa met her mother’s eyes, then her father’s. “Apparently they have no official secretary or historian for the site.”

Her Family gasped as one.

“Inconceivable,” said her sister.

“This must not be allowed.” Her father stood. He had a strain of restlessness and during times of great emotion, couldn’t keep still. Glyssa was beginning to feel like she might have inherited that from him. Deep inside, part of her sang at the thought of adventure.

Her mother clicked her tongue and her father resumed his seat. D’Licorice adjusted her sleeves on the table and intoned. “Is there anything else the applicant wishes to say about her field studies?”

Glyssa gritted her teeth briefly, but bowed her head. She’d decided to reveal all about the project, but not about her HeartMate. “GreatLady Camellia D’Hawthorn wishes not only a monograph on her ancestor, the last pilot and Captain of the starship Lugh’s Spear, she wishes a more popular story written for the general public.” The two plays based on the discovery of Celta were immensely popular. Glyssa shivered at the thought of providing a story for a third.

“Camellia would want something more easy to read,” Glyssa’s sister said nastily.

“Camellia is a successful businesswoman, not a scholar,” Glyssa shot back.

“Such comments are not pertinent to this review panel,” Glyssa’s mother snapped.

Glyssa straightened her spine, tried to keep her expression remote, as was expected. “I have agreed to the challenge.” Again she slid her gaze across her Family’s faces. They’d lapsed into scholarly impassivity also.

Her sister leaned forward. “What will you do if we do not approve of this field trip?”

Glyssa had hoped no one would ask that question. She lifted her chin. “I believe the excavation of the lost starship, Lugh’s Spear, a ship different than our own Nuada’s Sword here in Druida, a ship whose culture during the long trip from Earth to Celta was radically different than that of Nuada’s Sword, is of great importance. And, as we all know, Lugh’s Spear carried knowledge about the colonists’ genetic psi power that Nuada’s Sword doesn’t have. Lugh’s Spear is not only vital to us in illuminating our past, but for future generations.” That was the definition of a discipline of study, and she backed the truth of her words with Flair, psi power. “If this panel does not find official merit for my work, I will proceed without its blessing.”

“I am concerned that you will be so far away . . . and the excavation is dangerous,” her mother said.

Glyssa figured that was one reason her HeartMate had been drawn there. “I believe GreatLord T’Hawthorn