matching people.”
“You insist?”
“Yes. And if necessary I will pay for your appointment myself!” Not that she really could without selling something.
More wide-eyed surprise from her sister. Glyssa leaned forward. “Just think, some man out there for whom you are perfect is as alone and as lonely as you.”
Enata smiled, looking years younger. “It’s . . . intriguing. By the way, there’s quite a lot of alcohol in this drink.”
“Yes, there is.”
“I think you should take some to Mother and Father,” Enata said. She set the tall mug on a coaster on the table and had her fat comfortchair tilting back, the panel for leg support unfolding, then lifting. “I would like to see T’Willow. T’Willow! For a husband for me!” She giggled. “How exciting.”
“Yes.”
“I do love you, you know, Glyssa.”
“I know. I love you, too.”
“Even when you’re being a flitch,” Enata said.
“Yes,” Glyssa answered. “I love you even when you’re being a flitch.”
Convincing her parents was a little tougher for Glyssa but not as difficult as she expected. Enata’s behavior that afternoon that had resulted in Glyssa being elevated to FirstLevel Librarian before she was quite ready for the honor had been a revelation for all of them.
Her mother and father had consulted the ResidenceLibrary for figures regarding appointments with matchmakers for Licorices without HeartMates and had come up with equally revealing numbers. Only one or two single Licorices had asked for appointments, and they had been given them, and mates found. Most unwed Licorices shriveled into bitter people—the Residence’s words.
That had shaken all three of them, too.
“We certainly have the gilt to provide Enata with this boon,” Glyssa’s father said.
“True,” D’Licorice said, frowning. “But I am sure that T’Willow is booked.”
“We’ve done a few favors for him and his,” T’Licorice said.
“We will call him tomorrow,” Glyssa’s mother said.
“Meanwhile, why don’t you and I retire to the HouseHeart to consider this matter more deeply?” her father suggested.
Her mother smiled. “That sounds wonderful. We’ll see you tomorrow, Glyssa.”
“Yes, Mother.” Glyssa hugged her mother tightly and kissed her cheek. “We’re doing the right thing.”
“I think so, too,” said Glyssa’s father, embracing her. “Good idea, Glyssa.”
“Thank you.”
“Later,” he said, then he whistled as he and her mother walked hand in hand to the tiny, secret elevator room that would take them to the HouseHeart.
Glyssa was left alone by herself in the mainspace. She hoped Jace was having a good time by himself, but for her own self, she wasn’t enjoying her solitude. She was lonely.
Then he and Lepid and Zem arrived and she prepared them the evening meal and they worked as they had in the camp. Later she and Jace satisfied each other, both on her bedsponge and the one in the guest suite.
Now that she was a FirstLevel Librarian and her fieldwork approved, Jace wanted to return immediately to camp.
She wasn’t quite ready.
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.
Enata’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
Jace wanted to be anywhere but at the marriage ritual. The Clover Family 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
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
