Heart Fortune

proportions are good, so is the octagonal shape, and the design. Antenn Blackthorn-Moss did a fine job with the plans.”

Unlike the blueprints of Lugh’s Spear, Glyssa hadn’t seen the town plans. “Maybe you could show the rest of us?”

“We did, after Antenn finished them. He came out earlier this year,” Del said. “We had a meeting with everyone who thought they might buy into the town.”

“I haven’t seen the design,” Glyssa pointed out.

“Oh, sorry.” Del flashed a smile as Raz shouted, “All Flaired workers please report to the Community Hall building.”

“Maybe later,” Del said, moving toward the structure.

Glyssa frowned but headed over to the raw frame, held out her hands to join with Raz and Del and a few others. “Shouldn’t we be doing a ritual for this? Wouldn’t that be easier?”

“No time,” Del grunted. “We’ll be putting out more effort than if we were in a circle, but let’s face it, the community hasn’t really come together enough for everyone to trust everyone else with as much of a connection as a work ritual demands.”

“Oh. I thought—”

“Enough talk,” Del said. “Let’s get this done if we want a complete building by the end of the day.”

“Right,” Raz said, adding a smile for Glyssa.

Nodding, Glyssa inhaled deeply and prepared to help with her Flair, sending strength and energy to the others. As she concentrated on the building and the images the others held in their minds, she used her own Flair and sent them what she believed was the most efficient way to organize the materials and build the structure. She sensed Raz’s and Del’s surprised thoughts, then approval.

Then they began, and that was the last deep breath she had for the rest of the day until the evening turned into night and she slumped with the others on the polished wooden floor beneath her.

Pretty! We did good! Lepid twitched the tip of his tail. He, too, had funneled energy into the effort and was exhausted. The first time Glyssa had seen him that way.

Only those who’d finished the interior paneling were still inside—eight of them, all completely spent. Jace wasn’t one of their number.

A knock came on the door.

“Who’s there?” whispered Raz, sitting, back braced against the wall. Both he and Del leaned on each other.

“It’s Jace and Zem,” Glyssa croaked. “They can’t hear you. Can I tell them and the others who’ve subscribed to the community to come in?”

“Might as well.” Raz’s formerly strong gestures had devolved to limp fingers lifted toward the large door.

“Beautiful building,” Del said. “But too much effort today. Mistake to have done it.”

“I don’t think so,” Raz said. “Makes a statement. Will impress both our staff—those who are wavering about investing in the town—and the outsiders who come in tomorrow. We could get more funding for the town because of it.”

“Uh-huh,” Del sighed as she fell asleep.

Come in, Glyssa projected to Jace. All those who’ve bought shares in the town can come in. She scooted back across the glossy floor to the wall.

Jace flung open the large door, stepped in and stopped, tucking his thumbs into his belt. “Wow. Looks great.”

The floor was a darker shade than the honey-colored wood inside and out. Four of the eight walls held a window, square and multipaned and hideously expensive, in terms of making them permanent, with the Flair they’d had available. The ceiling angled up to a point with rafters that Zem immediately flew to. When Jace had opened the door, all the spell lamps set in intricate cages flickered on. Those were only funded for the eightday week.

As people filed in, exclaiming with surprise and delight, Raz nudged Del awake and helped her stand. Glyssa braced her feet against the floor and began to shove herself up. Jace hurried over and drew her into his arms, let her lean against him. He chuckled.

“What?” she asked.

“You smell like Glyssa.”

She grimaced, but he nuzzled her. “Must have used a lot of Flair if you sweated.”

Sighing, she said, “Yes.”

“It’s a wonderful place,” he said but didn’t take his eyes off her and she warmed. They were a couple, and accepted as a couple, but that didn’t quite satisfy anymore.

Let’s eat! Lepid got to his paws.

* * *

Once again a huge transport set down in the ever-increasing-in-size landing field. This one was less battered, smoother, sleeker; no doubt it had incredible opulence inside.

Pursuant to recent custom, most of the crew, save the guards, gathered to watch it. The hatch opened and a small platform extruded from the airship. The first passengers appeared in the doorway, several nobles whom Glyssa didn’t recognize but thought belonged to the Grace class. All had dressed more for impressing each other than the dirt of the encampment.

They made room for Camellia D’Hawthorn, carrying a large basket, a grin on her face. A man behind her, dressed in the red of Cherry Shipping and Transport, gestured and a large shelf extruded from the airship in front of the door. Camellia stepped upon it and the ramp descended slowly to the ground.

Glyssa ran to her friend. Camellia set down her basket and opened her arms and they hugged and rocked.

“I’m so glad you’re here!” Glyssa said.

“Is anything wrong?” Camellia asked.

“No. I don’t know. But I wanted you to see the encampment so badly.” Glyssa’s future was here, wasn’t it?

“And we’re glad to be here and view the venture,” Laev T’Hawthorn said as he strolled up to them.

After a last hug of Camellia, Glyssa frowned at Laev. “You didn’t say anything about founding a town in this area a week and a half ago.”

Laev smiled, twitched his fingers at a duffle that was half the size as the one he’d bought for her and it rose, began to follow them as they walked. He slung an arm around Glyssa’s shoulders, linked hands with his HeartMate. “It was something I was kicking around in the back of my mind. Talked a little about it with my journeywoman, Jasmine Ash—she’s very excited about such a project. But I hadn’t firmed up any plans until Vinni T’Vine visited me at the beginning of the week.”

“Vinni T’Vine,” Glyssa said. She hadn’t often met the prophet of Celta.

With a lift of his brows, Laev added, “Yes. He convinced me it would be a good thing to establish a town out here. He was even so helpful as to point out where . . . a spot by the Deep Blue Sea.”

“Oh.”

Laev glanced at the Elecampanes’ pavilion where Del and Raz stood, waiting for them. “I contacted the Elecampanes. They are not too pleased.” Laev’s teeth flashed. “But they agreed to work with me to show advisors and prospective settlers the land.” His smile faded as he looked over to the huge outline of Lugh’s Spear wistfully. “They’ve been adamant in not allowing FirstFamily investors in the excavation of Lugh’s Spear.”

“They want to keep control, nothing wrong with that,” Camellia said. “Just like I won’t let you buy into my teahouses.”

“Advisors?” Glyssa asked.

Nodding toward some of the stragglers disembarking from the airship transport, Laev said, “We have representatives from T’Vine, T’Reed, T’Blackthorn, and D’SilverFir of the FirstFamilies. Antenn Blackthorn-Moss sent a journeywoman from his architectural firm. The Clover Family sent an advisor, as did a consortium of other noble investors. The cross-folk religious group provided a priest, though I think the cross-folk want to establish one