of their own towns in the same general area . . . or perhaps in the opposite direction, by Fish Story Lake.” He shrugged, but Glyssa believed he knew to the last silver sliver the amount of gilt each investor had in mind to apply to founding a new community, as well as all their motivations. She looked back and saw a few of the camp watching her and her friends including Andic and Funa and Trago.
“They will be staying tonight in the airship berth comfortchairs, but I brought some tents so we can experience every moment of the camp,” Laev said.
“Absolutely,” said Camellia.
At the back of the airship a door opened and a ramp angled down. A man—the cartographer—dressed in leathers much like Del’s, led a few stridebeasts from the vehicle.
“That should be all of them,” Laev said, his gaze skimming over the people decanted from the airship. He gestured for Glyssa and Camellia to head toward the tent town.
She and her friends reached the Elecampanes, and Laev swept the couple a deep bow, smiling what Glyssa considered to be his least calculating and most charming smile. She wondered if he’d forgotten just how good an observer and actor Raz Cherry was.
“Thank you for allowing us to see the excavation, and to stay here tonight,” Laev said.
“You’re welcome.” Raz was just as gracious. He looked over at the transport and raised his brows. “I’m glad to get my hands on the controls of that airship.”
“If you want to refresh yourself after the trip—” Del Elecampane began.
“No need,” Camellia interrupted. “The airship contains all the luxuries.” She’d put her basket down, opened it and took out only a slightly smaller basket, offering it to Del. “I know that we are imposing, and we thank you for your hospitality. Please take these foodstuffs as a gift.”
“From your tearooms?” Raz asked as Del took the basket.
“No, I cooked them this morning.” Camellia smiled. She dipped her hands into her long-sleeved pockets and drew out a large envelope. From that, she pulled out huge flatsweets that wafted delicious smells as she offered them to Raz and Del, Glyssa and Jace.
“Thank you,” Raz mumbled around a bite. “Wonderful.”
Del bit into hers, closed her eyes. “Wonderful,” she echoed. “So fresh.”
Camellia said, “I’ll be going along with you, Del, on our stridebeast excursion to the Deep Blue Sea. I’ve packed enough food for us all for the trip there.”
Chuckling, Del said, “Good thing we have a limited amount of stridebeasts, otherwise the whole camp would ride with us just for the food.” She looked at Laev. “You have quite an asset in your HeartMate.”
Laev flung his arm around Camellia. “Don’t I know it.”
Raz said, “We’ve cleared an area for your pavilion.” He glanced at Laev. “I anticipated that you would bring a pavilion.”
“Three,” Laev said. He waved toward the airship. “One is quite large and will remain in the airship until we arrive at the Deep Blue Sea. Designed especially for me. For us.” He sent a look to Jace. “There’s a secondary bedroom for Glyssa . . . and you, if you care to come along.”
“Sounds fine,” Jace said. Then he began to eat his flatsweet, which seemed to take both hands.
Laev shot him a considering glance, but went on with his spiel. “We also brought two smaller ones for travel. One for Camellia and one for Glyssa and Jace. I’ll stay in Camellia’s tonight.” He stepped toward a shallow rectangular area on the far side of Glyssa’s pavilion, set between the main pathway and a row of bushes—she’d sent him the dimensions earlier.
From an end pocket on the duffle, he pulled out four sticks. She didn’t see any transparent gauze like what made up her pavilion. With quick steps he set up the stakes, then waved his hand. The onlookers “oohed” as purple-tinted, transparent, Flaired walls sprang up . . . in two stories, one cantilevered out over the bushes. Before the walls of the “tent” turned solid, Glyssa saw a solid-looking wooden staircase up to a sleeping loft, the floor of which included a bedsponge.
More gasps sounded and the crowd grew. Laev took a bow, grinned at Glyssa, and whirled his wife in his arms to applause.
Then someone huffed, “Thank you, GrandLady D’Elecampane, GrandLord T’Elecampane, for welcoming us to your encampment. Since time is so short and we leave for the Deep Blue Sea tomorrow morning, can we be shown the excavation of
Del D’Elecampane shoved the last of her flatsweet into her mouth, chomped down and nodded, then wiped her mouth with a softleaf she plucked from her trous pocket. “We are pleased to show you our endeavors.” She raised a hand and the head Holly guard strode from between the Elecampanes’ and Glyssa’s pavilions.
“Cornuta, Laev T’Hawthorn—”
But Laev stepped forward and offered his arm to clasp and the Holly guard did, too. “We know each other,” the guard said. “I worked at The Green Knight Fencing and Fighting Salon for some years.”
“Ah,” Raz said. “Cornuta will show you around.”
Laev put a sad expression on. “Not you or the lovely D’Elecampane?”
“He’s afraid he’ll spill more about our project plans and the excavation than we want you to know,” Del said.
With a smile, Laev shook his head. “I don’t think so.”
Del made pushing motions with her hands. “Go on the tour. You’ll see the hole we found where
“My poor ancestor, those deaths hurt him so.” Camellia twisted her hands.
D’Elecampane snorted. “The Captain was too sensitive, then. The deaths were those who didn’t follow the proper landing procedures. Weren’t where they were supposed to be. I’ve read enough of Hoku’s journal and Raz’s ancestress’ diary to know that.
“Anyway, we’ve covered the hole and access is forbidden, got that?”
“Yes,” Laev and Camellia said together.
“You can follow the pegged outline of the ship to the excavation where we believe one of the main entrances lies. Both areas are now guarded, and that’s about all there is to see of our main project. You’re welcome to look around the camp, enter our new Community Hall and eat with us in the mess. Personal tents of our staff are off-limits, though we’ll make the sitting room of our pavilion available to you, Laev and Camellia. Any of the others will have to ask for permission.”
“Of course my pavilion is your pavilion,” said Glyssa. She laughed. “Especially since you bought it.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Laev said, glancing over at Jace. “You want to come along, Jace, and tell me about the camp and the land around here . . . and the new town?”
Jace shrugged. “Sure. Zem wants a good flight.”
“Glyssa?” asked Camellia.
“I have to work, and to continue to prepare for the trip tomorrow,” Glyssa said, and Jace knew that, but he preferred not to stay with her. That hurt.
Feeling a little stiff, Glyssa waved to her friends, then headed back into her pavilion and moved some of the furniture around to accommodate Laev and Camellia if they wanted to spend the evening talking with her in her tent.
With a little difficulty, she buried herself in her work, struggled through some of Hoku’s more technical entries about the status of the ship after landing, and while the colonists set up their own camp. She made one- sentence notes about events that she and Jace could spin into the story.
At dinner in the mess tent, Camellia studied the gray-tinged noodles on her fork before she took a bite. “Interesting.”
“Not really,” Glyssa said. “Too bad Myrtus Stopper was a villain, he
Jace rose from the table with an absent wave at Glyssa. “Zem calls. He wants some help with his nest. Later.”
“I’d like to see that,” Laev said.
Camellia frowned after them. “We need to talk.”
