Heart Fortune

“My father and my good friend Laev T’Hawthorn talked together, looked into the matter,” Glyssa said.

All right, a little anger to burn away the panic. A good thing. “Checked me out.”

“Yes, I am precious to them. I’m sorry you’re only precious to me and Zem.”

Another emotional blow.

“Good-bye, Jace. I’ll make sure to stay out of your way when we return. It will only be for a day or two.” Her eyes gushed and she whirled and ran this time.

Ran away from him.

Women didn’t do that. He was smooth in his affairs with them.

He stood there, hollowed out, unable to think. Only able to hurt.

His lover, his HeartMate, had run from him.

* * *

She’d taken too long with Jace. Worse she’d dawdled on the way back to the encampment. Anyone who glanced at her would know she and Jace had broken up. Resorting to a glamour spell, she ensured her eyes weren’t red and face swollen, though tears continued to well and her calm expression must look forced.

People in the camp bustled around. Not a lot of them would stay. Most were packing into the luxury airship for the shortish flight to the Deep Blue Sea. Ten were leaving with Del Elecampane for the overland journey. All of the stridebeasts were lined up, most packed, and most of the riders standing near their animals.

Camellia caught sight of Glyssa, flinched, then distracted Laev who was turning in Glyssa’s direction. She hurried into her pavilion, changed into riding gear, finished packing, distractedly moving furniture around, shrinking some of it, dithering over the research materials and her origami supplies.

Her hands would need work, she took a lot of papyrus.

Lepid strolled in, stared at her, locked his legs . . . and hit her with betrayal.

With narrowed eyes, his muzzle set stubbornly, he said, I don’t want to leave the camp.

Glyssa stared, her throat closed and she had to clear it. “You don’t want to visit the Deep Blue Sea?”

Her Fam shook his head. We can go there lots of times, but the camp won’t always be mine!

“Yours?”

That Shunuk fox and those Elecampane cats are going away. I will be the alpha Fam of the camp. I want to stay with my friends Zem and Jace, too. Lepid’s glance slid away from hers.

“You broke up with Jace?” Camellia entered the pavilion. She grimaced. “I think it’s the right thing to do and the right time to do it. You’ll have the trip to put a little distance between you.” Glyssa sighed and shook her head. “But Del sent me to get you. We’re leaving now.”

“Lepid wants to stay in camp,” Glyssa choked out.

Camellia stared down at him. “He is little.”

Glyssa decided not to whine that she wanted him with her. So unattractive.

“And my Fam decided to stay home at T’Hawthorn Residence,” Camellia smiled. “Where it’s safe and she can be pampered. So did Laev’s.”

You see, I will be the primary Fam of the camp! Lepid pranced in place.

Camellia chuckled, then aimed a stern gaze at Glyssa. “Come on.”

Glyssa looked around at the pavilion and winced. “I’m running late. This place is a mess.”

“Maybe Jace will clean it up after he moves his things out,” Camellia said.

“Dream on.”

“Let’s go. It will be better for you on the road. You can put your troubles and Ja—the past behind you.”

“D’Hawthorn! Licorice!” Del Elecampane yelled.

Swallowing hard, Glyssa bent and rubbed Lepid, scratched his head. “I wish you’d come with me, and I’ll miss you.”

He swiped his tongue against her cheeks more than once. Salty, he said.

“Yes.” She grabbed the full saddlebags she’d packed. “I love you, Lepid.”

I love you, too, FamWoman, he said, and trotted out the door beside her, heading in the direction of the ship.

Camellia put her arm around Glyssa’s waist. “Let’s go. It gets better, I promise you.”

Well, Camellia’s and Laev’s HeartMate romance had been rocky, too, so Glyssa’s friend knew what she was talking about.

Pulling a softleaf from her riding tunic pocket, Glyssa dabbed her eyes and blew her nose, said a cleansing word and tucked it away again. She’d be using it some more.

Del D’Elecampane gave her a sharp look, but said nothing as Glyssa mounted the stridebeast and they rode out of camp.

Glyssa had to admit that she didn’t pay much attention to the scenery. Camellia let her quietly weep and mutter about Jace and everyone else ignored her, which was fine. Later, no doubt, she’d be embarrassed.

She’d handled herself well with Jace, but with Camellia’s sympathetic ears and soothing murmurs, she broke down. Glyssa would rather have hidden in her pavilion, but being away while Jace moved his property back into his own tent would be best. Not that she thought it would take more than one trip. He hadn’t left much of his stuff, of himself, in her pavilion.

To be honest, the scenery they passed through looked a lot like that surrounding the camp—pristine forests with a winding path wide enough for two stridebeasts, rolling land too low to be called hilly, ponds and lakes.

As the septhour wore on, Camellia stayed beside her, talking and making Glyssa think about her answers. Her shoulders relaxed—her whole body relaxed and she moved better with her stridebeast, though neither she nor Camellia were experienced riders. Good thing that they both knew minor Healing spells. They’d need them at the end of the day.

Glyssa’s emotions evened out, and she repeated the mantra that all rejected HeartMates must—life was long on Celta and people changed, their minds and their emotions.

But she was done with chasing after Jace.

He would definitely have to come after her in the future.

* * *

Help, FamMan, help! The frantic call came from Lepid late in the morning while Jace was embellishing a woman’s pursenal in the workroom. He jerked, sliced his thumb with his knife, swore at the thin, hurting cut, but better than ruining the piece.

What? he mind-yelled back, putting down his tools.

Help, FamMan. I am trapped in the ship!

What! You shouldn’t even be in the ship! Too late to scold the FamFox, even as fear sourly coated his tongue.

There was a smell! the fox whined, but even his mind-voice quavered. He was scared. I followed it. Someone trapped me. Locked me in!

Jace put away his knives with trembling hands, rolled up his work and stowed it in a satchel. What about the retrieval spell on your collar?

I outgrew my collar and Trago gave me another without the spell. I did not want the spell and I knew he wouldn’t make me have it. Nobody noticed.

Hell! Can’t you teleport to the pavilion or my tent?

You . . . an . . . FamWoman . . . have . . . been . . . movin . . . stuff . . . arounnn.

Too true. It was emotional pain that slashed him hard and deep, now. He set it aside. Lepid?

Fun-ny smell. Sleep-py.

Then Lepid’s voice disappeared from Jace’s mind. Sucking in a breath, Jace opened himself emotionally to all his bonds . . . winced as he noticed the connection between him and Glyssa might be down to a stream of a few molecules. His link with Zem showed huge, about the thickness of his heart, sizzling light blue like the freedom of the skies.