by Robin Owens
She stepped back. Shunuk, she called mentally, then recalled where she was. No Flair worked here; she shifted mindsets. “Ship, can you ask my Fam, Shunuk, to meet me at the south entrance?”
“I could,” Ship said, “but he is here.”
There was a bark and the door slid open. Shunuk trotted in, his muzzle stretched in a grin. She knew that smile. He’d been fed well. Again. “Let’s go home,” she said and winced inwardly. The estate wasn’t her home. She’d always considered the trail her home, had been fine with that.
“I’ll see you soon.” She smiled at Raz, let it become a real, sexy smile, as if she still didn’t have a pang in her heart. Just a hot-affair- type of smile between lovers.
Then she turned to Captain Elder again, nodded. “I’ll see you soon, too.”
“We’ll do dinner sometime this week?”
“Sure. Have your wife send a message to my cache. Later, Ship.”
“Thank you for coming,” Ship said. “I will notify you if I find any more discrepancies.”
“I’m sure you will.” She strode from the room without another look at Raz.
Shunuk followed, but his eyes narrowed. Del figured he was trying to tell her something mentally but couldn’t. Finally he huffed and kept up with her pace down the long straight metal corridor. He stopped at a branching corridor that would lead to the eastern entrance and wagged his tail.
“South entrance, running home.”
The fox sat and yipped. Decidedly.
“You’re getting too citified,” she said. “Maybe even plump.”
That didn’t move him. He just pointed his nose in the direction of the eastern entrance and Landing Park and the teleportation pad that would be there.
“It’s not more than five or six kilometers to home,” she said, and again the word home nearly stopped her, seemed to echo in the metal hall.
Shunuk barked, deeper, then headed down the hallway, turning his head back to see if she followed.
With a puff of breath, Del went after him, though she needed good exercise, some thinking time, and not at “home,” a place that didn’t appeal to her.
When the round iris-opening door expanded, she saw the rain beating down. Her half-formed plan of a ride vanished. No use taking a stridebeast out in this, let alone a horse, making them as miserable as—no, she wasn’t miserable. She just needed to think on things.
Shunuk shot away, angling through the rain to a small gazebo that held a teleportation pad. No one was there. No one was in the entire park, not even in the other structures. City people. A little rain put them off all sorts of pleasures.
Del’s imagination flashed a scene of her and Raz rolling around in bed while listening to the patter of raindrops. She put it aside and inhaled deeply. Less conglomeration of Flair here . . . but still very lush and green. A pretty park she could appreciate, even during the gray day and as the steady rain became sheets.
The fox stood on the top step of the shelter and shook himself, flicked his tail at her. FamWoman? he said mentally.
Yes?
We are not riding in the pretty red glider?
No.
Her Fam was wise enough to say nothing more about the glider or Raz.
“I think I’d like some hot clucker and noodle soup when we get home,” Del said.
Me, too.
She walked to the gazebo, stepped on the teleportation pad, picked Shunuk up, and visualized the empty house that was not a home.
A bad time to realize she already loved Raz.
Raz watched as Del walked from the room, a little shock shimmering in his nerves.
She’d mentioned going away and he’d balked. His feet had removed him from her even as his hands ached to keep touching her.
He was torn. He wanted her, but everything was moving fast and more intensely than he’d anticipated.
“When would you and your father want to tour the Ship?” asked Ruis loudly.
Raz turned smoothly to face the man. “How about Midweek, MidEveningBell. That’s when we work on the models.”
“Ship, did you make the appointment?” Captain Elder asked.
“Yes. We will see you then,” Ship said.
Raz and the Captain bowed farewell at the same time. Raz noticed the man’s manner was cooler toward him now that Del wasn’t present.
“Merry meet,” Raz said.
The Captain’s eyes warmed a little. “And merry part,” he gave the traditional response.
“And merry meet again,” Raz said. He kept his spine and shoulders straight. He was the lower one in status here, but he wouldn’t fawn, even though the Ship and the Captain impressed him. The Captain nodded and turned in the opposite direction, toward what Raz deduced was his own rooms, and Raz could only wonder what they looked like. A curiosity that might not be satisfied without Del’s—or his father’s—presence.
Raz walked through the Ship to the bay door through which he and Del and her Fam had entered. He missed Del’s hand in his. To Raz’s surprise, his glider had been brought into the Ship.
Absently, he told Cherry to return home, then shifted in his seat. He was uncomfortable with himself and his reaction to Del.
She’d put on a little mask. Had dropped one over her features after he’d instinctively stepped away.
He didn’t like that.
He’d hurt her, and he liked that even less.
But he had been completely honest and open . . . even as he was hurting her. A grumble escaped him and he tunneled his fingers through his hair. They’d been open and honest, then he’d hurt her and she’d had to cover her feelings.
Yes, their affair was getting intense. Far more intense than anticipated.
Then she’d mentioned the trail, and his stomach had clenched. She hadn’t spoken of leaving Druida City for a while, and though he didn’t want her to go, it was also a reason why he could be so honest with her. Because the time of the affair was limited.
He was torn about that, too.
She’d said she couldn’t live in Druida City and he knew that to be true. The restrictions on her, the expectations for the single head of a noble household, would stifle her, erode what he loved—liked—best about her.
His career was in the city. That was the only way he could become what he wanted—a famous actor whom people would pay to see, whom they’d talk about. Who would continue to work at what he did best, at what fulfilled him most.
As being on the trail fulfilled Del.
He snarled at the thought. Too damn conflicted.
Since it didn’t seem like she’d be exercising outside, Del took herself down to the HouseHeart to soak in the hot spring and brood.
Walking or running or riding kept the broods away and she rarely gave in to them, but now she would actually have to think and plan. Maybe even strategize.
The HouseHeart soothed her, as it was meant to. There was little of her parents here, more of Aunt Inula and even Doolee. Del sighed as she sat on the underwater bench, let the spring bubble around her.
A year ago Del would have assessed the situation and left Raz alone to build his career, gone off to continue her own. Wouldn’t have stayed in the city for an eightday.
She was the last Elecampane. That had knocked one of the stable supports out from under her. She had always known that the other side of the Family was solid and procreating and would continue the name and traditions.
Doolee had presented another problem, making Del change her life to accommodate someone else. Now Doolee was a beloved part of Del’s life that she couldn’t walk away from.
She was a different person than a few short weeks ago. Looking back, she didn’t think it was wise to crawl back into that brittle cocoon of self-sufficiency. Much as she hated to admit it, she had been on her way to becoming a frontier woman uncaring of much other than her own passions.
She had wanted Raz as a partner but hadn’t been interested in compromising. If he’d been another cartographer, or a tracker like Straif,
or someone who had a solitary path of an outdoor career—even a landscaper or gardener, they might have made do. But Raz was Raz, charming, gregarious, outgoing, opposite her.
Honest, caring, determinedly striving in his career, like her.
If she hadn’t stayed and gotten to know him, she might have been satisfied with occasional HeartMate sex dreams. Since she had, she wanted the man. The question was what she’d have to do to keep him and whether she could compromise enough to do that.
He’d have to compromise, too. She couldn’t stay in Druida. The city would drive her mad in a couple of months. That was the main crux of their problem, would be the breaking point. But Raz’s compromising wasn’t something she could control, so she dismissed it. Worry about that later.
T’Anise had continued to call and pressure her to meet with the Bloom Noble group, especially since she hadn’t attended Full Twinmoons last week. He’d chided her and mentioned her parents again. There seemed to be a social event every other day, usually at his antique shop, which she figured was old and musty. She shuddered; she wouldn’t be caught in that web.
Thinking of her parents and their determination to raise the status of the Elecampane Family had her remembering their advice as they plotted the next step up in the social ladder. “Give him what he wants and he will give me what I want,” was a favorite saying of theirs.
She only hoped she could give Raz enough.
Twenty-one
What did Raz want? She’d discovered a few things. He wanted a kitten Fam, and Del was pretty sure that a mongrel would be more loved by him than a purebred—and what did that say about his feelings for her? That he preferred the unique? Something else they had in common.
She’d already arranged that the next time a commoner litter of Fam kittens was brought to Danith D’Ash, Del would get one. She’d taken a cut in her commission with T’Ash for the landscape globes, but gilt would never be a problem. She’d finally totaled up everything, including the massive amount of income from each individual scrystone sold due to Elfwort’s genius, and she had enough wealth to fund the Family forever.
What else did Raz want?
He wanted to star in Amberose’s new play. That was evident from this morning’s discussion with Johns at the Thespian Club. Johns wanted that, too, and so would Trillia. If Del produced the play and hired the actors that Raz respected and liked to work with, he might be more amenable to moving from Druida.
Bring them out of Druida, to some other place. But where? Even Gael City felt too big to Del. Maybe she could manage the outskirts of the town. She didn’t know. But not Druida.
This Amberose thing was key to pleasing him. The playwright wanted to choose the actors and director. Raz and Johns thought they and Trillia were right for the play, but they didn’t like Lily Fescue.
Despite being in the heated water, Del’s neck muscles had tensed, a headache tightened like a band around her temples. Too much maneuvering. There were too many pieces of this particular puzzle to fit into a good map right now. Needed more exploration and knowledge. Let it lie and take it step-by-step.
All she wanted was to be a partner with her HeartMate.
But she had no idea if Raz wanted more than a hot, brief affair. In Druida.
She gritted her teeth then deliberately relaxed and let her mind drift, directed the bubbles to loosen her knotted muscles. As she settled, she instinctively reached for her HeartMate, found the connection between them had widened from yarn width to strong, thick rope.
He was meditating, too. In a semi-trance before he went to work, stepping out on stage to practice the profession he loved.
She would take that away from him.
No.
Compromise. She would ask him to leave the audiences of Druida. Find a base where she could practice her craft and he would be satisfied with his. Though the thought of leaving him for long treks in the wilderness didn’t appeal.
She’d tensed up again, so let out a steady breath. She had changed. He could, too. Naturally.
Being HeartMates would do that, she hoped. He would want to be with her more than . . . Her mouth twisted. More than be on stage in Druida?
He was concentrating on his part and dissipating the negativity that Lily Fescue had smudged on him with some sort of argument. Some actor thing that mattered to him but would never affect Del except as it impacted him.
She probed his emotions lightly, hoping to find out how he’d felt when he’d walked into his dressing room and had seen her gift. Her world tapestry was more colorful than his beige and gold and green one had been. He liked it. In fact, now that she’d pushed his thoughts in that direction, he smiled and she felt affectionate warmth from him.
Then his calendarsphere chimed, announcing that it was time for him to don his costume.
So Del withdrew and hauled her wrinkled self from the pool, waved a hand to circulate the water and rid it of any city dust. With another Word she closed the glass cover, walked on it to make sure it was safe for the children.
The scrybowl in the HouseHeart tinkled. Even though Del knew it couldn’t be Raz, she glanced over—to see Straif T’Blackthorn’s colors. They had a bond between them, too, a present bond of Family due to the child they loved.
Darkening the background and draping a bath sheet around her, Del answered. “Here. What?”
“Charming,” Straif said. He was grinning.
Del huffed.
He said, “I’ve set up an appointment with T’Apple to meet with you and Doolee for your holo painting. Here at—”
“No, not at T’Blackthorn Residence.”
Straif scowled. “T’Blackthorn Residence is one of the most beautiful places on the planet.”
“Sure, but it isn’t Elecampane land. I want it here.”
“Have you really looked around your house? All white and gold . . . not flattering to your or Doolee’s coloring, I might add.”
Del’s jaw flexed. He was right. “Here or not at all.” She perked up. “Maybe we should cancel—”
“No. We are not canceling the professional, artistic holo painting of you and Doolee. I insist,” Straif said.
“Then it will be here. In my map room or workroom or—”
“You really want a young child in a place where you work?”
Maybe not. She couldn’t hold Doolee all the time. That would be rough on both of them. “I’ll find someplace. Outside, the gardens maybe.”
“It’s raining now, could rain again.”
“I have a gazebo. More than one. A pool house. Something. When did you say the appointment was?”
“He can fit you in today, MidAfternoonBell.”
“All right.”
“I’ll be there with Doolee and T’Apple.”
“Fine.”
Straif stared at her a minute, then finally said, “I hope everything resolves well for you, Del.”
She did, too, but she only inclined her head. “Merry meet.”
“And merry part,” Straif replied.
“And merry meet again,” Del ended.
As she dried, she thought of the invitations that had been coming her way, sighed again, and lowered the energy to the candle in the room. Time for her to haul her sorry butt out of the HouseHeart and put on party clothes. Having a great amount of gilt was like bait on a fish hook and would bring people to her, such as Amberose’s agent. But she had to drop the line.
Del wasn’t in the audience. During one of his short breaks off stage, Raz searched for her mentally. They had a nice, strong bond between them and that worried him. But it irritated less than the fact she wasn’t here, that he’d taken a step away and she’d taken three.
Then he caught a swatch of her thoughts and knew she was at some noble garden tea party. After a rapid review of social events, he recalled there was a charity fund-raiser for additional beautification of the old Downwind section of town.
He smiled. Del had agreed to map Downwind, and she did believe in nature. She hadn’t
told him that she had planned on attending. Or had she decided to go after their mutual withdrawal? He couldn’t see it; Del was more of a loner than anyone he’d ever met. It must have been a big step for her to ask him to go on a trip with her.
A simple overnight getaway out of Druida. The city got on her nerves, and it was hot and muggy at this time of year.
The stage manager poked him in the back and he started, knew he was a second late for his cue. Lily glared at him from on stage and he cursed under his breath. He’d made two errors in the last week. Nearly unacceptable, no matter that he’d performed the best ever in the last couple of eightdays.
The rest of the performance went well enough. After the standard number of curtain calls, they trailed backstage, Lily scolding him all the way. He winced and tried to ignore her by escaping to his dressing room across the hall, shutting the door.
Only to find that his sister was sitting on his couch with tears running down her face.
Raz’s gut jolted. He went to her and took her hands, sank into the couch next to her. “Seratina, what’s wrong?”
She gulped and hiccupped. “Our Gael City house.” Her lips quivered. “It was robbed, too. Torn apart. We just heard.”
She hugged him hard.
The door opened and his parents and Seratina’s husband entered. His mother carried a loudly purring Fam kitten.
Raz’s dressing room was now crowded. He stroked Seratina’s back and met his father’s serious eyes.
“One of us needs to get down to the house in Gael City,” T’Cherry, Raz’s father, said.
A burn of irritation started in Raz’s head, flowed under his skin. He knew what was coming.
His sister’s hands clamped around his shoulders as she sobbed. “I . . . I don’t think I could . . .” She shuddered, took a breath. “I don’t think I could face it.”
