* * * * *
Korten II tossed the last sandbag to the floor and stepped back to admire the workers’ handiwork. They’d been working more than an hour but just now finished loading the supplies for construction into the hold. Pain shot through his muscles as he straightened the crook in his back, but he dismissed it cheerfully.
“Don’t tell me we’ve just started.” One of the others said.
“All right I won’t.” Korten II clapped him on the back. “But I will tell you to pick up a shovel. We’ve got a foundation to pour.”
The door swished open as they worked, and several of the others watched, offering advice.
“Hey, Vaikyur-Erlenkov has returned from top-side.” Korten II said, looking up. “Looking worse for wear,” he added, noticing Eiron’s sand-crusted flightsuit.
“Speak for yourself.” Eiron said with a laugh. Korten’s work clothes had holes in it.
“Who’s the stranger?” one of the others, a short man wondered, noticing Kesney.
“This is my friend Kesney. He’s come to stay for good, so you’d better not talk his ear off today.” Eiron said, as a group gathered around.
“We couldn’t now even if we had the time,” Korten II said with a grin.
“Hey, Eiron, next time you come back bring me a new girlfriend, okay?” one of the others, a cheerful youth said, drawing laughter.
“There’s a shortage of women here?” Kesney wondered, with rising alarm.
“No, that’s just Eliazer talking.” Korten II laughed at the fearful expression on Kesney’s face.
“So, how long will the construction take?” Kesney asked, making small talk.
“It’ll take about a day.” Korten said. “The more hands we have, the faster the work goes.”
“Need any help?” Kesney offered casually. But the others took his offer as a sign of interest and bustled him into their group.
“You know anything about building?” A tall woman asked him.
“No,” Kesney admitted. But I know a little about structural engineering, he almost said, but thought better of it. He doubted his limited expertise would impress her.
“Well, then stick around me and you’ll learn something.” She told him.
“All right.” Kesney said agreeably. “And you’re—”
“The name’s Klimyata. Klimyata Fulten-Mira.” She said, thrusting a hand out to shake his. Then she picked up a shovel and tossed it to him.
“I’ll help you spread the foundation.” Eiron offered, but Korten stopped his arm.
“Just go ahead, Eiron. We’ve got things taken care of around here. It’s a small job. The bigger problem is going to be putting the playground equipment together, and we don’t have to do that right away.”
“But—”
“No buts. Just get out of here.” He paused, drawing Eiron aside. “Do you think I’m blind?” He asked in a furtive whisper. “Alessia was upset after you left, Eiron. I thought she was only worried about you and dwelling on her concerns for Orian more than usual. But I’ll tell you, she seemed a lot brighter when I spoke to her a little while ago. Can’t imagine whose reappearance might have been responsible for that,” he laughed. “So, you’d better make her happy, or—” he drew his hand in a swift stroke against his neck. Then with a grin, he turned back to his work.
Eiron sighed. Kesney was already busy working. Alessia sat beside him, watching the progress.
She probably knows everything Korten said, Eiron thought with a laugh. But at least it saves me from being subtle on the subject.
He laughed aloud.
“Come on,” he said, taking her arm.
The Last Immortal : Book One of Seeds of a Fallen Empire Page 61
