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Chapter Nineteen
Of course, what we were attempting to do would take a long time to accomplish. A great deal of infrastructure would be required, but most of what had been delivered to the palace were things like solar panels and batteries that could be installed on individual homes. Word somehow got out that we wanted to set up a model farm, and the level of enthusiasm was so high among those who actually liked the idea of electricity and modern living, we’d arranged a discounted program for the others. We couldn’t afford to do every single house for free, of course, and when our grid was in place, people would be getting a monthly bill, like in the rest of the world, in order to make it self-supporting. But if we made it affordable, we’d get a great start.
The solar field would generate far more power, but Arne and Eleanor believed, and I agreed, that it would be best if we could show some immediate progress.
Thus, the rooftop panels. The first place they were going up was the palace, for the most practical of reasons. We needed the energy in order to do everything else on our plates. To be able to set up the computers and everything necessary for all other parts of our new grid to function. The outside workers, each accompanied by his local apprentice, were buzzing around the castle, installing electrical boxes and batteries, scampering around on rooftops, putting in the panels, and modernizing plumbing as well. Leif and Gunnar were trying to learn as much as possible as well, and I nearly had a heart attack when I saw Leif standing many stories high on a slanted roof, yelling to Gunnar who was eating a sandwich and watching a panel being installed. I had to go inside and try not to think about it.
Eleanor told me it was customary for a grid to have a name, but I couldn’t think of one. She suggested The Queen’s Grid, but I turned that one down. Then she said how about the Canis Grid, and I knew it was exactly right. When we finished everything, the palace would generate enough power to feed back into the grid as well. We did have a lot of rooftop space to collect beautiful sun rays.
Arne and I were working close together on this, something that I didn’t mind in the least. I’d been very touched that my other mates were pitching in as much as they were to get things in place. The palace retrofit was critical since Eleanor explained that the owners of the grid we were tapping into were going to figure it out eventually, and we’d lose all the power with no warning. Something that would set us back a lot.
When we first brought Eleanor on board, she’d said once the basic plans were in place, she’d return to her office and work with us online, but somehow that hadn’t happened. She was still here and involved in everything. In fact, tonight, she’d been in the office with Arne and me until nearly eleven, before heading for the kitchen to get a snack before turning in.
Now, at midnight, the castle was as quiet as a place with lots of people living in it could ever be. Most had gone to their rooms, either to sleep or do whatever they did there. A few servants who took night duty were about, but this wing, where Arne’s office lay, was pretty well shut down for the night.
My mate looked so sexy with his head bent over the plans, it was all I could do to keep from leaning into him and brushing a kiss on the back of his neck. Then, I wondered why I was holding back? My mates were gifts from Fate, and I had been so busy with the business of being queen, I’d had very little time to spend with the three males I cared for. They deserved my time even though they weren’t demanding it.
We were alone for the time being, Arne and I, in the wee small hours of the night. I stood up and tiptoed over, rested a hand on his shoulder. At first, he didn’t react, which didn’t surprise me terribly since he had been staring at the same page for at least twenty minutes. He’d tried to explain it to me, but while I had more knowledge about energy systems than I’d have dreamed of only a few months ago, when he got into the really technical terms, and math poured from his lips, my eyes rolled back in my head. My brain had no experience with what he’d spent years becoming proficient in.
Maybe one day. No…probably not. You’re either an engineer or you’re not an engineer, and I had not one drop of engineer DNA in my body.
“Arne?” I shook his shoulder a bit. “I think that’s enough for tonight.”
He turned his head toward me, our faces inches apart. His eyes were bloodshot, and his lips tight. “No. I need to figure this out. There’s no reason it doesn’t work. We did everything perfectly.”
“It” was a windmill on the hill behind the castle. The first of many, but this one would stand alone and be a kind of monument. A working monument. And although it had been in place for a week, and the great blades spun as they were supposed to, they were delivering no power to the batteries. Our planned celebration dedicating the monument was in three days…
“Well, I am of the opinion that you’ve used all your mind power for today, and maybe if you get a few hours of sleep, the solution will come to you.” I let my hands slide over his shoulders and pressed up against his back. “Or maybe if you do something else to refresh you?”
“Mate, you know I want nothing more than to take you to bed and refresh us both, but I’m running out of time. If we have to delay the ceremony, it will cost us in the opinions of the people. We need their confidence to make everything work.” He faced the page again and ran his finger over the diagrams. The same image was on the computer monitor to his left, but whatever was causing the problem, he just wasn’t finding it.
And he wasn’t going to without some rest.
I drew back and straightened my spine. In my best queen voice, I ordered, “Arne, stand up right now.”
He jerked then stiffened, and muttered something, but he wasn’t facing me and it was very low. Probably better I didn’t hear it anyway. But he obeyed then turned to face me. “Your Majesty?”
“I order you to take a break. As your queen.”
He parted his lips, but I placed a finger over them, cutting off whatever he might have planned to say. “My love, let’s go over to the couch right in this room. And take a short rest.” I linked my fingers with his and led him to the sofa where I sat down and patted my lap. “You can rest your head here, and close your eyes for a couple of hours. The windmill isn’t going away, and maybe you’ll dream the answer.”
He scoffed. “Electronics don’t work that way.” But he did lie down with his head on my lap. A huge yawn cracked his jaw. “One hour. No more. And only because you pulled that queen crap on me.”
I grinned, unable to hide it. “Whatever works, mate.” I stroked his cheek and covered his eyes with my palm. “Close your eyes and rest.” When I removed my hand, his lashes fanned over his cheeks, his eyes tight closed and already moving in REM sleep.
