Piper (Queen's Birds of Prey #4) - Kathi S. Barton Page 0,48

were several sanders in the area he’d taken them to. One of them was the very one she had been afraid of him using. However, all he wanted to know how to use was the sandpaper. “It would be easy for us to use, I think, but it’s much too large for us to carry around. If you’d show us how to use it, we’d be very grateful.”

“You tell me how big of a piece you’re wanting to use, Key, and I’ll cut some of this up for you. Also, you should know that there are different grades of it. Some is used for shaping, but I also have the kind of sandpaper that is used for making the surface smooth. I’ll cut you up some of all that I have. When you need more, you need only to tell me. I’ll gladly do this for you.”

As she and Grant helped cut up the paper with scissors, they talked about the building. The others, perhaps a dozen or so more little people, came to help, carrying the cut paper to a place that would be out of her way. Piper decided to make them an area all of their own, so they could have their own space.

Grant put together some cardboard boxes for them, smaller than anything a person could ship in, but perfect for the faeries. They even brought down some of the things they’d been making with her scraps, and she was pleased to see that they’d made tables and chairs with some of it.

Piper was delighted with the things they were making and told them that if they wished, she’d give them more metal and items in the building for them to use for the others around. They even hung up some of the little suncatchers they’d made from broken glasses and bottles they’d found.

“I think you’ve made yourself some very good friends.” She looked at Grant and smiled. She told him how much she liked them being there. “Yes, I can understand that. What you have here are the older faeries. Even some of them older than us. They’re not put out to pasture as humans would do to older beings, but they find themselves something to do, as you have given them the tools for, and barter what they make for things that others make. These little people will be the envy of every other faerie in the land.”

“Once, just a few years ago, I had a piece that went to a greenhouse. They were huge at the time, and while I was waiting for the check they owed me, I had a look around. There were these little gardens in the dirt. I remember thinking that while I know only a very few faeries, I couldn’t see them putting out all the crap the humans thought they’d have.” He asked her what was there. “Well, for one thing, they had these toadstools in bright, colorful colors. That just screamed, come and find me. Also, they had swing sets and grills. Why on earth would a faerie need a grill? They don’t eat meat, nor do they usually grill their flowers. Also, and this was something I just simply could not wrap my head around, they had gardens. Some of the seeds would have been ten times the size of the faerie. Not to mention, how on earth would they have been able to plant more than one thing? Humans have such an odd sense of things.”

They were still laughing when she started to work on her newest project. Grant talked to her about the things he had to look into, and she sort of half heard him. At some point, he kissed her on the cheek and left. Piper wouldn’t have been able to tell you anything he’d said to her when he left or if she’d said anything to him. This work was all she could concentrate on right now.

Grant brought her lunch. She was sure she ate at least some of it. Her belly wasn’t growling as it usually did when she was working. Stepping back from the piece she’d been thinking about, her heart did a little jump. Piper had to keep telling herself she’d made this, and it wasn’t something she’d picked up. It was, to her, the most beautiful piece she’d ever made.

It was a water feature; she thought they called it. The metal stand stood about six feet tall and had two dozen branches all around it. The