But then she remembered the textbook. It was used in there as a demonstration of the techniques that held the roof in place, and all the examples in the textbook were drawn from her own work.

“Yes,” she told Alyssa. “I did.”

“Wow, you’re really good.”

Iona laughed. “How gratifying.”

“Oh, they can’t tear this down, it’s lovely.”

Iona shrugged. “One can’t be too sentimental.” Many times she’d seen her creations torn down, broken up, consigned to the furnace, and the energy sent back into the city. Each time she had turned away and set to work on something new. “For me the satisfaction lies in having done the work, not in having it stand there until the end of days.”

“That would do my head in.”

“Every building falls down eventually.”

Together they walked on.

* * *

They arrived at the new housing estate that was being built at the city limits. A few months ago this had been part of the forest, but at the most recent cull it had not been replanted and a new area farther out had been seeded in its place. The layout of the new estate resembled a spoked wheel, with six streets leading off from the center. Backing onto each row of houses was a community garden. The wheel motif was to be replicated in the detailing on the houses. As yet, however, the builders hadn’t gotten past the foundations. Which was why Iona had brought Alyssa here.

Iona ducked under the hazard tape, taking care not to tear it, and walked to the foundations of the nearest house.

“It is, er . . . alright for us to be here, isn’t it?” Alyssa said, tentatively following her.

“Why do you ask?”

“Just because of how it’s all cordoned off . . .”

“Oh yes, as long as you’re with me it’ll be fine.” Where architectural business was concerned she was allowed everywhere as long as she didn’t get in the way.

A ladder was propped against the side of the foundations and Iona used it to climb down to below ground level. Alyssa held the ladder steady, then joined her.

“So what are we looking at?” Alyssa said, shoving her hands in her pockets. Alyssa’s hands were constantly in her pockets.

Iona directed Alyssa’s attention toward the walls that had been built up around the edges of the hole they currently stood in. She showed Alyssa how they were layered and linked, and explained how the boards had been treated to prevent warping as they absorbed moisture from the soil. A stack of fresh boards lay to one side, ready to be put into place tomorrow: Iona picked up one of the shorter boards and pointed out how it had been cut to interlock with the others. “The important thing is to ensure these holes line up,” she said, pointing at a large square hole, “because there’s a locking support beam to slide through that, which will hold them together and form the skeleton of the walls aboveground.”