Page 48 of Must Love Libraries and Libations
I didn’t know what felt worse, getting dumped or the promise of having to explain why I’d been out all night to my mother.
Either way, I had to go home and change. I had a lot to do and no time to waste.
As for Erasmus, the next move was his. He knew how I felt. I had no idea how he felt. I couldn’t fix that. If he wanted me, he’d have to be prepared to grovel. Even if Kevin was my only option, I would not let that gargoyle make me feel bad for being me.
Some women were born to sparkle. Everyone else just needed to keep up.
CHAPTER 16
ERASMUS
With the bookwyrms fed and quiet, and after a thorough inspection of the library basement—no sign of the witch’s spell remaining—I returned to the quiet of my chamber. In my small room, I noticed her scent lingering on my clothes. The sweet smell of freesia and blueberry muffins mingled with the perfume of wine and…and words spoken in haste.
I sighed heavily.
It didn’t matter now. I had broken whatever had started to form between us. Probably, irrevocably. The hurt in her voice…I had done that. She wasn’t too loud, or bright, or anything else.
She was perfect.
I had panicked.
But it didn’t matter anymore. Now, I just needed to focus on my work. I had to. Because if I didn’t, if I let myself really feel my self-inflicted wound, it would be too much to bear.
Collecting my things, I returned to my study and started settling in. Stevenson perched on the corner of my desk, his arms crossed on his chest. He gave me a hard look.
“I have work to do,” I told him, taking out the enchanted box that contained the witch’s codex.
He puffed a ball of smoke at me, occluding my vision.
Waving it away, I gave him a hard look. “I know what you’re doing. I need to finish with the codex so nothing like that happens again.”
Stevenson rolled his eyes, gave an exasperated sigh, and then floated off.
I recited the enchantment to open the box safely, pulled out the codex, and turned to the final pages.
“Almost got through it without you meddling. We will be done with this today, Witch Eyreaway,” I said, then got to work.
Engrossed in my work, the hours passed by in moments. I paused only to stretch, rubbing the back of my neck, and trying not to notice the lingering scent of her on my clothes. Removing my spectacles, I closed my eyes and rubbed them. Visions of her face, her cheeks flushed rosy with excitement, danced through my mind. How soft, how sweet, full of life. A half-elf, with whom I could live a long, full life…
No.
I had ruined it.
Pulling my glasses back on, I sat at the table once more. But my vision strayed off into the distance.
I had ruined it.
Why?
There was a soft sound as Harriet, one of the older bookwyrms, appeared, a steaming cup of tea balanced in her clawed hands. She set the cup on my side table, then paused to nuzzle my chin.
“Thank you, Harriet. You always know.”
She trilled softly at me then departed.
Outside my study door, I heard people and noise. There was more happening outside than usual. No doubt, they were preparing for the party.
Let them.
