Page 68 of Must Love Libraries and Libations
A wide smile crossed Kevin’s face. “That is an excellent starry-eyed moth specimen.” He took a bite of his cupcake. “Do you want punch? I saw some nocturne flies over by the punch stand.”
“Really?” Aggie asked.
“I’ll leave you to it. Lots of bugs to consider,” I said, but they were already lost in a discussion of nocturne flies, forgetting me completely, and I had other things to attend to.
I made my way around the party, chatting with people and encouraging them to make donations to the library. But it soon became evident there was no need. Everyone had been so impressed by Erasmus, the bookwyrms, and the tree that they were opening their purses with ease.
Elder Theodonna joined me. “I don’t know how you managed it, Primrose, but Master Erasmus’s presentation has been a success. We’ve already tripled my expected amount in donations. How did you ever talk him into it?”
“Magic, of course.”
Elder Theodonna laughed. “He’s a changed man, that one. I nearly fainted the night he came to my house to apologize for his brutish behavior.”
“He did?”
She nodded. “Showed up on my doorstep and told me he was sorry. Seems someone got under his skin.”
“Someone had to.”
We both chuckled.
“Well, you have done a marvelous job. Now, I’m off to see Rosalyn and Bjorn to welcome them home. Thank you, Primrose,” she said then hurried off.
From within the library, I heard a new round of talks getting underway. Half the party cleared out.
I spotted Stevenson through the crowd. He gestured to Master Tinkerton. I crossed the party to join him.
“Ah, Miss Windsong, there you are,” the gnome said, a delighted smile on his face. “I have everything ready. On the top of the hour as planned?”
“Yes,” I said with a delighted smile.
“It will be a show!”
“Thank you, Master Tinkerton.”
“Of course, Miss Windsong.”
With that, I turned and made my way back toward the library. Lingering at the door, I watched as Erasmus spoke, Granik and Juniper playing the part of perfect models.
Feeling someone draw close behind me, I turned to find Zarina there.
“Well, the cupcakes were a hit with the bookwyrms,” Zarina told me. “First there was one, the red one?—”
“Stevenson.”
Zarina chuckled. “Then the others came. Is there a limit on how many cupcakes a bookwyrm should eat? I allowed them three each, but that little red rascal made off with more. I lost count of how many.”
I laughed. “Of course he did.”
Zarina’s attention turned to Erasmus, watching him as he spoke.
“Well, what do you think?” I asked her.
“Green smoke. So much green smoke.”
I smiled. “Yeah, I think so too.”
“You did good, my friend. With the party…and with the gargoyle,” she said. “Fixable after all,” she told me with a wink, then turned back toward the food tents.
