Page 25 of Must Love Libraries and Libations (Moonshine Hollow #2)

ERASMUS

A lightness washed over me the moment Primrose uttered her “yes.” I didn’t deserve her forgiveness. I had been ridiculous to the extreme. But, somehow, I had won it anyway. I could only be grateful. Extending my arm, I led Primrose, the elders, and all the others into the library.

Primrose gasped when she entered, looking around at the beautiful flowers and garlands, the room illuminated by the light of the Wyrmwood tree. I led her to the front of the room, setting her down in a chair, then went to the podium Granik had set out for me.

Confused and excited, the elders and citizens of Moonshine Hollow filed in behind us, all of them taking seats or finding suitable places to stand to see. Soon, the room was packed with curious and gossiping townsfolk.

I didn’t care.

Let them gossip.

The woman I loved had forgiven me.

Loved.

What more could I have asked for?

At the door, Granik let those waiting know the room was full and reassured those waiting for a seat that I would repeat my lecture and tour. Satisfied, they hurried off to more drinks and food.

At the front of the audience, an unfamiliar nervousness held me. Gargoyles were, by nature, solitary creatures. We thrived in silence and solitude. This…this was…

My gaze went to Primrose.

Her expression softened, and she smiled reassuringly at me.

I cleared my throat and then rapped lightly on the podium. The room grew quiet, and everyone looked around.

I made a small gesture. The library, aware of the plan, dimmed the candles.

A moment later, whirlwinds of incandescent light spiraled from every corner of the library.

The bookwyrms, finally getting the chance to show off their magic, spun and pirouetted through the air.

Trails of colorful light, reflecting the colors of their scales, followed after them.

They twisted and glided, showing off their magic before perching around the room, with ancient Melville sitting on the podium beside me.

The display earned them a massive round of applause from the audience.

“Good citizens, let me introduce my family. This is Melville, the eldest of the bookwyrms,” I began, then started naming the others, gesturing to them as I went.

“And Lousia May and Hawthorne,” I said, gesturing to the pair perched near the stacks, “kindly request everyone stand clear of the Herbalism section, as they have three eggs that will hatch in a fortnight. Now that you have met our family, let me tell you a bit about what happens in the library each night when the doors close…” And then, I began to tell it all.

I talked about the bookwyrms cleaning up the magic, the library reorganizing the books, the Wyrmwood tree blooming, and my care of the bookwyrms. I talked about all the things that went unseen, a world that had belonged only to me for such a long time.

But now, I shared it all. “This is our library in the present,” I said.

“But now, let me tell you about the past,” I said, then gestured to Granik, who pushed open a side door and began pulling a cart into the room.

Sitting inside the cart was Juniper, dressed in the fashion of Moonshine Hollow of long past, and eating an apple while reading a book.

The crowd giggled.

That bit had been of their own design, but as Juniper had promised, it had gotten a chuckle from the crowd.

“I present to you the very first Moonshine Hollow Library,” I said, gesturing to the cart. “And two sample citizens.”

Everyone chuckled.

I then began to unfold the history of the library, from the cart and its load of books, and forward in time. Granik and Juniper modeled rare books, old maps, and other antique items while I covered the history of the library from its humble roots to the building it was now.

“It has been my duty, and my pleasure, to spend these many years serving this library and this town. Although my work on a rare codex is now complete and my duties in Moonshine Hollow have come to a close,” I said, looking at Primrose, whose eyes had widened, “I have come to think of Moonshine Hollow as my home. There is nowhere I would rather be. Thank you,” I said, then patted Melville, who gave me an affectionate nuzzle on my chin.

The crowd erupted in cheers.

“You are welcome to enjoy the displays,” I said, gesturing around the rooms. “And I am happy to take questions. Just, please, avoid the bookwyrm’s nest and…” I said, then paused, looking around the room. “Where is Stevenson? Stevenson?”

Everyone turned around until Stevenson was found, not to my surprise, with the baker, Rosalyn, digging through her handbag.

I chuckled. “And please, don’t overfeed Stevenson.”

Stevenson paused and looked at me, sticking out his tongue and blowing me a raspberry, before extorting the baker once more.

At that, I stepped from the podium, pausing alongside Juniper and Granik.

“You have my deepest thanks, both of you. I could not have done this without you.”

“We are happy to help. The expression on her face made it all worth it,” Juniper said, then looked behind me, smiling.

I turned to find Primrose approaching.

“You did all this?” she asked.

“With a little help,” I said, gesturing to Juniper and Granik.

“How…? Why…?” Primrose said, pausing. “It doesn’t matter. Thank you all,” she told us, smiling at Granik and Juniper.

“You are very welcome,” Juniper replied.

“Say, how long do we have before the next talk?” Granik asked me. “I saw some nice-looking finger sandwiches out there, and I’m starving.”

“You’re always starving,” Juniper teased.

“Half an hour,” I replied. “Then I will need your help once more.”

“That’s enough time. Come on, Junie,” Granik said.

Not waiting for her reply, Granik took Juniper’s hand and pulled her from the room.

Helpless, Juniper waved goodbye to Primrose and me, then disappeared into the crowd.

“It was amazing,” Primrose said, her eyes shining. “It was more than I could have dreamed up.”

“I highly doubt that, but I’m glad you’re happy.”

“Is there anything I can do to help?” she asked, gesturing.

I shook my head. “You have already done more than enough in tolerating me. Primrose,” I said, taking her hand.

“I am truly sorry for my earlier behavior, more than I can ever say. I was…scared. For so long, I have lived on the sidelines of this world. I had come to think of myself as little more than a relic. But you saw me differently. You reminded me what it means to live. I hope you will let me make it up to you.”

“You already have,” she replied, her gaze soft. “But you said your work is done here…”

I nodded. “I have completed the codex. The council will send someone to fetch it. And they… They offered me a new position.”

“New position? Away from Moonshine Hollow?”

I nodded.

“Where?”

“Golden Spires, in the lands of the Bright Sidhe.”

She gasped. “What did you?—”

“I’ve already told them no. I will stay here.”

Her hazel eyes took in the news, twisting around all the details, then she grinned mischievously at me. “What if I didn’t forgive you?”

Reaching out, I gently touched her chin. “I planned on being persistent.”

“Then I should have held out much longer.”

“To see me suffer?”

“Yes. All the suffering.”

I laughed. “You may take as long as you like to fully forgive me.”

“I like the sound of that. Keeps you dangling in the wind a bit longer,” she said, then she looked behind me, her eyes going wide. “Erasmus—” she began, a warning tone in her voice, but her words were cut short.

“Primrose Windsong! I can’t believe you’ve been keeping secrets from me,” a woman with a sharp tone said, then moaned.

Primrose swallowed hard.

I turned, seeing Missus Windsong approaching, Primrose’s father following behind her mother.

“First, the cottage, and now you and Master Erasmus? Primrose! Why didn’t you tell me you were dating Master Erasmus?”

“Well, I…” Primrose began but paused, uncertain.

“You must excuse your daughter. I asked her to wait until I was ready,” I told Primrose’s mother. “I hope you will excuse any impropriety. It was not meant to offend, Missus Windsong. I apologize.”

“Oh, well,” Missus Windsong said, looking flustered. “Well, I… Yes, I suppose I understand that.”

“Your beau?” Primrose’s father asked her in a soft voice.

She gave her father a nod.

He smiled knowingly.

“Mister Windsong, there is a new volume of Albertson’s Guide to Magical Fungi available. I shall ask the librarians to set it aside for you, sir.”

“Thank you, Master Erasmus. I’ll be by in the morning to fetch it. Now, come, Popkin. I saw Annie Beth arriving through the window.”

“Oh, I have to tell her the big news!” Missus Windsong said. “My daughter and the library guardian! What a splendid pair. And this party? All Primrose’s doing and pure magic. I tell everyone all the time what rare magic my daughter has, don’t I?”

“Of course, Popkin,” Mister Windsong replied patiently.

“Primrose, I must go and meet Annie Beth.”

“Naturally, Mother.”

“What a wonderful party. Just wonderful, as always,” my mother beamed as my father led her away. “Isn’t our daughter such an impressive businesswoman?”

“Indeed, Popkin.”

Primrose shook her head. “Sorry about that,” Primrose said with a soft smile. “My mother is?—”

“As mothers are. She mentioned a cottage?” I asked, curious.

“I got so mad at you, I bought myself a house,” Primrose replied with a laugh.

“You were so mad at me that…” I began, then chuckled. “I confess to having annoyed many people in the past, but never to such a degree they purchased a house.”

“A home, really,” Primrose said. “I can’t wait to show it to you.”

“I will be delighted to see.”

A moment later, Stevenson appeared, frosting on his snout.

“What have you been into?” I asked.

He turned and looked at Primrose, then gestured outside.

“Am I needed?” she asked.

He gave her a nod, then floated before her.

“I should…” she said, gesturing back to the party.

Again, Stevenson nodded.

“And I must get ready to speak once more,” I told her.

“All right,” she said, squeezing my hand, her eyes locked on mine.

“Primrose, from this day forward, I promise to speak nothing but the truth in my heart. I don’t need a witch’s spell to compel me.”

Primrose tipped her head. “I’m confused. The spell didn’t compel you to do anything.”

“What do you mean?”

“Don’t you see? It wasn’t the witch’s spell coercing us to do anything. It was only when we both admitted the truth, that we had feelings for one another, that she set us free. She rewarded us for being honest about our feelings.”

“I see,” I said, considering. “Rather bad timing,” I added with a knowing look.

She stepped toward me. “Very bad timing. Maybe I should find us another bottle of wine…for later?”

“I have no objections,” I said, then pulled her close.

“And no excuses,” I added, setting a kiss on her lips.

Her warm body melted into mine, and I wanted nothing more than to keep her in my arms. I inhaled her freesia perfume along with that warm scent of baked goods that seemed to permeate from her skin.

She smelled of fresh morning coffee, Sunday afternoon pie on the porch, late night cookies… She smelled of home.

When I finally let her go, she giggled and then held on to me for a moment.

“Dizzy,” she said, smiling at me. “I’ll find you soon,” she said, reaching up on her tiptoes.

She gave me a kiss on the cheek, then turned and left, Stevenson floating alongside her.

“Did you try the cupcakes?” she asked him.

He snorted in reply.

“Good?”

He nodded.

“Let’s go have another.”

The bookwyrm trilled happily, and they left the library…my family, together.