The Evergreen Heir by A.K. Mulford

Author:A.K. Mulford
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2023-06-13T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-Three

The excitement of finding new books in the Arboan library faded after the encounter in the blooming fields, but Neelo couldn’t return to the party, not after that moment with Talhan, and so they steered in the direction of the closest thing they had to a sanctuary here. The library of Arboa was an octagonal room, three stories high, with giant windows that allowed the moonlight to beam in. It was a labyrinth of balconies, anterooms, and alcoves, every archway decorated in detailed mosaic tiles that gave the space the echoing acoustics of a temple.

Neelo’s fingers trembled as they wiped under their eyes. A singular thought kept tears from spilling: How could people openly show hurt in front of others? Neelo had no idea how they were supposed to act when they were in pain. Alone, it made sense, but in front of other people they got stuck, their mind whirling with questions instead of giving them the space to feel. What were their eyes meant to be doing? Was their nose supposed to run? Were they sniffing too much? Where did their hands go—what did they touch?

Neelo wended through the maze of shelves, their eyes not searching for books like they had earlier in the day. Rather they picked a book at random, not even bothering to read the title, and wandered to a sitting area tucked nicely away in the far corner. Their thumb rhythmically stroked across the closed pages eliciting the sound of a shuffling deck of cards. Over and over they thumbed the pages as they tried to calm down.

Despite his drunkenness, Ersan had been quieter than usual at the ball, and Neelo knew it was because of what they had ordered him to do. Stopping the supply of brew to Saxbridge might as well be a personal declaration of war against the capital’s debauchery. What would their mother attempt to do to Arboa when she learned no more brew was arriving? They’d need to draft up an official document exempting him from responsibility when they returned to their room. What could Queen Emberspear do then?

A lot. She could do a lot to keep the fun flowing and every single one of her citizens supporting her bad habits by encouraging them to do the same. An image of their mother riding to Arboa on lion back flashed into Neelo’s mind. She’d done crazier things for smaller offenses. Queen Emberspear seemed determined to make everyone as high—and as sick—as she was, but that was all the more reason Neelo needed to put their foot down.

To speak nothing of the connection of this brew to the violet witch magic.

They plopped into the upholstered armchair and kicked their feet up on the low table, twisting the lantern to cast more light on their book.

Neelo wouldn’t be surprised if their mother sent armies to Arboa and demanded they continue making their brew . . . but then, of course, her brew didn’t actually come from Arboa. Maybe she wouldn’t care at all if she was high enough.

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