The Enchanted Greenhouse(124)

“It was Lotti’s idea.”

“Then what’s the harm?”

He snorted. “It’s ridiculous.”

“Yes, and…？ Winter Feast isn’t supposed to be a solemn event. It’s a celebration of light in the darkness. Of friends and family. Laughing together at the lonely dark. I think it’s very appropriate.”

He sighed again, though she suspected his heart wasn’t in it. So long as no one asked him to wear crocheted eyes, she doubted he’d object.

“It’s going to be fun,” Terlu said.

He snorted, but then he smiled and held out the half-finished icing rose. “Taste?”

“You’re supposed to be making them for the feast. I can’t—”

He popped it in her mouth.

It melted and flavor burst from it. She’d expected pure sugar, but what she tasted was strawberries and vanilla—it was a bite of spring. “Oh! How did you do that?”

“Each color rose is going to have a different flavor.”

“You’re brilliant.”

He blushed. “I’m glad you like it. I’m going to put them all over the sugar glass, to symbolize the cracks that the plants healed.”

“Sounds beautiful.”

Another snort. “Prettier than crocheted eyes.”

Leaning forward, Terlu kissed his cheek. She left traces of sugar on his skin. “You just want something to grumble about. Admit it: you like having your sister home.”

“It’s fine,” he said.

She grinned—that was basically a full admission that she was right. “I’ll be back after I check on the others. Rijes is attempting to cook for the first time, and I promised I’d drop by to make sure she didn’t accidentally burn down the tower. Apparently, that’s a concern?” She couldn’t imagine the head librarian wasn’t brilliant at everything.

Pulling on her coat, Terlu opened the door.

“Terlu?”

She glanced back.

“For the Summer Feast, we’ll invite your family—your parents, your sister, your new niece. And your plant friend as well, if you want.”

That was an enormous offer from Yarrow: More people on his island? Especially strangers to him? He even sounded as if he meant it. She accepted it for the gift that it was. “I’d like that.”

With a great smile on her face, she headed out into the winter day, wearing her coat, boots, and a bright red scarf. Everyone was awake, despite the early hour, bustling between the cottages and the greenhouse. She waved to everyone she saw, and they waved back.

She made her way down the road, through the snow, to Laiken’s tower. Knocking, she waited for the door to open. Marin answered it, and smoke billowed out.

Terlu’s eyes watered, and she took a step backward. She didn’t see any flames inside, which made her optimistic that this was a past disaster, not a currently in-progress one. “Everyone okay?”

“So, we will not be bringing any food to the feast today,” Marin said.

“I have decided,” Rijes said from within, “that my contribution to the solstice celebration will be stories. I know many from history that I am certain no one on Belde has heard.”

“I think that’s an excellent idea,” Terlu said. “Everyone loves stories.” Squinting her eyes and wrinkling her nose, she came inside and opened the windows to air out the smoke. A pile of charred … okay, she wasn’t quite sure what they were originally, but it wasn’t food anymore. The debris sat shriveled and sad in a skillet, while the workroom reeked of burnt onion. She didn’t ask. She supposed even head librarians had limitations. “We’ll start at noon, yes?”

“Noon sounds perfect.”

Leaving them to their cooking disaster, Terlu headed out. On her way, she stopped by each of the finished （and near-finished） cottages and confirmed that everyone knew the feast would begin at noon. As an added bonus, she got to sample many of the dishes—everyone wanted her to taste-test—and encountered no more charred debris. Yarrow had, apparently, come by his cooking talent naturally. It was all going to be delicious.

Inside the greenhouse, in the lilac room, she met up with Lotti and Dendy, both of them sporting Rowan’s crocheted eyes. Dendy wore one on each of his largest leaves, while Lotti had affixed two tiny ones at the center of her petals. “You both look…” Terlu trailed off, not sure what adjective they were looking for.

“Amazing?” Lotti suggested.

“Yes, amazing,” Terlu said.

Dendy said, “I waaas goiiing for ‘absurd.’”

“That too,” Terlu agreed.

She strolled with them to the rose room, which was in the process of being transformed into a grand celebration hall. Birch and Rorick were shouting orders to their younger relatives, who were installing tables—newly made tables that they’d constructed from spare planks of wood the week prior. Ubri and Pipa were setting out a variety of chairs, all different sorts, around the tables. One of the new arrivals—Flick, a man with tawny fur and antlers—was arranging napkins, while Yarrow’s aunt Rin added bouquets of flowers in vases every few feet. Several of the sentient plants, including the myrtle-turned-sailor Ree, were stringing ribbons from the rafters, draping them in swooping bows, while a flock of miniature dragons perched nearby, nibbling at the ribbons and watching the excitement below.