At that, I chuckled. “Then, I best get on with it,” I said, turning and making my way toward the gargoyle’s office.
“It will be locked,” Izelda called behind me. “He won’t let you in.”
“We’ll see about that.”
Feeling determined, I made my way to Master Erasmus’s study and knocked gently on the door.
No answer.
Not deterred, I knocked again.
“I’m busy.”
“Master Erasmus, I’m here to talk about the party.”
No answer.
“Master Erasmus?”
No reply.
Frowning, I knocked louder.
“I told you no. Now, go away. I’m busy,” he replied in a grumble.
I rapped louder. “I’m not going away, and you can’t hide forever. Open the door so we can discuss this.”
A moment later, the door lock clicked and the door creaked open.
Without waiting for an invitation, I strode inside and plopped my basket on the nearest flat surface.
Erasmus, who was hunched over his desk working, turned and looked at me in surprise. “What are you…? How did you…?”
“Excellent. Thank you,” I said sweetly. “Now, let’s talk about the party. It’s happening, so you can either give input, or I’ll do it exactly the way I want, including,” I said, holding up a sketch, “hiring an apprentice wizard to conjure elemental familiars for the children.”
“We are not having balloon animals in the library,” he snapped, rising. “And how did you get in here?”
“They’re not balloon animals, they’re elemental familiars. They vanish at sunrise.”
“I said no.”
“It’s just a little sparkle. Books like sparkle.”
“Books like wide margins and proper bindings.”
“Parties like sparkle. And we’re having one.”
“We are not. One of the bookwyrm pairs is nesting. I won’t risk egg damage because someone gets too curious.”
I narrowed my gaze. “Do you even know the people in this town? No one here would disrupt nesting bookwyrms. We revere them.”
He huffed.
I pulled out a scroll. “Fine. Plan B, then. Less-disruptive layout. Tents in the garden. Wine and canapes on the veranda out back overlooking the reflecting pool. Here,” I said, holding out my notebook with my copious notes and sketches.
He waved a hand dismissively. “I don’t need to see that. This is all…frivolity, a glitter-storm with no substance.”
Ouch. That one landed.
