It was soft. Careful. We were almost exactly the same height, so I didn’t have to crane my neck, but I still felt precarious, unbalanced. His hand brushed against my waist, uncertain, and then hovered there, barely touching.
I wanted it to go on forever.
So I ended it.
He took a breath as if to speak, then stopped.
“I’d better go,” I said.
“You’ll be careful,” he said. A plea disguised as a command.
I nodded. “You too.”
He glanced towards the bone bird, then back at me. “If you need anything—”
I cut him off gently. “I know.”
Baldbeak flapped over, stopping on Patrick’s shoulder. He reached up and ruffled his feathers.
“You odd bird,” he said. “I believe I will miss you, too.”
He gave a pleased sort ofraark. Patrick gave him one more pat.
“Well. Goodbye, you two,” he said. “Or three, rather.”
He took a step backwards, putting distance between us, then took my hand and kissed it. I nodded wordlessly, and he walked off with his usual easy, elegant stride, his hands clasped behind his back, as if simply going for an evening stroll. He did not turn again. After a moment, I heard his voice and another’s, just inside the door, and then the Book Man emerged alone, blinking. He always had the look of someone coming out of dimness into a bright light, although I knew the palace was light and airy.
“My dear,” he said. “I heard you were leaving.”
“I hoped you would come with me to the Tower,” I said. “My mother’s books are there … all her research. I wouldn’t know what to do with any of it, and I can’t understand it myself. There’s no one else in Virelith that I would trust with it.”
He adjusted his spectacles. “I am honored.”
“Unless you have somewhere else you want to go,” I added quickly. He was standing so still that I wondered if I had pinned him to the floor with my awkward request—whether he was finding the courage to reject me politely. But he stepped forward to take me by the shoulders and repeated, “I am honored.”
Behind the spectacles, his eyes were damp. I screwed mine shut to keep my own tears back and took a steadying breath. His hands on my shoulders were warm and grounding.
“Some of it should probably be destroyed,” I said.
“If that is necessary, I will do what needs to be done.”
I thought of the Tower. Some of the pigeons might still be coming back to roost in the attic, out of habit, but many hadprobably moved away. The swans and geese in the river would long have ceased to look for me. The spiders would have had a wonderful time, finally left entirely to their own devices. I imagined their webs laid over all our furniture and belongings like dustcloths.
“There’ll be a bit of tidying up to do,” I said in a remarkable feat of understatement.
“I am quite willing to wield a feather duster.”
“Are … are you ready to go now?” I said.
He spread his hands. “Why not? I have no shop, now, and no possessions.” He seemed quite cheerful about it. “I am ready to follow you whenever you say the word. Are we to take the stagecoach?”
“Er … no.” I hesitated. “We’re going to ride on Bone Bird.”
“Gracious,” said the Book Man, adjusting his spectacles. “That … skeletal bone magic creature? A very impressive spell, might I add.”
“She’s very friendly,” I hastened to assure him.
“Oh, I’m sure she is, my dear,” he said, politely, but his smile was a bit fixed.
