Page 9 of The Bookworm and the Pegasus Tamer

He paused, rubbing his jaw, and Aurelia cringed, waiting for him to say it was a ridiculous idea. But instead, his eyes grew gradually brighter.

“That’s a very creative idea. I can see why no one else has thought of it yet, but I also think it’s possible. I mean, why not? It would explain why the royal herd has been affected so badly, and yet the wild herds have no tales—in either living memory or oral history—of such an illness decimating a herd.”

He slapped a hand against his thigh, a grin breaking over his face.

“We have to go to the mountains!”

Aurelia, relieved at his positive reaction, started nodding her head enthusiastically. But his next words made her halt, her nod turning into a vigorous shake.

“When can you be ready to leave?”

She backed away. “Me? When you said we, I thought you meant the pegasus doctor and other important people. I obviously can’t go to the mountains.” She stepped back further, her eyes widening as she gestured between them. “We very obviously can’t go together.”

The Earl’s brows drew in, but this time he didn’t come after her. She continued backing away.

“I very much hope the idea is useful and you find a way to help the royal herd.” She threw a glance at the stalls, most of which appeared empty from a distance without the head of a pegasus showing over the half-door. “But I have to be going now. Goodbye.”

She turned and fled out the main door of the stable, not even considering who might see her go. She was well into the garden before she calmed enough to realize her panic was unreasoning. The Earl hadn’t been about to march her out of the stable and up a mountain on the spot. She could have refused like a regular person who had some understanding of social niceties.

It took only a few more steps to understand the source of her panic. It hadn’t been about propriety or her mother’s plans for their time in the capital. Her fear had been instinctive—a response to the effect the Earl had on her. She couldn’t go on a trip with him—she couldn’t even risk being so close to him again. Because despite all her good sense, despite knowing he was the darling flirt of high society, she was far too susceptible to his golden eyes and engaging smile.

It was a good thing she had just made herself look a fool in his eyes because if she spent too much time with him, she was going to end up becoming a much bigger fool. And then it wouldn’t just be her pride that would be hurt but her heart.

Four

“Aurelia!” Alanna’s voice sounded from the corridor beyond the sitting room. “Look who I just found at the door!”

Her younger sister burst into the room, another girl following more hesitantly behind her, a large, leather-bound book in her hand.

“Phoebe!” Aurelia jumped up from her seat and hurried over to embrace her friend. “I was hoping you would come today!”

“Aurelia.” Her mother’s gently chiding voice held a warning. Aurelia was supposed to receive morning visitors with decorum.

“Don’t worry, Mother. It’s only Phoebe. She doesn’t mind, do you, Phoebe?”

Phoebe laughed. “Not in the least. I’ve been eager to see Aurelia as well. She’s the only true friend I’ve made here.”

“Yet,” Aurelia added. “You’ve only been in the capital for a few weeks. We can’t be the only two young ladies who feel more comfortable reading than talking with strangers.” She nodded toward her friend’s book with a grin.

“I suppose the others are just better at hiding it.” Phoebe sat on the sofa Aurelia had indicated, angling herself toward her friend. “But never mind that. I came because⁠—”

“But where’s Fable?” Aurelia looked Phoebe up and down, distracted from her words by the sudden realization that the oncaryx was nowhere in sight. “I’ve never seen you without him. He even comes to balls with you!” She seized her friend’s arm, the pegasi on her mind. “Don’t tell me he’s sick!?”

Phoebe ran a soft hand down the elaborate embossed leather of her book’s cover.

“Oh no, I never go anywhere without him.”

Aurelia blinked, and the small creature appeared instantly in Phoebe’s lap. One minute he had been absent, and the next he was there.

“Fable!” she cried. “There you are!” She looked up at Phoebe. “But where did he come from?”

“I didn’t know oncaryx could make themselves invisible!” Alanna crowded in close behind Aurelia, her eyes wide.

“Don’t be silly,” Aurelia said absently. “Of course they can’t. We would definitely have heard about that, or it would have been in one of the books I’ve read.” She blinked again, staring at Phoebe. “Wait a minute! Where’s your book gone?”

Phoebe grinned impishly and stroked Fable’s back. In another eye blink he was gone, and Phoebe was once again holding the book.

“Your oncaryx becomes a book!” Aurelia cried, almost shouting the words.