Chapter 0061
Unless they weren’t. I made a note to look into the history of the palace again but turned back to look down at the glowing stone.
“Do you think… you might want a garden in Midnight?”
“What?”
“A garden,” I said, gesturing. “Even… just a small one. The courtyard behind the house would be perfect for it. I can imagine you’ve been too busy to set one up, but I have nothing against getting started.”
“I… don’t have much of a green thumb, and we don’t have much need for a garden in the mountains.‘
I laughed and shook my head. “What does a green thumb have to do with a garden?” I snickered, finding the idea silly.
A garden of this type practically maintained itself. It would be helpful to him, especially because he had magic.
“I imagine a lot.”
I shook my head. Either he was being intentionally obtuse, or he worried someone was listening in.
“Alright, I won’t force the issue. Wouldn’t want you to decimate some poor plants by accident.” I stood. “Are you showing me the lunar flowers?”
He nodded and stood beside me, leading me deeper into the garden. It looked older than I expected as if they hadn’t been maintaining it properly. When we reached the pool, my heart sank.
The pool was still. Nothing grew or lived in it. The vine work around it had all died, and while the water seemed relatively clear, there was such a sense of loss here.
Lunar flowers might never grow here again. I couldn’t be sure that they ever had from the state of the pool.
“This pool?”
He nodded silently. “I suppose they’re just out of season…”
Out of season? Lunar flowers were ever–blooming. Didn’t he know that?
We don’t have much of a need for a garden in the mountains…
I bit my lip. The words felt odd to me. I squeezed his hand. Something fearful and cold filled my stomach. It felt like a ghost had passed by and my mind was drawing a conclusion I didn’t have words for yet. I didn’t like it. It made me sick. It felt dangerous, and the urgency to get
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«Chapter 0051.
out of here pressed down on me like someone was screaming at me to run for my life and never look back.
I stepped closer to him, trying to gauge the tension in his body.
He was a stiff as stone.
think we’re packed, yet?”
“Do you
“Probably.”
“Let’s get going then.” I smiled up at him. “We don’t want anyone to think we want to stick around, hm?”
He nodded and wwe turned back just as one of his guards showed up. In a matter of minutes, we were getting back into the car we’d arrived in and driving off. As soon as we stopped to transfer back into the carriage that would take use through Dark Forest and back to Midnight, I sighed in relief.
“Thank you for coming in,” I said. “If I’d had to fight him, it would just complicate everything.” I climbed into the carriage and checked my watch, grinning. “Even with the recording.”
“Recording?”
“I’m taking a page from Kincaid’s book and recording situations that may come in handy later.” I glanced at him. “I’ll have to get you one made.”
His lips twitched. “Even if I use it to record something naughty?”
I scoffed. “So long as I don’t have to hear it. I don’t care what you record.” I sat back. “He’s not the time to take no for an answer is he?”
“No.”
I looked out the window, huffing.
“It’s fucking unfair. If I didn’t have my watch on auto–record, and if he brings that meeting up against me, he could easily say that I approached him. When he’s the one…” I scoffed, rolling my eyes. “No sense in working myself up about it now.”
If I let every man in the country misusing his power and shifting blame onto a woman rile me up, I’d never sleep.
เ
I glanced over at Theodore. He watched me quietly, but I could tell there was a lot on his mind. I didn’t pry, but I was dead curious.
After a pause, he asked, “How do you feel about him?”
“Who?”
“Owen.”
I blinked, caught off guard by the question. “What do you mean?”
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“You’ve gotten to see a fair amount of him today,” he said. “What… are your thoughts on him?”
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Chapter 0062