Total pages in book: 48
Estimated words: 45326 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 227(@200wpm)___ 181(@250wpm)___ 151(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 45326 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 227(@200wpm)___ 181(@250wpm)___ 151(@300wpm)
I was pretty sure a great many of us were blinking rapidly, trying to make sense of that logic.
“I don’t know much about magic,” Tristan said into the din, his voice unusually harsh, “but I’ve never heard of flowers that follow a conversation.”
“I’m afraid to ask what he means,” Jasper whispered to no one in particular.
“The flowers in the back are moving,” Tristan said. “The two sunflower-looking things. They keep moving their…flower heads. Like they’re listening to the conversation. There’s no wind. Their stalks and leaves shouldn’t be swishing and swaying, especially because they’re not doing it in sync.”
“Ah.” Edgar put up his hands in triumph. “Yes! I almost forgot. Miss Jessie, I must say, I have outdone myself on this one. I have finally perfected the magical attack flowers—”
“Didn’t he just get done saying that he didn’t use magic?” Ulric asked Jasper.
“Oh no.” Edgar waved at Ulric. “Yes, I see the confusion. No, those particular flowers have been a long-running experiment resulting in a great many cuts and near-death experiences. I think I’ve finally nailed the art of the attack flower, though. You see, these are as docile as you please to friends, and incredibly violent to foes. I included them just for their appearance. Their magical properties have nothing to do with their visage. It still counts as normal.”
“Cheat to win, aye?” Niamh drawled, wiping tears from her eyes.
“How does it know friend from foe?” I asked, trying to reserve judgement for the time being.
“They imprint on those who spend time with them while they are growing up. Good singing, bad singing—telling it stories!—all of it will help the flower imprint on its new friends. The basajaunak are just in love with them. Ask Dave. Oops. We can’t. He’s invisible and muted. You’ll have to take my word for it. These flowers make great listening buddies, too, as my friend Tristan has realized.”
“Uh-oh, Sabby,” Nessa murmured. “He’s replacing you as his bestie.”
“I’m really okay with that,” Sebastian whispered.
“I’m not,” Tristan responded wearily.
“Okay, wait.” I put out a hand. Forget judgement, I was diving headfirst into panic. “Wait a minute. Let’s forget for a moment that you are incorporating very obviously magical flowers into a non-magical flower show and focus on this friends vs foes situation. Are you telling me these flowers might attack anyone they don’t know?”
My crew waited in silence for his answer. Other voices started to float through the space, either judges or the creators of the other exhibits. We had precious little time to figure this out.
“Technically…yes,” Edgar said slowly. “But don’t worry, I asked to be way in the back here, and they are stationary flowers, as you see. They will not grow legs and run after anyone. Not yet, at least. I’d hoped to speak with Sebastian about that for the next generation of flower—”
“But…Edgar”—my voice was rising in pitch—“there is a path right next to that one attack flower. And what if a kid gets loose and tramps over to that gargoyle by the other flower? You can’t have these flowers attacking people. Attack flowers are incredibly vicious.”
“I see the concern, but rest assured, there are only two of them, and I will be here the entire time. I will not move, day or night, as I watch over the people of this county and my precious homage to the great gargoyle.”
“I’m touched and repulsed and a little freaked out, all at the same time,” Jasper whispered.
“Yes,” Mr. Tom said, “he has that effect on people. Miss, if I may, we’ll want to be wrapping this up. I hear people slowly trickling this way.”
“Edgar…” I stared at him for a silent beat. “Edgar,” I repeated in a deeper voice, finding I was really at a loss for words this time. I felt like saying his name really ought to be enough. “I think I’m going to have to restrict your time in non-magical areas if you can’t see the problem with playing sentinel twenty-four/seven at a county fair. Regardless of the fact that they won’t let you stay here after hours.” I held up my hand to stop his rebuttal. “Sneaking around the fairgrounds at night and sitting in here in the dark is not the answer to this problem. That’s the way you scare people half mad. Now, we need to get those flowers out of your exhibit.”
Edgar wilted. “Yes, Miss Jessie.”
The flowers’ movements were subtle. But now that they had my attention, I could see them moving and swaying like Tristan had said. It was like they were programmed to softly dance in the breeze, but each responded to a different one. And yes, their large flower heads, like sunflowers, did move. They seemed both intelligent and responsive to sound.
To say it was unnerving was putting it mildly. They should be relegated to Ivy House soil and nowhere else. They were much too creepy to co-exist with normal people.