Page 34 of Flowerheart

I hope you haven’t forgotten me. Today in the garden I found this forget-me-not, and I thought of you, since it’s your favorite.

Please reply with my favorite flower so I know it’s really you who’s gotten this letter!

Your friend,

Xavier

Hehadwritten to me. He’d wanted to. He’d missed me. He’dneededme.

I remembered how he trembled when he stood before his father. How fiercely he held my hand. We would hide together in the garden, where it was quiet. Happy among the bluebells.

Back in the present, back on the landing, the strange, soft perfume of flowers wrapped around me. I frowned. My braid was loose and scratchy, and when I touched it, I found it filled with bluebells, unwinding my tightly tamed curls.

Waverly’ssaid that they were useful in triggering memory. That they were markers of eternal faithfulness.

Xavier’s eyes grew wide. “Did—did you ask those to grow?”

I shook my head adamantly. “The letter asked me to send you your favorite flowers, and—”

“And you remembered bluebells! It’s no coincidence. Your magicislistening to you, at least subconsciously!”

Hope rose in me like a hot-air balloon. I held the envelope tight in my hands. “Teach me something else, then! Let me try to create the portal to the market!”

He bit his lip in thought, but slowly gave in to a smile. “All right,” he said. “We may as well try.”

Xavier rested his hand upon the twisting iron vines fixed to a nearby sconce. His eyes glimmered, brown and gold. His small, timid smile pressed a dimple into his cheek.

“Would you like to...?” He tipped his head towards the sconce.

I grinned. A nagging voice that sounded like Madam Albright told me that sliding down the stairs was not very delicate of me, but if I didn’t do this now, Xavier might not do anything so silly ever again.

“You first,” I said.

He chuckled and tugged on the iron fixture of the sconce. There was a loudthump,and the stones of the staircase melted together into one long, winding slope. He slipped off his shoes, and I gave him space, my back pressed to the door. Happiness filled me up, like the sunshine through the window had become a part of me, down to my marrow. The mischief in his eyes, the grin on his face—it was like before. When things were simpler.

With his shoes in hand, he took a few steps back and then charged forwards, sliding down the slope in a standing position.

“You didn’t go headfirst!” I called down after him.

“I lost a tooth last time!” he hollered back.

I threw my head back, laughing. I remembered that day. Blood and screaming and his parents rolling their eyes and tending to their boy with a simple spell. They’d made it seem like, with magic, anything was possible.

After tucking the letter in my pocket, I plopped down at the top of the stairs, my pale green skirts puffing around me like a pastry. With one great push, I zipped down the spiral slide, letting out a peal of laughter. Wind whipped against my cheeks and tugged hair from my braid, and then suddenly, in one heart-thrilling moment, I was tumbling across the stone floor.

Somewhere over me, Xavier asked, “Are you all right?”

I lay on my back, watching his tall, far-too-pale figure spinning above me. The world shifted back into focus as my heart skipped delightedly against my ribs. “I’m fine!”

His hands met mine, and he pulled me to my feet, both of us trying and failing to smother laughter. I smoothed my hair down and dusted off the wrinkled bustle of my skirt, discovering that I was covered in yellow rose petals. Which had come from nowhere.

Yellow roses—for friendship and happiness.

“Well,” said Xavier, “I suppose I didn’t need to help you up. Youroseall by yourself.”

I looked to the petals. And back to him. He had the proudest grin on his face.

He’d made a pun. The boy who insisted on calling meMiss Lucasand bowing when he greeted me in the morning had made apun.

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