Page 54 of Legends and Librarians
“Do you know anything about the plants in the book well?” I asked.
The golem leaned down, like he was going to whisper something to me. “Library was sad. Nobody visited the well.”
Its voice was loud in my ear, but I just smiled and nodded. “So you planted something inside it to make it more appealing?”
“Yes.” Its eyes glowed bright as it smiled. “Plan worked.”
I mean, I guess that was technically true since people stopped to water it and check on it sometimes, but it couldn’t stay there. Not when we had a festival to run.
“That was thoughtful of you,” I said, patting its large rockyhand. “I bet the library was happy. Weren’t you, Misty?”
“Misty?” The golem asked, then lit up when the library’s windows opened and closed like it was saying yes. “Ohhhhhh, Misty!”
I grinned, loving how excited the golem got about everything. “Yeah, I thought it could use a name now that we know it’s sentient. Misty Mountain Library felt a bit too formal.”
The golem nodded, lumbering over to the library to pat its walls. This really was the most magical place I’d ever been. I wouldn’t trade it for anything, which meant I had to keep moving forward.
“You know, that plant would look amazing out here with the rest of your garden,” I said. “Do you mind if we move it so we can get the book well ready for the festival?”
The golem shook its head. “Don’t mind.”
Well that was far easier than I’d expected. I was glad I’d taken the time to ask instead of just doing what I thought was best like last time.
“Can you dig a hole for it out here?” I asked, heading back inside after the golem nodded.
The plant’s roots weren’t grounded in anything, so it was pretty easy to pick up and carry outside. A trail of dirt followed me that I’d have to clean up later though. Once it was safely replanted outside, I removed the well cover, carefully setting it aside so I didn’t get more dirt everywhere.
My stomach sank as I stared down the dark, very empty, well.
The water was completely gone!
But that didn’t make sense. Magical libraries grew on top of underground water caverns so the tree and well would always be taken care of. I’d never seen a book well without water brimming at its surface. Was that part of the damage from the magic storm? Or a downside of not getting the story gods’ blessing foryears?
Either way, we couldn’t host the Tales and Tomes Festival with a bone-dry book well.
I sank to the floor, leaning my back against the well.
“I’m sorry, Misty. I should have checked that right away.”
The library didn’t respond, at least not in any way I noticed. Maybe it really was sad about the well like the golem had said, which made me sad too. I just wanted to revive this place, but every time I turned around, something else needed fixing.
I sighed as my thoughts spun. How was I supposed to fix the well?
If only we hadn’t scared the contractors away. They were one group we hadn’t been able to get a hold of yet, but I had a feeling they wouldn’t be so easy to win over. Not after they’d literally fled the mountain in terror.
So it was up to me. To fix a well.
I groaned, rubbing my hand over my face. I was a librarian, not a...well fixer?
“Need some help?” Lisa asked as she joined me, frowning at the piles of dirt everywhere. “You’ve got dirt on your face, you know.”
My hands were covered in dirt, darkening my skin like ink. I used the edge of my shirt to wipe the smudges off my face, hoping I got them, then looked at Lisa expectantly.
“Better.” She nodded, then rested her hand against the well. “This has been a sore spot for years. I think we need to dig the well deeper.”
“Can’t the library do that?”
She paused, staring at the great book tree. “Yes, but I’m not sure if it wants to. Digging the well deeper means we’re capable of hosting the festival and I’m not sure it’s ready for that yet.”
