Page 21 of Legends and Librarians
I stood back, admiring our work. “That wasn’t so hard. Only six to go!”
Thundering steps crashed through the library as the golem raced toward us, eyes wide. It roared loud enough to make my bones tremble. Uh oh. What did we do to upset it this time? I thought we’d worked everything out, but apparently not.
“Hello, I was just—”
The golem roared as it swept me up in its giant hand. My stomach lurched as I swung through the air, a feeling that was all too familiar. It was going to throw me out just like last time! No way. Not again.
“Hey!” I shouted, slapping my hand against its vine and dirt shoulder. “The leaders and I made a deal. You can’t throw me out. I’m just repairing the library like I told them I would!”
The golem ignored me, marching past the Demon Lord who was grinning from ear to ear.
“Mind helping?” I shouted at him.
“I think you’re doing just fine on your own,” he said, shoulders shaking with laughter.
Damn demons. I was trying to help and he knew it, so what was this golem’s problem? It didn’t charge over untilafterI’d pulled the first patch down. If the library hadn’t made those, then maybe the golem had?
And if that was true, then it had also seen me tearing them down like they meant nothing at all. I sighed. No wonder it was upset. I needed a golem-human communications guide.
Roan raced after me, stabbing his sword into the golem’s leg and using it like a climbing axe. The golem didn’t seem to notice as it trudged on, opening the library doors wide. I’d get thrown out before Roan even reached me.
What should I do? In the book, the golem barely listened to anyone except the little girl it rescued. How did she get through to it? Think, think. That’s right, she asked the golem for everything, phrasing things in a way that it felt like it was being useful. That it was needed by somebody.
“Golem!” I shouted. “I’m sorry about the patches. You did a wonderful job with them, really.”
Its steps slowed as it knelt to leave the library. “Ruined my work.”
“You’re right,” I said as Roan climbed up to join me. I shookmy head, not wanting him to do anything just yet. “I’m sorry, golem. It’s my fault, but I needed to take them down so we could make the library even better. Could you help me with that?”
Its glowing eyes shone bright. “How?”
Roan raised an eyebrow, as if asking the same thing.
I mouthed, “I don’t know.”
He sighed, tilting his head up. “You could help her reach the patches on the ceiling.”
“That’s right!” I nodded, grinning at Roan for the help. “Only a tall and sturdy golem could help me with that. There’s no way I’d reach the ceiling otherwise and still feel safe. But with you helping me, I’d have nothing to worry about.”
Its body shifted and groaned as it swung us back into the library, pausing to stare at the ceiling. “My patches are good.”
“Yes, they’re very good,” I said. “But they were temporary to protect the library from the weather outside. Now they can get repaired fully, all thanks to your hard work.”
“Really?” The golem’s eyes glowed brighter as it headed back, open door forgotten. “No tricks?”
Sadness tinged its voice, reverberating through me as I remembered the times the golem had been tricked in its story. I should have been more careful, inspected the patches better before tearing them down. I could have asked who made them, but no, I’d been so eager to get the job done that I’d rushed in and yanked them down.
“I promise, no tricks.” I patted around one of the poppies on its shoulder, inhaling the rather earthy scent of them.
I might be the librarian here, but it was in name only. These story spirits had been living here for years. If I ignored that, they’d keep throwing me out no matter what deals I made. Maybe I should try workingwiththem instead.
“Why don’t we use those planks for something else?” I asked. “Like a raised garden?”
At that, the flowers on its shoulders perked up. “Really? For me?”
“Yup, you can tend to it however you want. It’ll make the library beautiful, so you’d really be helping me out.”
“Golem’s garden!” It shouted as it lunged forward, almost knocking Roan and I off our perch on its shoulder.
