Why You Should Never Rescue Stray Demons Chapter 173

**VIDAR**

There are a lot of bright sides to not being bound to the library anymore. I can go out, explore. I could even travel if I wanted to, though I haven’t gotten that far yet. I went to the beach once. That was… Interesting. The ocean was bigger and louder than I expected, all rolling silver and foam. The sand, however, got everywhere. In my shoes, in my pockets, somehow even in my sleeves. I can’t say I liked it much. I also went shopping. That was new. Actually walking into a store, touching things, picking clothes for myself. I’ve never really done that before. Usually, I just told people what I liked by pointing to things other patrons were wearing when they visited the library. So that was… Cool, I guess. It took an afternoon, which was two full days for me. After that, I caught up with a few old friends. It was nice, familiar faces, familiar conversations. Nothing really changed, except me. I’d always wondered what life outside the library was like. Turns out… It’s not that different. People still talk too loud and about all the same things. My world might have completely changed, but the rest of the world hasn’t. It spins on just fine without me. And I can’t help feeling a little lost in it. In the last few weeks I’ve learned that I’m a homebody. I suppose it makes sense. I am a gargoyle, made to perch and protect, to stay in one place for eternity. Wanderlust was never built into me. Which is fine. There’s nothing wrong with liking home. Except that my home doesn’t exist anymore. So I have to find small ways to make new ones. Kacia says she’s building me a space in the new library, a home that’s part of the building, but separate enough that I’m still free. No more bindings. No more invisible chains tying me to a single place. It’s a good thing, I think… I just, don’t quite know what to do with that freedom yet. It’s been over a month, and there’s still one thing I haven’t done, the one place I actually want to visit. But I haven’t quite worked up the nerve. Until today. I’ve showered, dressed, even combed my hair properly. Now I’m sitting on the edge of the bed, tying my shoes very, very slowly. 

“Are you having trouble with those shoes?” Izzy’s voice makes me glance up. She’s standing right beside me, or maybe she’s been there for a while. I don’t even flinch anymore when she appears.

“No.” I say, tugging at the laces, making sure they’re perfectly even.

“Kinda looks like you’re having trouble.” She comments. I sigh. 

“No. I’m just… Procrastinating.” I answer honestly. That’s the good thing about Izzy. She really isn’t a gossip. She listens and takes information in, but for the most part she is a steel trap. 

“Oh. Why?” She asks.

“Because I’m nervous, I guess.” I answer. 

“Why?” She repeats, tilting her head. 

“Because… I’m going to talk to someone new.” I answer, slower this time. 

“Why?” She says for the third time. 

“Because if I don’t go talk to Taryn soon, it would be rude.” I say, feeling myself getting flustered but trying to keep my patience. 

“She might think I’m avoiding her, and that could hurt her feelings. I don’t want to do that.” I add. 

“Why?” She asks again, unbothered. I pause, staring at her. 

“Why what?” I question. 

“Why are you worried about her feelings? If she’s someone new, she’s basically a stranger, why does it even matter so much to you?” She asks bluntly. I blink at her, caught off guard.

“Because… She isn’t a stranger.” I say slowly. 

“I’ve known her for years… Sort of. We’ve never really talked, but we’ve exchanged notes, passed messages. She’d leave me little drawings sometimes… Flowers, doodles, the occasional snarky comment about my handwriting. I left her poems and trivia about books. We’ve… Been friends, I think. At least, I hope so.” The words spill out before I can stop them, and once they’re said, they feel true. I sit back, blinking at the realisation. 

“Huh.” I say dumbly. We’re friends. Izzy studies me for a moment, then shrugs. 

“Okay.” She says easily. Yep, definitely easy to talk to. She doesn’t judge at all. She’s just curious. I let out a soft laugh. 

“Thanks, Izzy. I think I’m ready to go now.” I say warmly. She tilts her head, that ghostly curiosity still shining through. 

“Can we read some later?” She asks. 

“Of course.” I promise, finally letting go of my laces. She grins, bright and childlike, and then vanishes like smoke on a breeze. The house falls quiet again. For a long moment, I just sit there, staring at the door. My chest feels heavy, nervous. But beneath that, there’s something else too. Something lighter. Anticipation, maybe? I take a deep breath, stand up, and head for the door. Time to finally go see my friend.

I grab the satchel Clarence gave me, sturdy brown leather, a little scuffed at the edges, and sling it over my shoulder. It still feels strange. I’ve never really needed to carry things before. When you’re bound to one place for decades, you don’t exactly need storage or travel accessories. It’s also strange having to learn directions. Usually, if I needed something, I’d just ask someone to fetch it for me. Clarence would probably have driven me today if I’d asked, but he’s already down at the library overseeing construction. And honestly, this is something I should do on my own. I wasn’t ready this morning. I’d tied my shoes twice, sat back down, untied them again, but now, I think I am. Mostly. Okay, partly. I do make one stop along the way, but it’s totally not procrastination. It’s thoughtful hesitation. I duck into a cafe and buy a drink for myself, something cold and fizzy, and one for Taryn. Hers is a fancy juice blend with about six different fruits in it. She’s a dryad, so I figure it’s a safe choice. From what I’ve gathered, most dryads are vegetarian and have complicated dietary quirks. Part tree, part person. It makes sense, I suppose. When I reach the library, the noise hits me before the sight does. It’s loud, the kind of loud that vibrates in your bones. The rhythmic hammering of tools, the grinding of metal, the chatter of construction workers. But beneath all of it, there’s something alive and hopeful in the air. The skeleton of the new library is starting to take shape. And there, sitting just beyond the edge of the chaos in her grove, is Taryn. Her small sanctuary is untouched by the construction, dappled sunlight, bright leaves, and the faint scent of flowers. She’s watching the construction with bright-eyed fascination, her feet swinging idly in the air. I can understand the appeal. When you’re tied to one place, any change feels monumental. I used to get excited just seeing new visitors in the library. Once, the library had a few rooms repainted, and I think I spent an entire week hanging out there just because they smelled like fresh paint and it was something different. I take a steadying breath and try to look confident as I cross the grass. My steps feel too loud. Am I walking weirdly? Taryn spots me almost immediately. Her face lights up. She jumps to her feet, waving, and runs over before I can decide whether to wave back or not. I’m still nervous, but her enthusiastic expression and the way she rushes up to me gives me a boost of confidence. 

“Hi, Taryn.” I manage, feeling my voice come out a little quieter than I meant it to.

“Hey, Vidar!” She chirps. 

“What brings you by today? Coming to check out the new library?” She asks. I make some kind of movement that’s meant to be a nod but comes out halfway between that, a shrug, and a confused head tilt. She raises an eyebrow, smiling in a way that makes my stomach flip. 

“You okay there?” She asks. 

“I, uh… Came to see you, actually.” I admit, and hold out the drink. 

“Brought this. Thought you might like it.” I say. Please let her just take the drink. Damn it this is awkward. I’m not used to visiting people. I’m used to everyone coming to me! Her eyes widen, and for a second she just blinks at the cup before taking it carefully from my hand. I think she’s blushing. Then again, it could just be from the exertion of rushing over here. 

“Really? That’s awesome!” She says brightly. 

“Come sit down! Want to see my garden? I’ve never gotten to show it to you before. Not properly at least.” She says with clear enthusiasm. 

“I… Would like that.” I answer, trying not to sound as terrified as I feel. Without hesitation, Taryn loops her arm through mine. My entire body goes still, but she’s already tugging me toward her grove, chatting as if we’ve done this a hundred times before. Her hand is warm. Her smile is brighter and just like that, my nerves start to fade. This is going well, I think. Now all I have to do is get through this conversation without making a complete fool of myself. How badly could it go?