Dorian only returned briefly to tell Kate that everything went alright with Jolene. He still had a lot of the festival to check out and needed to catch the train home ter.

  Kate had been busy talking to many visitors for most of Sunday, but she finally found some time to head out into the city for a meal ter in the afternoon.

  Just as she was about to take a bite of her potato spiral, someone interrupted her.

  “Kate!”

  “Hey Oliver.”

  “Oh sorry, didn’t meant to disturb your te lunch.”

  “It’s okay, I can keep it warm. How have you been and how’s the festival treating you?”

  “I had some good fun and I’ve been well, you?”

  “You know me, I’m always good these days.”

  “Perks of being a librarian by blood, eh? I actually pnned to stop by the library yesterday after your show but got a little busy.”

  “Did you enjoy it?”

  “The show? I didn’t know what I expected but you are so damn good. I knew you were trained super well but I never knew how well.”

  “We both held back. There is much we can do that would expose us a little too much.”

  “I see. I would love to see what you can really do one day.”

  “I’ll ask Polly, I am sure we can arrange that.”

  “That would be so awesome!”

  “It would be good fun for us too.”

  Oliver grinned and nodded. “I would sure hope so. Have you found something fun to get for yourself on the market yet?”

  “Not for myself but a little birthday present for Polly.”

  “I haven't found anything nice for her yet. Still, a little trinket for myself and for you would be nice as well. Something to remember this weekend."

  “That would be a lovely little thing to find. Let me just finish my lunch and then we can take a look around. I was having a little peek at things with Polly already but a different set of eyes usually finds new stuff.”

  “Sounds like a pn.”

  Kate and Oliver had found a local woodworker who was offering an entire table of small items made from scrap pieces. Of course, he also sold rger pieces of furniture and custom pieces to make most of his money, but he used the scraps of his main projects in his spare time to tinker with new and tiny ideas.

  “These are perfect for a small memento.”

  Oliver nodded in agreement. “But which one to pick?”

  “For yourself or for Polly?”

  “I have no idea for either, to be honest.”

  “Okay, so, a memento should be something that reminds you of the thing it is a memento for. So, if you want to remember a pce with it, maybe get a painting of the pce or good photo, maybe even a miniature version of some ndmark there or something that captures the emotion of that pce. What was this festival for you?”

  Oliver leaned a bit closer to Kate. “Can you do the thing where other people can’t hear what I say?”

  “I just have.”

  “The thing that will stick with me the most, I think, is watching my friend take a step back towards the world she had left behind, and she brought new friends here with her.”

  Kate took a few moments to gather her thoughts. “That’s… unexpectedly deep and heavy. I will overthink about this for the rest of the day. Anyway, how about the little book then? I mean, I’m head librarian and without the library I would neither have stepped away from this world nor would we both be here in this city.”

  “Yes, I think that makes sense. What to gift Apollyon then?”

  “The jack-o-ntern.”

  “What, why?”

  “Halloween became something special for her. Her birthday falls on it and she didn’t really like the thought of everyone fussing about a special day for her. But a special day for her on which it is tradition among many humans to give out candy to children? She loves that. She gets to spread joy and be mostly herself around humans on a day that human cultures decided is special for her.”

  “And the little carved pumpkin is a nice and concise symbol to represent that day.”

  “Exactly.”

  “Okay, so the little book for myself and the pumpkin for Apollyon. Is there something here for you?”

  “I don’t even know what the festival was for me…”

  Oliver chuckled. “The more things change, the more they stay the same. Good old Kate dishing out good advice while being absolutely clueless on how to follow it herself.”

  “Hey!”

  “Tell me I’m wrong.”

  “You’re right.” Kate frowned pyfully. “I suppose it was the first time I really acted as head librarian, the first time I made an important decision without consulting the others, the first time I acted like their equal, not someone young and na?ve. But it was also the first time in a very long time that the library opened itself to the public like this. A step towards a new future under my oversight.”

  “Deep shit. How about, instead of just a small trinket, you take this box and the same little book-thingie I’ll buy.”

  “Why the box?”

  “To collect tiny mementos from all the big important events of this era. The events that were big for you, not generally big, you know what I mean.”

  “That is a fun idea, yea.”

  Back at the library, Oliver approached Apollyon.

  “Hey, uhm, do you have a moment for me?”

  “Of course, Oliver.”

  “I know your birthday was yesterday and I wanted to come by in the evening, but there was so much to do… I wanted to apologize for that.”

  “I know how much it would have meant for you to come here, but I am not hurt by your actions. Do not apologize. This day comes again next year.”

  “And I will make time then. I also got you something small for your birthday, as is tradition here, you know.”

  “That is very thoughtful of you, thank you.”

  “That’s what friends do, if I can call you that. I know I am not as close to you as Kate is…” He handed Apollyon a small cardboard box with the mini wooden jack-o-ntern in it.

  “We are friends.” She opened the box and smiled. “That is a thoughtful gift, thank you very much.”

  “Kate helped.”

  “But it was your choice in the end. You may not ‘hang out’ with us often, as Kate would say, but you are always welcome here. You are a friend to us all and your acceptance of Kate has proven your trustworthiness.”

  “Oh, wow, thank you. That is super high praise.”

  “And it is deserved. The only saddening aspect about you is the fact that you have chosen mortality so far. I would not regret keeping you around for longer.”

  “Kate said that too… it’s difficult, honestly. I don’t know if I could trust myself with magic powers, eternity is a damn long time, and all demons are women, or at least look like women. I’m a guy.”

  “Hm. The st part seems like a major hurdle for you.”

  “Uh, yes?”

  “Fascinating, I would have expected humans to be more flexible in that regard. Still, I accept your decision and if you should change your mind someday, I will be here to accept that as well.”

  “Maybe I’ll come around to immortality eventually, who knows.”

  “Indeed, who knows. I have a request, if you are willing to indulge me.”

  Oliver nodded. “Sure, what is it?”

  “Dorian Ste returned this morning to reconnect with Kate. While he is on his way home now, I would ask you to approach him in some form. I know he had stopped talking to you as well when he cut ties with Kate, I would not want to miss the chance to rekindle your friendship in the wake of his decision.”

  “That is not what I expected, but sure. It would be awesome to talk to him again.”

  “Good. I feel like I was the one to drive a wedge between you and Dorian as a form colteral damage of my guidance in Kate’s journey. I am willing to make amends if necessary, but I cannot be the one to begin those conversations.”

  “Yea, I understand. I’ll talk to him, no worries.”

  “Thank you, that is all I can ask.”