The Librarians ...and the Sleepwalking Caretaker (Budapest Mysteries - part 2)

A caretaker's melancholy

Flynn and Morgan were sitting on large stones, facing each other. The Librarian was growing impatient and frequently checked Merlin's tomb entrance, fearing that Eve and the gang would emerge any moment.

"Do not worry," finally said Morgan. "For the purpose of this meeting – and because I want to talk to you without being interrupted – I've frozen us in time."

"Oh, nice. Well done. Always interesting to know what kind of things you can do. Anything else I should know about you?"

The fairy pretended that she didn't hear and went on, speaking in a very serious tone this time:

"As you know, the man you call Jenkins and I have been around for a very long time. So long in fact that there is always the risk that you finally realise that you want your immortality to stop. I'm afraid that Galeas has become increasingly tired of his life. Despite the fact that we grew apart, he is still a part of my past and I can't let go of him. That's why I keep an eye on him. I sensed that something was wrong a while ago. It was just a feeling, but experience taught me that an immediate action was usually the best thing to do. So I reached for you."

"I'm sorry, what?"

Carsen sent a cold shiver go down his spine as he realised what Morgan's words meant:

"You're the one responsible for what happened in Budapest. I suspected it already but I never expected you to confess it openly."

The sorceress shrugged:

"I really thought that endangering your life would motivate Galeas. But somehow he decided to accept the fact that you were slowly dying, losing your grip on reality, losing your mind... So I had to come up with something else."

The Librarian sent her a hard glance:

"You're so evil. No wonder he doesn't want to have anything to do with you anymore. What did you do to him that he would stop caring for you and want you dead instead?"

The woman waved his question away with her hand.

"It's really not the point here. The point is, will you help me save him?"

A twisted smile blossomed on Flynn's features:

"No."

Morgan was taken aback by his answer. He didn't even think before answering.

"What? But he is your friend!"

There was anger in her voice.

"And if he wants to die, because he feels that it is time for him to go, then I have to be that friend and respect his wish."

"You can't!"

Flynn winked at her before standing up.

"Now if you don't mind, I shall go back to my friends and tell them that we are leaving."

The fairy's eyes shone with fury. She seemed on the edge of doing something wild and violent, but suddenly she realised what this was about.

"Oh, of course. Fine."

She closed her eyes, obviously concentrating. The Librarian instantly felt as if a burden had been taken away from him.

"You're safe now. I lifted the curse, you're no longer dying. Now, will you help me save him?"

To this, Flynn laughed. He felt so well again that he even started dancing around.

"Of course, I will. Do you really believe that I would let him go like that? I don't want to lose him. We need him, more than he even realises it. But I disapprove of the way you deal with things. Did it ever occur to you that you might have worsened Jenkins' melancholy by threatening my life? He cares for us as much as we care for him. He probably couldn't stand the fact that he would endanger us by being at our side. So, considering that he was starting to feel depressed – and I suspect it's our fault, because we left him alone – it only made things worse. He was ready to make the biggest sacrifice to ensure you wouldn't threaten us anymore..."

Carsen witnessed a change in Morgan's expression. She seemed to soften a bit. She stood up and came closer to Flynn.

"I misjudged you. I still don't like you but I just realised that we had been allies all along. Let's agree on this: when it comes to Galeas' safety and well-being, we are friends."

She held out her hand and Flynn shook it without second thoughts.

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