Story Thieves by James Riley Page A

helped. Being around all the stories somehow let her breathe again. They didn’t want anything from her, or think badly of her. They were there just to tell their stories.
    When her legs stopped shaking, she wiped her forehead with her sleeve, then stood up to walk along the shelves, touching random books here and there. Something would be here to distract her, some strange world that didn’t care about fathers or mothers or Owens. Island of the Blue Dolphins ? Beautiful, but way too dangerous with the dogs and devilfish and everything. A Wrinkle in Time ? A little too much quantum theory for a night like this.
    â€œCan I help you find anything?” asked a woman behind her, and Bethany glanced over her shoulder to find Owen’s mother giving her a pleasant look.
    Bethany quickly turned away, shaking her head. “Oh, no thanks. I’m fine.”
    â€œI can make some suggestions, if you want,” the librarian said, standing next to Bethany. “What kinds of books do you like?”
    â€œI’m not really a big reader,” Bethany said quietly, turning her body away as much as she could.
    â€œOh, I always see you in here,” Owen’s mom said, running her hands over the books like she was looking for something.“Don’t worry. Maybe you just haven’t found your favorite book yet. I honestly don’t think anyone has. Just when you think you might have a favorite, something even better comes along. It’s the one rule they taught me in librarian school.”
    â€œYou went to librarian school?” Bethany asked in spite of herself.
    â€œYou can quiz me on the Dewey decimal system if you want. Ask me about what number Victorian biographies go under. I dare you.”
    Bethany smiled, then remembered what was happening. “I’m okay. I just wanted . . . this one.” She grabbed something random off the shelf and tried to make an escape, but Owen’s mother stepped in front of her.
    â€œ Half Upon a Time  ? I met that author once. He misspelled his own name in my book when he signed it. Weird. If I were you, I’d try . . . Here, what about this? It’s one of my favorites.”
    â€œI thought you couldn’t have favorites,” Bethany said.
    â€œNah, the second rule they taught us in librarian school is that you can have as many favorite books as there are books,” she said, not cracking a smile. “Do you want to know what the third rule is?”
    â€œThat there are no rules?”
    The librarian laughed. “That’s the fourth rule, actually. The third is that if you want to find a new favorite book, ask a librarian. They always know.” She handed Bethany a copy of something called The Great Brain . “Give it a try and let me know what you think.”
    Bethany nodded, giving up, then followed Owen’s mother back to the checkout desk and signed the book out. She turned to leave, then paused. “Um, thanks. For the book. That was nice of you.”
    â€œLet me know if you like it,” the woman said. “And next time, maybe you can recommend something for me.”
    Bethany smiled and waved good-bye, then left the library holding her new book close, her mind not at all on what she was doing. Weirdly, it took her longer to get home from the library than usual. Even weirder, she found herself at Owen’s house again without even realizing it.
    Ugh. What was she doing? It’s not like she owed him anything. He should really be the one apologizing to her.
    But what had he really done wrong?
    He’d told a character in a book that—
    Okay, there was that. And that was huge , yes. But it hadn’t shown up in the book, and for all she knew, maybe it neverwould. After all, that wizard guy had been supposed to die, right? So maybe he wouldn’t even have a chance to tell anyone what had happened. She could go back and check in a few days, before the last Kiel