Story Thieves Read Online Free PDF Page B

reading and keeping an eye out. That was what he should do. Tell her the truth, that he really wanted to go into Kiel Gnomenfoot and the End of Everything to save the Magister, then say how sorry he was and offer to help her find her father to make up for it.
    He stood up to do just that, only to notice that Bethany had disappeared from the cafeteria. But she had left something at her table. The book she’d been reading.
    He walked over, making sure no one was watching him too suspiciously, then grabbed the book.
    Kiel Gnomenfoot: Magic Thief. The first book in the series.
    And stuck inside like a bookmark was a note:
    I’m in.
    â€”Bethany
    What? She was in? Owen’s eyes widened and he began to shake. He quickly sat down so no one would see his trembling, but he couldn’t stop the grinning. It felt like the smile was bigger than his face, but he didn’t even care.
    THEY WERE GOING TO SAVE THE MAGISTER! Everyone in this cafeteria, everyone in cafeterias all over the world would read the book, see Owen’s name, and watch him save Kiel’s magic teacher.
    Would they throw him parties? Come up to him all shyly to ask for his autograph? Start a national holiday for his birthday, and no mail would be delivered because too many postal workers had to celebrate everything about Owen Conners?
    Or would something really amazing happen, like he and Kiel would become best friends, and Kiel would ask him for hishelp now that Dr. Verity was taken care of? “Help with what?” Owen would ask. “Something mind-blowing,” Kiel would say, and wink.
    Kiel always winked. That was so Kiel. Especially with his best friends.
    A small, tiny, miniscule part of Owen decided to be a downer and reminded the rest of him that Bethany knew none of this and was going to be extremely not happy when she found out. That same part suggested that he still apologize and tell her the truth.
    And the rest of Owen knew that the small part was right. He should. He should.
    On the other hand, was an apology worth letting a great man like the Magister die? Of course not.
    Owen crumpled Bethany’s note up, tossed it into the trash, then left the cafeteria to make some plans. Plans to take down a mad scientist, save a master magician, and become a hero to the entire world.

CHAPTER 6
    O wen’s bedroom was where books went to die, Bethany realized. Every shelf in the room overflowed with books without covers or with splitting spines, and even, every so often, just collections of pages held together with rubber bands.
    She gestured toward the books, raising an eyebrow, and Owen turned red. “Uh, my mom brings them home,” he said, sitting down on the floor with Kiel Gnomenfoot and the End of Everything in front of him. “Whenever a library book gets too beat-up to lend out anymore, she gives it to me.”
    â€œSo you live in a book graveyard,” Bethany said, sitting down across from him.
    Owen’s eyes widened. “Ooooh, that’d make a fun story! Have you ever been to a graveyard in a book? Like Pet Sematary or something?”
    â€œNo horror books,” Bethany said quickly. “That’s rule numberone! Horror is a good way to get yourself killed. And speaking of rules, let’s go over them while we can still back out of this.”
    â€œBring ’em on!” Owen said a bit too loudly.
    Bethany shushed him, despite the fact that no one was home. Owen’s mother was still at the library, so they weren’t exactly going to be caught doing anything they shouldn’t be. Still, Bethany half believed her own mother would pop in and yell “AHA!” at any moment, so the more quiet they could be, the better she’d feel.
    â€œThere are five rules total,” she whispered, giving Owen an annoyed look. “Rule number one: MAKE NO NOISE. Either here or in the book. Quiet is key.”
    â€œGot it,” Owen mouthed silently.
    She rolled her eyes. “Rule