It made a softthunk,and I gasped, slapping both hands over my mouth.
“I’m so sorry,” I whispered to no one, sprinting to rescue it like I’d just thrown a baby. “You deserved better.”
I retrieved it, checked for damage (none, thank the gods of literacy), and placed it delicately back on its shelf.
A little too delicately. I may have patted it. Comforted it. Apologized again.
Then I kept hunting.
Five minutes later, I had already pulled:
Grandes Dragones de Galicia
Atlas Ilustrado de Seres Mitológicos y También Gallinas
A Treatise on Scaled Nobility, Third Edition: Includes Modern Iguanas
None were what I needed. The correct book remained missing. That only sharpened my focus into something fierce andnarrow. I was knee-deep in the oversized volumes when a voice cut sharply through my tunnel-vision.
“Well. Someone’s certainly… busy.”
I jerked like I’d been caught stealing historical artifacts.
The library director stood in the aisle, wearing a button-up shirt covered entirely in cartoon frogs—bright green ones with little crowns, some waving, some holding lollipops. His expression was as serious as if he were delivering a eulogy.
“Oh,” I said. “You’re here.”
He adjusted his glasses. “Yes, Artemis. I manage four branches, not one. I can’t imagine you expect me to be omnipresent.”
This was a typical exchange between us: he said something mildly condescending, and I tried not to bristle visibly.
“I’m reorganizing the section,” I said. “Looking for a misfiled book.”
His eyes widened at the stack of volumes I’d created. “You moved the entire mythological compendium?”
“No. Only the dragon-related entries.”
“Only.”
I resisted the urge to apologize to the universe. His frog shirt blinked at me. (Not literally—emotionally.)
He folded his arms. “You’re very diligent, Artemis. I’ve always said so.”
That was his version of a compliment: stiff and vaguelymanagerial.
“I do hope this won’t interfere with our outreach goals. We need at least three more social media posts this week. Preferably involving costumes. The algorithm favors costumes.”
