Owen stared at Bethany across the cafeteria, an empty feeling in his stomach. It wasn’t entirely a trick, honestly. There was a spell in the Magister’s spell book that might help her find her father. And after learning that Bethany’s father was missing, Owen really did want to help.
It just felt wrong, though, to use that as an excuse to get him into the book. Even if all he wanted to do was perform an amazing, heroic, lifesaving, awesome act of goodness. Even if this was clearly the thing he’d been meant to do with his life, saving the Magister.
Maybe he should just tell her the truth? He knew that Bethany would never go for it, since he’d be changing the story, and that seemed to freak her out more than almost anything—anything other than learning magic, at least. But then he wouldn’t feel so guilty, and besides, what did he have to lose, since she wasn’t taking him anyway?
Owen glanced over at her, at her long reddish-brown hair, and wondered who her father might actually be. Was it someone famous, like Sherlock Holmes? James Bond? He came from books too, didn’t he? Or maybe someone like Gandalf? The wizard seemed kind of old to be someone’s father, though. Grandfather, sure, but father, maybe not.
Or maybe it was some character from one of those romantic books that people were always checking out, but trying to hide the covers from Owen at the counter like they were embarrassed. That seemed like a possibility, considering her mother had fallen in love with her father by reading about him. Who did that? Who fell in love with a character in a book?
Whoever Bethany’s father was, maybe Owen could still help. Not by jumping into the books with her, but by 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.
—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 his help 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.