The Librarian Spy

by Madeline Martin

following Jo March’s lead with the example in Little Women of finding solace in the written word.

Understanding and knowledge were wasted if one did not apply them to life.

“I mean that this present we live in is tomorrow’s history. You ask if this is important. This is the education for our future, to learn from the mistakes that have been made now and never let atrocities such as this continue or be repeated.”

Plato said courage was knowing what not to fear.

“It’s beautiful,” Ava whispered. Elaine considered her. “Do you think so?” “Absolutely,” Ava replied without hesitation. “Without machines such as this, we would never have books.” She let her fingers gently brush the lever, cool against her touch. “Words have such incredible power.”

Regardless, she was eager to work in the London Library, once more surrounded by tomes that spanned centuries past, doing her part to record the history so it would always live in the minds of future generations. After all, there was nothing Ava loved more than the scent of old books—except, of course, the power of the written word.