To get to the main branch of the library, Theo, Tess, and Jaime took the 7 train, and walked the rest of the way. The day was hot and humid, so by the time they arrived at the library steps, they were eager to get into the cool air inside the building. Still, they stopped to admire Patience and Fortitude, the stone lions that decorated the entrance of the library. As Jaime did a quick sketch of Patience, and Nine imitated the lion’s posture, Tess said, “Wouldn’t it be amazing if the lions were Morningstarr Machines, too?”

“The Morningstarrs didn’t build Machines that looked like mammals,” said Theo.

“I sometimes wish they had,” said Tess. “No one would mess with those lions.”

Theo said, “If you believe the rumors, the library doesn’t need lions for protection.”

Though the building itself had been built long after the time of the Morningstarrs, it was said that Morningstarr Machines roamed the library at night. What kind of machines, no one could say. Once, a man had hidden in a bathroom after closing time and tried to steal a map from one of the collections. Two days later, the police found the map in its proper place in the collection and the would-be thief locked in a maintenance closet in a Bug’s Burgers on Staten Island. All the man would say about his time in the library was “So shiny. So, so shiny.”

But the only thing that was shining right now was the sun. Theo scratched at his head, where the sweat trickled in his thick, bushy hair. “Can we go inside now?”

“Why? Are you losing Patience?” Tess said.

Jaime tucked his sketchbook into his pocket, looked Theo over. “Definitely a loss of Fortitude.”

“You’re both dorks,” said Theo, and charged up the steps, nearly running over a pale, blond woman in a red dress and matching shoes who swerved into his path. She tossed a dirty look over her shoulder, then pushed through the library doors.

Theo still heard her candy-apple heels click-clacking on the stone as they entered the cool cave of the library. Light poured down from the high windows over the doors and washed the cream-colored walls and floors in gold. Huge archways led into grand staircases. As much as he loved the archives of the Old York Cipherist Society, Theo loved the library even more. Not only had Grandpa Ben and Grandma Annie taken him to the library when he and Tess were small, his parents had, too. It even smelled like home to him.

Jaime said, “Okay, we have to find the Pforzheimer Collection. I think it’s on the third floor. There should be letters to Babbage from Ada. Did you know that her real name was Ada King, Countess of Lovelace?”

“Ha! The Countess of Lovelace. The Countess! Get it?” Theo said. “She was a mathematician!”

“Wait, who’s the dork now?” said Tess.