CWA Celebrations-Day 18, Clockwork Angel Excerpt

"This is the great library," said Will. "Every institute has a library, but this one is the largest of them all-the largest in the West, at any rate." He leaned against the door, his arms crossed over his chest. "I said I would get you more books, didn't I?"

Tessa was so startled that he remembered what he had said, that it took her several seconds to respond. "But the books are all behind bars!" she said. "Like a literary sort of prison!"

Will grinned. "some of these books bite," he said. "It's wise to be careful."

"One must always be careful with books," said Tessa, "and what is inside them, for words have the power to change us."

"I'm not sure a book has ever changed me," said Will. "Well there is one volume that promised to each one how to urn oneself into an entire flock of sheep-"

"Only the weak minded refuse to be influenced by literature and poetry," said Tessa, determined not to let him run wildly off with the conversation.

"Of course, why one would want to be an entire flock of sheep is another matter entirely, "Will finished. "Is there something you want to read here, Miss Gray, or is there not? Name it, and I shall attempt to free it from it's prison for you."

-Clockwork Angel, pages 87-88 (ARC), Tessa & Will