The First Taking

“THE NAMED HOUR MUST BE KEPT. THE ENGINE WRITES WHAT IS NAMED.”

The Keeper's voice was the sound of every clock in the world striking at once, and the reading room shuddered with it. Dust hung motionless. The blank books watched with white spines.

Rosa made a small broken sound. “Oh, piccola. Oh, my brave, foolish girl.”

“What does that mean?” Theo demanded. “Kept how?”