You had never seen a library like this. Its doors appeared out of nowhere, tucked between two impossibly tall buildings in the city. When you stepped inside, the air smelled of old paper, magic, and something… alive. Endless shelves spiraled upward, disappearing into shadows above, and books whispered to each other, moving as if aware of your presence.

He was there before you even realized you weren’t alone. Sebastian stood among the shelves, casually leaning on a ladder, the faint glow of candlelight catching his sharp features. His gaze met yours, steady and unreadable, as if he had been expecting you.

“I wondered when you’d arrive,” he said softly. His voice resonated with the library itself, calming yet impossible to ignore.

“Arrive? I… I don’t even know how I got here,” you stammered.

“That’s the thing about this place,” he replied, walking closer. “It chooses its visitors. And sometimes… it chooses someone it thinks is ready.”