Illiannah's breath hitched as the girl's words lingered in the air. Lady of the House of Zanithe. Storm of the North. The titles sounded like something plucked straight from the ancient tomes she had spent her life studying, yet they carried an unsettling weight that rooted her to the spot.
She took a shaky step back, her mind racing. The faint memory of the girl's smile tugged at her thoughts, elusive yet persistent. It was as though her consciousness struggled to unearth something buried deep within. But even as confusion swirled within her, the undeniable authority in the girl's voice anchored her to the present.
"Storm of the North?" Illiannah repeated, her voice faltering between disbelief and nervous laughter. "What does that even mean? And how—how do you know my name?"
The girl—no, Arianna, as she had introduced herself—folded her hands neatly in front of her. Her youthful face was calm, but her tone was unyielding. "You have been made to forget, my lady, but the purpose woven into your life does not unravel so easily. I have come to return you to your rightful place and to shed light on the truth you have long been denied."
Illiannah blinked, the girl's words washing over her like cold water. "My situation?" she echoed, her tone edged with frustration. "Listen, I think you've got the wrong person. I'm just... me. A normal person who happens to like old books and dead languages. I don't know anything about storms or houses or whatever it is you're talking about." She gestured vaguely, exasperation creeping into her voice.
Aria tilted her head, her expression softening, though her words were no less resolute. "You may not remember—just as many others have forgotten—but the words etched in the scrolls of time do not lie. You are Illiannah, of the Celestine Line. The Royal Council has confirmed it, and I am here to bring you home, where both you and they may understand the reason for your existence."
Illiannah stared at her. "The what line now?"
Before Aria could respond, the librarian, Mr. Woods, finally spoke. He had been watching the exchange with a patient, knowing expression. "She speaks the truth, Illiannah," he said, his voice a low rumble. "Your sudden appearance in this library was no coincidence. These walls are bound by threads of magic that mere mortals cannot cross. Your presence here has intrigued me for some time. And now, with the announcement of a surviving Celestine bloodline, it seems the pieces of the puzzle are falling into place."
Illiannah spun to face him, her frustration boiling over. "Oh, come on, Mr. Woods. Not you too! What is this? Some kind of elaborate prank? Did you two conspire to mess with me?"
Aria stepped closer, her gaze piercing. "It is no prank, my lady. The signs are all around you. Have you never wondered why the ancient languages come so easily to you? Why the stories in your books feel more like memories than mere tales?"
Illiannah laughed bitterly. "You know what? Screw this. I'm done." She turned on her heel and began walking away, but she barely managed two steps before Aria seized her hand again.
"I cannot allow you to leave," the girl said firmly, her grip unrelenting.
"Who says I need your permission?" Illiannah snapped, trying to pry her hand free. "Let me go, kid. Go home, and leave me out of this."
She continued struggling, but the girl's hold was absurdly strong—stronger than it should have been for a child her size. As Illiannah tugged, Mr. Woods approached, holding an old wooden box.
"What now?" Illiannah groaned, her frustration giving way to exasperation.
"This," Mr. Woods said, opening the box to reveal a pendant that glimmered faintly under the library's dim lights. Its intricate design was achingly familiar. Illiannah's breath caught in her throat as recognition struck her—it was the same symbol etched into the cover of the ancient tome she had been reading.
"What is this?" she whispered, her voice trembling.
She reached out hesitantly, her fingers brushing against the cool metal. The moment she made contact, a wave of warmth surged through her. Her vision blurred, and flashes of unfamiliar yet eerily familiar images raced through her mind—grand halls, stormy skies, a figure cloaked in shadow calling her name.
Illiannah stumbled back, pulling her hand away. Her heart pounded as she stared at the pendant, wide-eyed. "What the hell was that? Did you do that? What's happening?"
Mr. Woods chuckled softly. "Fascinating," he murmured, his gaze flickering between the pendant and Illiannah.
Aria's expression turned solemn. "It is your awakening, my lady," she said quietly. "The veil over your past is beginning to lift. There are truths within you that cannot remain hidden forever."
Illiannah opened her mouth to respond, but before she could, the air around her seemed to ripple. In a blur of motion, Aria was no longer in front of her. Illiannah whipped around, startled to find the girl behind her, fastening the pendant around her neck.
"What the—?!" Illiannah jumped, her hand flying to the pendant now resting against her skin.
The library seemed to shift around her. Shadows stretched and twisted unnaturally, the air heavy with an energy she couldn't name. Aria was no longer a child but a striking young woman with an ethereal presence, her eyes glowing faintly with power.
Illiannah backed away, panic clawing at her chest. "This is insane. This can't be real."
She bolted for the door, her only thought to escape. But the moment she reached it, an invisible force repelled her, stopping her in her tracks.
"What the hell!" she shouted, pounding against the barrier. "Let me out!"
Aria stepped forward, her expression calm but firm. "There is no escape, my lady. You cannot run from who you are."
Illiannah turned to face her, her voice trembling with anger and fear. "I don't know who you think I am, but I am not this… Celestine whatever! I just want to go back to my life. To my books!"