As the dawn cast a muted light across the castle, Elara slipped through the silent halls and pushed open the grand library doors. Inside, her breath caught as she took in the vast room, lined floor-to-ceiling with towering shelves, books spilling onto tables, and scattered in stacks like the remnants of a mind that craved knowledge. Dust motes floated through beams of light streaming from narrow, arched windows high above, casting an ethereal glow over the ancient tomes.
Elara's fingers trailed over the leather-bound spines as she moved down one of the narrow aisles. Some volumes were bound in ornate covers, with worn symbols and embossed titles that hinted at their contents: spells, forbidden histories, and tales of realms she'd never known existed. She felt an almost reverent curiosity.
