Aria walked briskly through the dimly lit corridors of the palace, her heart pounding in her chest. The air felt heavier than usual, as though the weight of her secret was pressing down on her shoulders. She clutched the hem of her simple dress tightly, her knuckles whitening as she made her way to the royal library.
The library was a vast, imposing room filled with towering shelves that stretched to the ceiling, each brimming with ancient tomes and scrolls. The scent of aged parchment and ink lingered in the air, mingling with the faint flicker of candlelight from chandeliers overhead. The large, arched windows let in beams of moonlight, casting an eerie glow over the rows of bookshelves. Aria hesitated at the entrance for a moment, her silver eyes scanning the quiet space to ensure she was alone. Satisfied, she slipped inside and began her search.
