The wind howled like a ghost outside the Library of Whispers, but inside, Eira Thornwood was more annoyed by the flickering lantern above her head.
"Stupid flame," she muttered, squinting at the faded parchment spread across her desk. It was the fourth prophecy scroll she'd translated that week—each more cryptic and useless than the last.
Somewhere in the distance, a floorboard creaked. She froze. No one else should be here after curfew. Not with the curse.
She rose from her chair, grabbing the small dagger hidden in the spine of her spellbook. The library was vast, with shelves like narrow alleyways and shadows deep enough to lose a person in.
A figure stepped into the lantern light.
"Evening, sunshine," the stranger said with a crooked smile. "You don't happen to know where they keep the ancient life-threatening scrolls, do you?"
Eira lowered the dagger slightly, frowning. The man had windswept dark hair, travel-worn boots, and the kind of roguish grin usually followed by a scam.
"Who are you, and how did you get past the warding spells?"
"Name's Kael. Kael Merrin. I'm the Chosen One."
Eira blinked. Then she blinked again.
"You're... joking."
Kael's grin widened. "Unfortunately not. Some glowing stone told me I was destined to save the kingdom. And here I am. Ready to team up with a grumpy librarian and break a curse with absolutely no clue what I'm doing."
There was a long pause. Then Eira said flatly, "You're going to die."
"Probably," he said cheerfully. "But I figured I'd at least die with someone smart by my side."
To be continued....