Entering the castle, we immediately turned to the right. The guy stopped right by the third door. As soon as I stepped inside, I felt like I had entered a familiar yet strange place — a place I had visited in my dreams. But here’s what was unsettling: I could never understand why. Why did this place attract me so, yet at the same time, evoke such a strange feeling?

The library was two-storied, its walls hidden behind shelves filled with books—ancient and dusty, standing in their places as though no one dared to touch them. Dim light streamed through the tall windows, creating an atmosphere of unknown, misty silence in the air. Everything here seemed frozen in time.

I lifted my gaze to the fireplace, where a portrait hung. The face in it was covered with a white cloth. I felt something inside me tighten as I looked at the blurred figure, as if it was trying to hide something important from me.

On either side of the painting stood two lamps, casting a faint glow over the space, but unable to dispel the ominous shadow that lingered in the corners of the room. In front of the fireplace stood two blue sofas, facing each other, creating the impression that someone had recently sat there. A brown desk reminded me of forgotten tasks left behind. I wanted to approach it, touch the desk, perhaps solve something... But what if I searched too long? What if the answer came, but it was not what I expected?

I took a step forward, feeling my breath become heavy. This place hid its secrets. But I knew that sooner or later, I would have to uncover them.

- I feel like I’ve been here before, - I said quietly, scanning the library.

- Most likely you have, Elizabeth, - the guy replied.

- How do you know my name? -I asked in horror.

- I know much more than you would like, - his voice was cold and steady, like stone, and his eyes, hazel-green, sparkling like the reflection of a forest lake, didn’t blink for a second. He stood by the fireplace, unmoving, his wavy hair slightly stirred by the faint draft. There was no trace of regret or embarrassment in his gaze, only something as if he had already gotten used to being known before he revealed himself.

I flinched slightly. It couldn’t be. I tried to stay calm, but my heart began to beat faster. I walked over to one of the blue sofas, feeling how the soft fabric under my fingers relaxed my tense muscles.

- You didn’t answer my question, - I glanced at him through my lashes, trying to hide my confusion, but still, he noticed the way the corners of my mouth trembled. It wasn’t much like me, but everything here was different, like some sort of shadowed dream.

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He brought his hand to his chin as if thinking, and finally, his lips curled into a barely noticeable smirk.

- I already told you, Elizabeth... you seem to be forgetting too much. Maybe I should help you remember? - His voice became even more captivating, but with a cold undertone that was hard to ignore.

I felt a small shiver run down my spine but tried not to show it.

- You didn’t answer my question, - I repeated, already with a slight edge of irritation, though his gaze fascinated me, his confidence with which he stood.

- Maybe because you’re not ready for the answer, - he took a step closer, and I noticed how his presence filled the space around. I had to look up to meet his gaze, even though he was a good twenty centimeters taller than me. But I didn’t back down despite the weight of his gaze. He was like that unexplored part of me that I had long tried to hide.

I bit my lip slightly, trying to gather my thoughts, but his presence seemed to drain all my attention, paralyzing me. I lifted my gaze, and our eyes locked. He was like a predator watching its prey, yet there was no threat in his eyes, only cold curiosity.

- Do you really want to know about me, Elizabeth? - His voice was soft, almost playful, but I felt there was something hidden behind it, something deeper. He stepped even closer, and I felt the air around us thicken, as if the castle itself was drawing me into its mysterious walls. He stopped right in front of me, and I felt his warmth, his almost tangible magnetism. “I’m Luis, and it seems you’re not here by accident.”

I squeezed my fingers on the sofa’s upholstery. Luis... the name sounded familiar, like it meant something deep in my memory. But I couldn’t figure out what. The power in his voice and the confidence in every word left me somewhat confused, but there was something mesmerizing in how he spoke about everything, as if it were second nature to him.

- Have you... been here long? - I asked, trying to find even the slightest trace of human warmth in his cold demeanor.

He tilted his head slightly, and something flickered in his eyes, like a memory he wasn’t ready to share.

- Yes, - his answer was brief, but I felt that there was much more behind it. - I’ve lived here for a long time. The castle is not ordinary, and its walls remember much. It chooses those who find themselves here. You don’t just end up here, Elizabeth. Everyone has their mission.

I froze. His words sounded like a warning, like something inevitable. He spoke as though it were a law, unquestionable.

- A mission? What do you mean? - I took a step back, trying to process his words. This was no longer just a strange place. I felt a wave of doubt wash over me. - What do you mean by that?

Luis finally smiled, but this smile was not warm; it was almost cruel, like someone who knows that their secret will soon be revealed.

- Everyone here has their role, - he said, looking me over as if I were part of this riddle. - You’re not an accident. Everything you seek, you’ve known for a long time. You just have to remember why you’re here.

I felt my knees weaken, and something hidden and ancient stirred inside me, as if it were trying to awaken. I looked at him again—at Luis, with his daring and confident demeanor. He wasn’t trying to be kind. He was different.