Sometimes, the wrong book doesn't just change your life—it steals it.
Abigail's POV
As we finally closed our books, a heavy silence settled between the three of us—one that buzzed with quiet intensity.
"My story had the best emperor," I said, stretching my arms with a smirk.
"Nope. Mine was clearly superior. Violet was a badass empress," Noah countered, narrowing his eyes.
Yami rolled her eyes dramatically, "Excuse you both. Damian's story had layers. Mystery, power, pain. I win."
And just like that, a storm of playful bickering broke out.
A full-on debate about which royal sibling reigned supreme.
Books were waved in the air. Accusations of bias were tossed across the table. Laughter echoed through the otherwise silent library.
Eventually, we all slumped in our seats, breathless and grinning.
"Let's just agree all three were legends," I chuckled, brushing my hair back.
"Fair," Noah muttered.
"Fine," Yami added with a mock huff.
Then Yami's expression twisted into a frown as she glanced at the clock on the far wall.
"Wait... is it just me, or has it been, like, four hours?"
My brows furrowed. "Four?"
"We came here at 10," she pointed out. "It's almost 2:30. Where the hell is that creepy librarian? Still on lunch?"
Noah snorted. "Maybe he went for a five-course dinner and a nap."
"Guess we're on the honor system," I said, shaking my head. "Anyway, let's return the books to their shelves and head out."
"Yup," both of them echoed in unison.
We stood up, each of us heading down different dimly lit corridors of the bookstore. The air was oddly cool for mid-day. Dust motes danced in the golden slants of sunlight filtering through high, stained windows. The floor creaked softly under my boots with each step.
I reached the far end, where the old historical fantasy section sat tucked away in a shadowy alcove. I gently slid the book back into its place on the shelf.
But as soon as my fingers left the spine—
Something shifted.
The air thickened. My skin prickled with sudden unease.
It felt like something was pulling at me.
Like invisible threads wrapping around my limbs... dragging me—
Shhh.
Everything went dark.
—
I gasped.
My eyes flew open as I bolted upright.
What the actual fuck?
I was no longer in the bookstore.
I wasn't even in my world.
I sat on a heavy, oversized bed, surrounded by sheer velvet drapes. My hands trembled as I pulled them aside. My breath caught.
Stone walls. Ornate chandeliers. Golden-framed mirrors and polished wood furniture, carved with unfamiliar symbols.
It was like stepping into a medieval dream.
Everything was ancient.
Luxurious.
And terrifyingly not mine.
I stumbled off the bed, bare feet hitting cold stone. I spun in circles, heart pounding in my chest.
"Where the hell am I?"
The last thing I remembered was the library. Noah. Yami. The book.
My gaze landed on a large mirror near the corner. My reflection stared back at me—same face, same confused eyes, but draped in a silky gown straight out of a royal fantasy.
"What is happening?"
My fingers pressed against my temples.
Was I hallucinating?
Was this a dream?
Or...
Had I been pulled into the book?
I staggered backward, heart thudding wildly.
"No... no... this can't be real..."
But the chill biting into my skin, the soft rustle of the gown, the heavy scent of herbs and old wood lingering in the air—
It was all too real.
Too real to be a dream.
Noah's POV
The moment my fingers grazed the edge of the bookshelf, something shifted in the air—like the room inhaled sharply.
And then, everything went black.
A strange whooshing sound roared in my ears, like being sucked through a vacuum. My feet felt weightless, my heartbeat louder than logic.
BAM.
I landed—hard. The cold seeping through my back pulled a sharp groan from my lips as I jolted upright.
"What the hell..."
I blinked, once, twice—trying to anchor myself.
Stone walls surrounded me. Thick wooden beams crossed the ceiling. A single candle flickered on an iron holder near the bed I had apparently landed on.
I scanned the room. A sturdy oak desk littered with old parchment. A long sword mounted beside a weathered military coat. A uniform—ancient, royal, and terrifying.
This place screamed one thing.
A soldier's quarters.
But from another era. Something medieval. Something straight out of the fantasy books we just read.
"This can't be real."
I pinched myself—hard.
"Shit," I hissed, rubbing the red mark forming on my skin.
It hurt. Which meant this wasn't a dream.
Which meant...
I'm inside the book.
And if I'm here, what about Abi? What about Yami?
"Fuck," I muttered again, running a hand through my hair. I took a shaky breath and stared at the heavy door across the room. Nothing made sense—but the pounding in my chest told me one thing:
We weren't just reading stories anymore.
Yami's POV
I held the book for just a moment longer, fingers lingering on the worn spine. It felt strange—heavier somehow. More real than it should.
I hesitated. Then I placed it back on the shelf.
And everything shattered.
The world flipped. My mind screamed, my head throbbed like someone had cracked a hammer against it.
When I opened my eyes, I wanted to throw up.
Dust clouded the air around me as I pushed myself up from a rough stone floor.
I blinked hard, trying to adjust to the low, flickering light coming from a dying hearth.
The walls were cracked. Mold creeping up the corners. A shattered mirror in the corner reflected my dazed expression.
And my clothes...
What the actual hell?
A dull-colored robe draped over my body, tied messily at the waist. The fabric felt old, worn—like it had survived a century of use. I tugged at it with trembling fingers.
"Where the hell am I..." I whispered.
I stumbled to the window, pushed open the wooden panels. Outside—stone walls, watchtowers, guards in armor.
A castle.
A fucking castle.
"No. No, no, no..."
I stepped back, shaking. My heart pounded as fear clawed at my throat.
Where are Abi and Noah?
They were just here. We were in a library, laughing, reading, eating pasta and brownies and now—this?
I stared up at the ceiling, fury rising in my chest.
"God, if this is some kind of twisted joke—enough. Reincarnation was already a nightmare. Not this. I didn't ask for this again!"
My voice cracked at the end, desperation bleeding through my rage.
No answer came. Just silence. Heavy and cruel.
I clenched my jaw.
"Fine. Then I'll find them. Even if I have to burn this place down to do it."