Chapter 6: Secrets in the Archives

The castle was quiet, the moon displaying silvery beams of shadow through the tall windows as Olivia crawled down the long corridors. The torchlights flashed on the stone walls, creating shadows that danced threateningly. Her heart raced not because of fear, but from the serious sense of curiosity that had brought her here, she had come to the archives with a self-determination to uncover the secret about herself and the timeline.

The archives were designed to be buried deep in the castle's foundations, a complex structure of forgotten knowledge and secrets. Olivia had never moved there before; it was one of the many places her brothers had warned her to stay away from. But after everything she'd uncovered so far, Lila's strange behavior, Austin's ways of avoiding her questions, and the scary visions in the Hall of Mirrors—she could no longer ignore the disturbing questions circulating in her mind.

Olivia pushed open the heavy oak door to the archives, its hinges giving a creaking sound due to the ages it had been opened. Dust filled the air, and the small smell of old documents and leather attacked her immediately when she stepped inside. The room was massive, with rows of shelves being extremely long into the darkness, lit only by a few dim lanterns.

She pulled her clothes tighter around her shoulders and began her search. It didn't take long for her to notice that many of the records were written in codes and symbols she couldn't understand, they seemed like old languages or secret words that existed long before her existence. Frustration came upon her as she opened through ledger after ledger, each one different compared to the last one.

Just as she was about to give up, a leather-bound book caught her eye. It sat alone on a table, its cover was designed with the family crest but slightly different—there was a strange, unfamiliar symbol in the center of it. Her hands kept shaking as she opened it, the pages were hard to open because they had melted together for a long time.

The ledger wasn't like the others. It was written in clear, beautiful handwriting, and it detailed events and notes that showed centuries. Olivia's name appeared several times, even on entries dated long before she was born.

One entry stopped her while reading through and it made her hand cold. It read:

"Her origins are unlike any other. Her purpose must remain hidden at all costs, for if she discovers the truth, the consequences will be beyond repair."

Olivia's chest tightened as she reread the words. What purpose? What truth? The entry was signed with initials she didn't recognize.

She turned the page and found another scary note:

"She is the thread that holds the tapestry together, but even a single fray could unravel it all. Guard her, guide her, but never let her know."

Her hands shook as her mind raced. Was this about her? Were her brothers, her entire family keeping something from her?

Before she could read further, the sound of voices sounded down the corridor outside the archives. She froze, her heart pounding. Quickly, she closed the ledger and hid herself behind one of the larger shelves, peeping through a gap in the wood.

Paul and Tom entered the room, their expressions firm. They didn't seem to notice the small light coming from the lantern she had left on the table.

"She's getting too close," Paul said, his tone low but sharp.

Tom sighed heavily. "I warned you this would happen. Olivia isn't like the others. She's different. It's only a matter of time before she puts it all together, we all know she is a special one."

Paul raised his hand and brushed through his hair with it, walking around the room in discomfort and murmuring. "We can't let her find out. If she does" He kept quiet and went deep in thought, his voice breaking slightly. "You know what the Weaver will do."

The mention of the Weaver sent a shiver down Olivia's body. Her grip on the shelf tightened as she tried to hear more.

"She's closer than she thinks," Tom said, his voice filled with a mix of frustration and resignation. "Every step she takes toward the truth is another step closer to everything falling apart."

Paul stopped the walk around and turned to his brother, his voice urgent. "We made a promise to protect her, no matter what. But if she keeps digging, she'll force our hand. Are you ready for that?"

Tom hesitated, his face filled with doubt. "No. But what choice do we have?"

Olivia's breath seized in her throat. Her brothers were hiding something this big, something that could change everything she thought she knew about herself and her place in this timeline.

Their words confirmed her suspicions—she wasn't just another noblewoman with a troubled past. She was something far more important, and far more dangerous.

As their voices faded and they left the archives, Olivia stepped out of her hiding place, her determination hardening.

She looked back at the ledger on the table, its secret words kept playing in her mind. If her brothers thought they could protect her by keeping her in the dark, they were wrong. Whatever secrets they were hiding, whatever truth they feared would scatter the timeline in this world, Olivia vowed to uncover it.

But deep down, she couldn't forget the feeling that the cost of knowing might be higher than she was prepared to pay.