Chapter 12: Crumbling Truths

The castle's big library was lighted a little, the heavy cover clothes drawn tightly across the windows. Olivia stood in the center of the room, her heart pounding. held in her hands was a bundle of evidence she had gathered, pieces of letters, secret notes, and the crest she had found. This was the moment she had to confront Paul and Tom, the brothers who had sworn to protect her but were now clearly hiding something.

Paul and Tom entered the room, their faces were filled with both concern and confusion. Paul, always the gentle one among the two, spoke first. "Olivia, what's this about? You look upset."

"Don't play me like a fool and don't act like you don't know with me," Olivia snapped, slamming the papers onto the table. "I've been trying to understand everything and put them together—your lies, your secrets, everything you've hidden from me. It's time for the truth."

Tom's face darkened, and his usual confident attitude was disappearing. "Olivia, whatever you think you've found, you're wrong. We've done nothing but protect you."

"Protect me?!" Olivia laughed bitterly. "Is that what you call keeping me in the dark? I found letters between the two of you, letters discussing my 'true role' and the dangers of my survival. How long have you been lying to me?"

Paul went for the papers, his expression firm as he read through the contents. "Where did you find these?" he asked quietly.

"In the forbidden wing," Olivia said, her voice steady despite the troubles developing in her heart. "The place you told me never to go. You've been hiding these from me for years, haven't you?"

Paul sighed, rubbing his forehead. "Olivia, you don't understand. It's not what you think."

"Then explain it to me!" she asked.

Tom stepped forward, his jaw remained firm together. "We've been trying to keep you safe. That's all we've ever done. These letters are very old, and they are from a period in which we didn't fully understand what was happening."

"But I know you understand now, don't you?" Olivia asked further. "You know what I am, what my survival means. Tell me the truth, Tom!"

Tom hesitated, his gaze moving to Paul, who gave him a warning look. "Olivia, it's complicated," Tom began.

"Make it simple," Olivia answered back.

Unable to stop or reduce her anger, Olivia took one of the letters and began to read aloud.

"Her survival threatens the balance. If she learns the truth, the Weaver's wrath will descend upon us all."

Olivia's voice broke as she looked up at her brothers. "You knew this whole time that I was connected to the Weaver. You knew my survival was dangerous, and you didn't tell me. Why?"

Paul stepped closer, his expression filled with guilt. "Because we didn't know how to tell you. You've always been different, Olivia. Special. But we didn't want you to bear this burden alone."

"That's not your choice to make!" Olivia shouted, her voice sounding round the library. "You lied to me, and now everything is scattering."

Tom sighed, his shoulders dropping. "You're right, Olivia. We lied to you. But it wasn't to hurt you. It was to protect you from the truth—and from yourself."

"What truth?" Olivia asked further.

Tom opened his mouth to speak, but before he could say anything, a low sound of things scattering echoed through the room. The ground underneath their feet began to shake, and the books on the shelves were falling violently on each other.

"What's happening?" Olivia asked, her voice filled with panic.

Paul's face turned faded as he looked around. "The timeline is getting affected again. It's reacting to something, your discovery, maybe."

The walls of the library began to shine brightly and bend as if they were being pulled into another dimension. Cracks formed on the floor, shining with a strange, delicate light.

Tom grabbed Olivia's arm, his holding of her arm was firm but not harsh. "We have to get out of here. Now."

"No!" Olivia withdrew her arm free from his own. "Not until you tell me the truth. What am I? What does the Weaver want from me?"

Tom looked at Paul, desperation in his eyes. "She deserves to know," he said.

Paul hesitated, then nodded. "Fine. Olivia, you're not who you think you are. Your connection to the Weaver runs deeper than you can imagine. You're—"

Before he could finish, the ceiling above them cracked open, particles dropping down as the timeline's fracture intensified. A burst of light came out from one of the cracks, blinding them all.

The last thing Olivia heard before the library collapsed around them was Tom's voice shouting, "Run!"