CHAPTER 15:THE KEEPER'S SECRET.

The silver-vined archway led Maya into a room unlike any other she had seen in the library. It was smaller, more intimate, shaped like a dome with walls covered in soft, glowing script. The words flowed like streams—unreadable yet calming, as though the room itself was humming lullabies made of forgotten stories.

In the center stood a low, round table with a single book resting on it—thick and bound in dark wood, with golden clasps holding it shut. Strange symbols flickered across its surface like fleeting fireflies.

She stepped closer. Unlike the other books, this one didn't call out to be opened. It felt guarded. Protected.

And then, she heard a familiar voice behind her.

"You've made it farther than most."

Maya turned sharply.

The Keeper stood there, tall and composed, his cloak shifting like the pages of a turning book. His expression was calm, but his eyes held something new—concern.

"I was beginning to wonder if you would find this place," he said, stepping closer. "Not many do."

"What is this room?" Maya asked, her voice low.

"This is the Chamber of Truth," he replied. "Where the secrets of the Library are kept—where even the walls remember things long buried."

He gestured toward the book on the table. "That is the Ledger of Origins. It holds the history of every Keeper, every writer, every threat this library has ever faced."

Maya's heart skipped. "Including the Eraser?"

The Keeper nodded slowly. "Yes. Including him."

He walked to the table and gently placed his hand on the book. The clasps clicked open, and the cover lifted slowly on its own. Pages began flipping, faster than wind could turn them, until they stopped midway through.

Maya leaned in to read.

The story revealed a time long ago, when the first Keepers were chosen—individuals who could not only read stories but *shape