Lilith wandered into a bookshop. She often gent to parchment, whether it be for studying or for exploring in the safety of the warm libraries, she always returned to books. The bookkeepers in and around the city know her fondly and answer the same way. Today, she looks for something new. She wandered around the rows of books, looking for something to spark her interest. She sighed dismally when everything failed to do so. She was on the verge of quitting her quest when the librarian came up to her.

“Lilith, I heard you came in for something new?” The old man said. He was slightly taller than Lilith, though much frailer. A pair of round spectacles were perched precariously on the bridge of his nose. She turned and smiled warmly at him, the expression of disappointment replaced by gratitude.

“Yes, Mr. Thame. I was hoping to find something intriguing, however these aisles contain many that I have read before. Pray, sir, do you have a book in mind for me?” She replied, turning away from the shelves to face the kindly man.

“Why yes, I do. It just arrived from across the seas, and it is in a very delicate state right now. I was waiting for my apprentice to arrive back from his voyages so he may copy it before I allow people to read it, but I believe I am correct in assuming are in greater need of it currently?” He inquired, a little twinkle in his eyes. Before she could answer him, he hobbled off. She followed him dutifully.

He led her down a few flights of stairs, their shoes clacking loudly against the wood in the silence of the basement. He grabbed a lantern from atop a wooden crate, pulled a match from his coat pocket, and lit it. Immediately, the room filled with a golden light that seemed to dance on the loose pages that covered the crates and floors.

Lilith gasped in amazement. The basement was nearly the size of the library, and the books stacked even higher. Thousands of stories had lied beneath her feet for years, waiting patiently to be brought to the surface.

“My, this is wonderful! Are all libraries like this?” She asked, running her hand along inscriptions she couldn’t decipher. She carefully picked up a worn leather book, the sides cracking ominously even when she handled it with extreme care.

“Very few, my dear, very few.” Mr. Thame replied, slightly behind her. He limped towards a stack taller than many of the others, with a leather trunk resting well above his head. He looked around the ground, searching for something.

“May I aid you, Mr. Thame?” Lilith asked, replacing the leather volume carefully. She eyed it wistfully before moving to the librarian.

“Ah, well, I am looking for a ladder that I placed down here, but it seems to be missing.” He said, his voice slightly muffled as he peered in between two dark wooden crates. As he straightened, he groaned and mumbled something. Lilith guessed it was complaints of old age, as many of the elderly she knew did similar actions.

“I could retrieve the trunk if you wish. I’m sure I could climb one of the crates, they look stable enough.” She said, appraising the stacks that accompanied the desired one on each side. She began moving towards them.

“Be extremely careful, my dear, many of those crates are very old.” Mr. Thame said, concern showing in his gaze. She nodded in agreement and climbed the first box. Her feet found purchase on the next one, and so it continued until the top of the stack. The boxes beneath her groaned ominously, threatening to topple over and potentially injure her. She shook her head to rid the thoughts and looked at the trunk. It was just out of arms reach, slightly too far for her in her current position.

“You should come down now, Lilith, neither you nor myself need this book more than your bones.” Mr. Thame called from below. She didn’t dare risk a glance down, for she was sure she would only gain terror.

“I’m almost there, sir, I’ll be careful.” She replied, then began reaching for the trunk. The stack shifted beneath her, creaking like a ship in a storm. She forced herself to reach further still, her fingertips brushing against the case. With one last lean she managed to grab ahold of the handle and gently eased back. After swaying slightly in the air, she carefully made her way back down, the case in hand.

“That was marvelous, Lilith, simply marvelous!” Mr. Thame exclaimed when her foot touched the floor. She smiled sheepishly and handed the trunk over to the librarian. He heaved it onto a nearby table and unclasped the locks.

From the trunk he withdrew an old leather book. The cover was a diagram Lilith didn’t recognize, with inscriptions of an ancient tongue. Her fingers brushed the cover, feeling the wear in the leather. This was extremely old, nay, practically older than this city. Ancient.

“Do you know what it contains?” Lilith asked, picking up the hefty volume. In felt welcoming in her hands, like it was waiting for her.

“I was told from the merchant that it was about voyages through magical lands, though I haven’t gone through it myself.” He said, already moving towards the stairs. Lilith caught up with him quickly, however, as his movements were extremely slow.

“Don’t you wish to read the book yourself, sir?” She asked, confusion showing on her expression. She couldn’t comprehend someone who works at a library without wanting to read a mysterious book. It seemed contradictory.

“I’ve read plenty in my life, my dear, I can wait a little longer for something like that. Maybe you could tell it to me after you complete it, who knows?” He chuckled slightly; a knowing chuckle Lilith had heard from many elderly people before. It usually left the other person feeling like they were lost in the dark, with the elder the only one with the match.

“If you wish, sir.” She sighed, perhaps imagining such a life where curiosity was so little. Or whether she would be like Mr. Thame in her old age. She slipped the book into her bag and wrote her name on the checkout list.

“I really must be going now, my mother will be worried as I never usually stay this long. Thank you for your help, Mr. Thame.” She added cheerily. The old man replied his welcome, but she was already out the door, the bell chiming her exit.