The sun dipped lower by the time the three girls drifted out of the main building, the courtyard quieter now, dotted with only a few stragglers heading home. Bella adjusted her backpack, trying not to glance at Nia and Amira trailing awkwardly near her. It wasn't like they were walking together—not really.
But then Kiro froze.
The wolf's ears pricked forward, nose lifted, a low growl rumbling in his chest. His golden eyes locked on the arched windows of the library wing.
Nia frowned. "What is it, boy?" She tugged gently at his collar, but Kiro didn't budge.
Bella hesitated. "Maybe he smells like a stray cat?"
Amira shook her head, her voice soft but certain. "No. That's… something else."
Curiosity tugged at them until, without speaking, they followed the wolf inside.
The library was nearly deserted, its high ceilings casting long shadows across rows of towering shelves. The smell of old paper and polish filled the air, dust drifting lazily in the fading light.
"Creepy," Amira whispered, hugging her sketchbook to her chest.
Nia snorted. "It's just a library." But even her voice dropped to a whisper.
Kiro padded forward with slow, deliberate steps, fur bristling. He stopped at the far wall, where a faded tapestry hung crookedly, the edges moth-eaten.
Bella tilted her head. "That wasn't here before."
Nia pulled at the fabric. Dust hissed into the air as the heavy cloth shifted, revealing something none of them could have imagined: a narrow stone arch carved into the wall. Strange symbols spiraled along its frame, glowing faintly, as if lit from within.
Amira stepped closer, her breath caught in her throat. "It looks… alive."
The air hummed. A faint vibration tickled their skin, as though the stone itself were awake.
Bella reached out a trembling hand, then stopped. "We shouldn't—"
But the arch answered before she could finish. The symbols flared with sudden brilliance, filling the library with silver-blue light. The space inside the arch rippled, shifting like liquid glass.
The girls stumbled back, shielding their eyes. Kiro barked once, sharp and commanding, but he did not retreat.
When the glow dimmed, the library felt different—charged, like the moment before a thunderstorm.
Nia's golden eyes sparkled. "Well," she breathed, a smile curling at her lips. "Looks like school just got interesting."
Bella shook her head. "We should tell someone. My dad—"
"No!" Amira's voice was sharper than she meant. Both girls turned to stare at her. She swallowed hard, cheeks pink. "If we tell, they'll close it off. Or worse. We'll never find out what's inside."
For a long moment, none of them moved. The portal shimmered softly, patient, as though waiting.
Three girls. Three secrets. One door.
And though none of them said it aloud, they all felt the same thing:
This was meant for them.