First Steps

When Elena opened her eyes, she was no longer in the chamber. She stood in the same library, but everything was different. The books were newer, the air fresher, and through the windows, she could see horse-drawn carriages instead of cars.

"What year is this?" she wondered aloud.

A voice behind her made her jump. "1892, miss. Are you quite all right?"

Elena turned to find a young man in Victorian attire, his expression a mixture of concern and curiosity. He held a stack of books in his arms, clearly a library assistant.

"I... yes, I'm fine," Elena stammered, trying to process what had happened. "Just a bit disoriented."

The young man set down his books and approached her. "You look as though you've seen a ghost. Perhaps you should sit down. I'm Thomas, by the way. Thomas Blackwood."

As Elena sat in a nearby chair, her mind raced. The book had worked. She had actually traveled through time. But how would she get back? And more importantly, why had her grandmother wanted her to find this power?

"Miss?" Thomas's voice brought her back to the present—or rather, the past. "You seem troubled. Is there anything I can help you with?"

Elena looked at him, this stranger from another century, and made a decision. If she was going to navigate this new reality, she would need an ally.

"Actually, Thomas, there is something you can help me with. But first, you need to promise me you'll keep an open mind about what I'm about to tell you."

Thomas raised an eyebrow but nodded. "I'm listening."

And so Elena began to explain, watching as disbelief, wonder, and finally acceptance crossed the young man's face. She had taken her first steps into a much larger world than she had ever imagined.