The Magical Library

Chapter One

The Riddle

"Three steps left!"

"No, two!"

"Anis, you're going the wrong way!"

"I am NOT!"

Her cousin's laughter echoed through Grandma's house as the two children raced down the hallway.

They had been searching for almost twenty minutes.

The prize?

Cookies.

Grandma's homemade chocolate-chip cookies.

But there was one problem.

Grandma had hidden them.

And she had given them a riddle.

"I told you," Anis said, putting her hands on her hips. "It's two steps."

Her cousin pointed toward the kitchen.

"You've been saying that for ten minutes."

"Because I'm close!"

"You said that ten minutes ago too."

"Then I'm still close."

Her cousin groaned.

From the living room, Grandma laughed.

"You two haven't found them yet?"

"Grandma!" Anis shouted. "Your riddle is too hard!"

"Too hard?"

"Yes!"

"Then perhaps you should think a little more."

Anis frowned.

Grandma always said that.

Whenever Anis asked for the answer, Grandma never gave it.

She only smiled.

That was how the game had started.

The first time, Grandma had hidden a small packet of sweets.

The second time, it was cookies.

The third time, a little toy.

Every time Anis solved one, Grandma made the next riddle harder.

And every time, Anis promised herself:

This one will be the last.

It never was.

She liked the prize.

But she liked the riddle more.

There was something exciting about not knowing.

Her cousin didn't understand that.

"Why don't you just ask Grandma?"

Anis stared at him.

"That's cheating."

"She literally made the game."

"Exactly. And we have to solve it ourselves."

Her cousin sighed.

"Fine. What's the clue again?"

Anis repeated it slowly.

"I am close when you stop looking for me.
I sleep where old memories stay.
I am not where you think I am,
but I am closer than you know."

Her cousin stared at the ceiling.