Book of Fates ✔

Questions

The guy.

It was him. The customer who asked for the non-existent book.

There was something off about him the first time she saw him, and he was even more bemusing now.

The fact that he was discovered didn't trouble the stranger at all. He continued staring at Anya from across the hall. She felt like drowning for a moment. A chilly shiver ran down her spine. His copper eyes were peering into hers with amusement, while his lips pressed together as if in hesitation.

Did he recognize me as well?

With a heavy knot in her stomach, Anya forced herself to break the eye contact. The world was still spinning around her.

Anya grabbed Max's arm, afraid that her legs would give way under her.

"What's wrong?" Max looked at her, worried.

"Nothing, I just..." She gasped for a breath. "Can you go buy me an ice cream?"

Before leaving, Max asked something else. Anya just nodded, not listening. She searched the crowd for the familiar stranger, but he vanished.

It couldn't be a hallucination.

Anya ducked behind one of the columns in the corner of the hall. There she could observe everything without being seen.

Soon, Anya saw him again. He stood among the people, glancing around occasionally, thinking. He couldn't see Anya now.

But she could see him. Should I come say hello? Or not? Apparently, we've met before otherwise why would he be staring at me?

Along the wall, there was a row of artificial flowers. Their dusty lime leaves cast mischievous shadows on the floor. And it dawned on Anya. I've seen the guy before the shop. I've seen him in a... dream?

"Nonsense," she muttered to herself. "How can you meet a character of your imagination in the real life?"

She raised her eyes back at the guy. He headed to the stairs, leaving.

At the time Anya was considering going after the familiar stranger and confronting him with questions, a man and a woman stopped in the center of the foyer, blocking the view.

The two of them were arguing passionately. The man was constantly tugging at the collar of his dark shirt. The woman was twisting a lock of her wine-red hair around her finger, interjecting a word or two that would nettle the man.

Irritated, Anya frowned. Her eyes drew a line from where the couple was standing to the exit. From time to time, she was good at this imaginary trick. Was it the power of thought or just wishful thinking? It didn't matter. These two people didn't move.

Damn you.

Instantly, the man cocked his head and looked at Anya with his black eyes. It was as though he knew exactly where she was. Did she say it out loud? No. Even if she did, he wouldn't hear her. But the man was looking squarely into her eye. Why was everyone staring at her tonight? Anger flicked over his face, then a glint of curiosity.

She felt numb. She wanted to run, but it seemed impossible to hide from the penetrating eyes of the man.

"Anya?" From behind, someone touched her shoulder.

She froze. Where did all this panic come from? She was in the hall full of people. It was as bright as day. What could possibly happen to her?

She pushed all the fears away from her mind and looked over her shoulder. Him again.

"Pretend you know me," the familiar stranger whispered in her ear. His eyes darted toward the black-eyed man, then back to Anya. "My name is Nikk. That's all you need to know."