The room shimmered and dissolved, fading like smoke on the wind, leaving Zafron standing alone in Aphrodite's vast library. He blinked, his breath hitching as he glanced around. Shelves stretched endlessly, filled with tomes that practically hummed with ancient energy. Yet, for all their power and presence, Aphrodite herself was conspicuously absent.
'What the hell just happened?' he thought, his body still tingling from their last encounter. 'She said we had time. Why pull the plug now?'
He called out her name, his voice echoing in the cavernous space, but no answer came. A faint draft ruffled his hair, urging him toward the towering double doors at the far end of the library. Unease prickled along his spine, but he moved forward, pushing the doors open with both hands.