CHAPTER THREE

The Library of the World was a physical map of time. As Iniola stepped out of the red pod, she didn't know whether to look left or right.

To her left, the library looked like it had been grown, not built. Gnarled tree branches formed the shelves, woven with golden thatch and dark, ancient wood. It smelled of dried herbs, old parchment, and woodsmoke. Here, the history of healing lived. There were scrolls from the first Chinese dynasties, clay tablets from English kingdoms, and leather-bound journals from the great healers of the African empires.

The attendants moved like shadows in heavy, druid-like robes. They didn't climb ladders; they simply tapped a small, glowing box at the end of each aisle. Within seconds, a fresh, crisp copy of whatever ancient text was requested would slide out of a slot.

"The originals are too old to touch," Katryn whispered. "The air from your lungs could turn them to dust."

On the right side, the vibe flipped completely. It was all glass, white light, and floating holographic displays. It looked like a research center from a century in the future. What shocked Iniola the most, however, weren't the books—it was the people. She saw white students, Asian students, and people with skin tones she couldn't even name, all huddled over desks.

"Wait, foreigners come here?" Iniola asked, her voice hitching.

Katryn looked at her like she’d asked if water was wet. "Why does that surprise you? This is the best nursing academy in the world. Every legendary nurse you’ve ever heard of—past or future—trained in these halls."

Iniola froze. "Future? Like… people who haven't been born yet? Katryn, abeg, where is here? What state are we in? What country?"

Katryn stopped walking and turned to her. "How did you even apply if you don’t know where you are?"

"I didn't!" Iniola cried, her hands flying to her head. "Mummy did everything. She said my father’s people wanted to meet me. I haven't even seen any of them yet!"

Katryn’s eyes widened, her expression shifting from confusion to a strange kind of respect. "So... you are Eewin too? But you don’t have the mark."

"Eewin?" Iniola repeated, her mind flashing to the scary spirits in old Yoruba movies. "Like the forest beings? Are we inside a tree? Is everyone here a spirit?"

"Look at one," Katryn said, subtly pointing to a student standing just a few feet away.

At first glance, the girl looked normal—pretty, even. She was wearing a simple nursing tunic. But then the girl turned her head. A third eye, narrow and glowing with a faint amber light, sat perfectly in the center of her forehead. Her ears weren't rounded; they were long, tapering upward into elegant points that twitched at the sound of Iniola’s voice.

The girl smiled, and Iniola’s heart stopped. Instead of flat human teeth, the girl had rows of needle-sharp, shimmering fangs.

"I am Rachael," the girl said, her voice sounding like two stones rubbing together. "I am your cousin. My mother said you were finally coming to school with us. You look just like Uncle Mi, ooo."

The room began to spin. The futuristic lights blurred into the ancient wooden branches. The reality of her father’s people hit Iniola like a physical blow to the chest.

My cousin has three eyes, was her last coherent thought before the floor rushed up to meet her and everything went black.