Welcome to Magicae Libri (Magic books, for every need you could have!)

Magicae Libri (Magic books, for every need you could have!). The sign swings above the door, creaking on hinges that sound like they haven’t been oiled in hundreds of years. They’re brand new, but I want them to sound like that; it adds to the atmosphere of my store. When I open the door, a wind chime tinkles in a slightly melancholy way. The windows of the door are spic and span, glass colored bright purple, the color of magic.

Inside the books are all arrayed beautifully on shelves. magical artifacts line the walls, and dust swirls in the air. Light filters down from an intricate skylight which crowns the building.

I take a step back to survey my masterpiece. My violet robe swishes around me, the velvet heavily draping across my shoulders, the mink fur lining it shedding onto the cobbled pathway beneath me.

I move backward again, and then one more time, and step on someone’s foot. It’s you! Sorry, I didn’t see you there. Oh, you want to come in? You really shouldn’t… Oh well, I can’t deny you. We’re open. After almost a thousand years of chasing this dream it’s finally mine.

Oh, yes. I am immortal. Don't look so surprised, haven't you met someone who's immortal before?

Oh, thank you for noticing. I do look quite good for my age, don't I?

Go on, go inside! You’ll see; the books don’t bite. Well, most of them don’t. 

Would you like a drink? Come sit in the armchair by the fire. I’ll bring you some tea, or some cocoa, or some coffee. Whichever you prefer.

The fire turns blue as you sit beside it. The color of calm. Well, good. I’m glad you feel calm here. Stay awhile.

The tea is piping hot and ready for you to drink. Peppermint really is the best flavor, you couldn’t have chosen better.

Oh look, it’s snowing outside. Lovely thing, isn’t it? Snow. It's so bright. It sparkles so pleasantly.

Well, have a look around! The books here are all magical, I promise you. See, there’s one that will keep you free of pesky pimples and zits whenever you carry it with you.

There’s one that can keep you looking fresh and young, even when you are old, gray-haired, and wrinkled.

There’s even one that can give you brief glimpses of the future if you hold it in your hands. That one’s dangerous though, as it never shows you what you want to see. It usually shows you your worst moments. Then you try so hard to make it so they don't come true that you end up making them come true! Those stories really are quite sad.

Ah, I see you getting up. What is it that interests you?

Oh, the fire is red now. The color of passion. There is something you really need here, isn’t there?

No... Don't go over there. That's my private office.

It looks just like all the other bookshelves? No, no. I assure you, it's not. The books over there aren't for sale.

What about that one? Well, what is it?

Ah, that’s it. The Book of Love. It’s supposed to tell you who your soulmate is. If you believe in that sort of thing.

Really? I wouldn’t have thought you were the type, dressed in that dark cloak you’re wearing, not even willing to speak to me.

Don’t look at me like that. I’m just observing. No judgment here. Of course you want to find your one true love. Doesn’t everyone?

Stop staring at me. Really, you’re making me extremely uncomfortable.

Oh you’d like to pay?

Of course. Of course you can pay. No problem with that at all. Just step right over here.

But are you sure no other book interests you? Perhaps that one, over there. Wouldn’t you like invulnerability? Teleportation? Echolocation?

Never mind, that last one's a little weird.

Stop stepping forward like that. You’re going to back me into the fire! Why are you doing this?

Oh… oh my. Look at that! The color of the fire has changed! It’s yellow. Happiness and hope. See, I am not judging. I am hopeful for you.

What was that? Yellow is the color of deceit? What a coincidence! 

No, no. I'm not deceiving you.

Yes, I just felt the fire burn brighter. But I promise you, I'm deceiving you for a good reason.

See, green. The color of nature. It's pure.

Also the color of fear? I suppose, but that's not what it is...

The knife in my hand? No, I wasn’t going to use it on you. I don’t know what you’re talking about.

Excuse me, I really need to get away from this fire. It’s burning me.

You’re not going to let me? You’re still suspicious of the knife in my hand?

You know what? Just take one book, any book, for free. But not that one.

Why not? Maybe I’m also the sentimental type. I’d like to read it myself.

No! Don’t open it!

I cannot believe you just did that.

Yes, it’s me. Stop glaring at me. It’s not like I’m happy about it either! I tried to warn you. I’m your soulmate, your ‘one true love’. But it’s false. False I tell you! I am not capable of love. I’d sooner die.

And now you’ve just gone about and bound our souls together. We can’t both read it or that’s the consequence. Nice going! I’m stuck with you for eternity.

You still want to know why I was trying to kill you? Well, isn’t it obvious? I don’t want our souls tied.

But it’s too late now, isn’t it. You’re going to live forever now, and you are going to stay out of the way, maybe down in the cellar, while I run the shop.

And just remember, if you sit there for the rest of your existence, this is all your fault.

Hey, what are you doing? I’m supposed to be your one true love!

Don’t you dare lock me in my own cellar! This is my bookshop! My dream. You can’t take that away from me. You can’t run it on your own. You don’t know how!

You’re not changing your mind, are you, with those blank eyes and that set face.

Well then, goodbye. Come visit me every couple hundred years. Maybe we can grow to love each other. I'd really like to be out of this cage.