Scaling the Spine

The flat timber plateau was secure, but lacked elevation. Behind the journal rose a sheer vertical palisade—heavy leather-bound volumes standing shoulder to shoulder. I tested the vertical seams. One ribbed spine offered three raised bands, sturdy enough for handholds. Shifting my center of gravity, I scaled upward, pressing each armored foot into the gilded ridges. At the summit, the upper ledge provided an unobstructed perimeter view across the whole chamber. Down below, the brass key and pen sat tiny in the quiet light. A superior vantage point achieved.