I discovered this place when I was small, following the shadows and sunbeams through stone corridors.

The stairs warm themselves in the morning light, each step holding heat like a promise.

I would curl up in the corner where two walls meet, my book balanced on bent knees, reading until the sun climbed too high and the stones grew blazing.

But that's the secret of this place - it offers refuge for every mood the day brings.

When the heat becomes too much, I retreat up here, where the arched openings catch whispers of wind. The shadows shift like gentle friends, offering cool pockets where I can disappear into stories.

Sometimes I trace the patterns carved into the stone with my fingertips, wondering about the hands that shaped them. Did they know a girl would one day find comfort here? Did they carve these curves thinking of afternoon light and evening breezes?

In the cooler hours, I return to the warmed steps, feeling the day's heat still radiating up through my back. The stone remembers the sun long after it's moved on.

Just like I remember the stories I've read here, carrying them with me wherever I go.