I felt the ladder wobble beneath me, my fingers just grazing the spine of the reference book I needed. The Sterling Group's library was impressive—three walls of floor-to-ceiling shelves filled with technical manuals and research papers that would make any scientist drool. But right now, all I cared about was that one thermal dynamics text just beyond my reach.
"Come on," I muttered, stretching further.
My fingertips brushed the book, nudging it slightly. Almost there. I rose onto my tiptoes, the metal ladder creaking ominously. One more inch...
The ladder shifted suddenly. My stomach dropped as I felt myself losing balance. The book forgotten, I scrambled to grab something—anything—to stop my fall.
But instead of the hard floor, I crashed into something firm yet yielding. Strong arms wrapped around me, catching me mid-fall. The momentum sent us both stumbling backward, but whoever caught me managed to stay upright.
