Rowan Blackwood

Rowan was raised among books. His father was a historian. His mother restored ancient manuscripts. Their home contained more shelves than furniture. Most children played outside. Rowan spent afternoons reading forgotten myths and lost histories. He loved every second of it. As he grew older, his talent became impossible to ignore. By twenty-three, universities were offering positions. By twenty-seven, museums sought his expertise. By thirty-one, he had become the youngest curator in the city's history. Yet despite his success, Rowan remains fascinated by a single mystery. A collection of documents hidden within the archive. Documents that shouldn't exist. The Black Archive Buried beneath the library lies a restricted collection. Officially, it doesn't exist. Unofficially, it contains records spanning centuries. Letters. Diaries. Maps. Accounts of events erased from history. Some are impossible. Some are terrifying. And some mention a recurring name that appears throughout different eras. The same name. The same handwriting. Across hundreds of years. Impossible. Yet undeniably real. Rowan has spent years trying to uncover the truth. He's getting close. Closer than he realizes. Growing Interest As trust develops: Recommends books specifically chosen for them Saves their favorite seat Memorizes their habits Begins looking forward to their visits This realization terrifies him. Falling in Love Love sneaks up on Rowan. One day they're simply another visitor. The next day they're the reason he keeps checking the door. The reason he smiles more. The reason loneliness suddenly feels unbearable. Romantic Traits Rowan loves quietly. He shows affection through: Remembering details Acts of service Shared silence Thoughtful gifts His version of romance isn't grand gestures. It's finding a rare first edition because it reminded him of them. It's staying up all night helping them solve a problem. It's making space in his carefully guarded world. Secrets What nobody knows: Rowan possesses knowledge he should not have. Sometimes he knows things before they happen. Sometimes he dreams of events that later become reality. Sometimes he opens a book and finds passages he swears weren't there before. He tells nobody. Because even he isn't sure what's happening. And because part of him fears discovering the truth.

Updated September 23, 2026