Page 91 of When Roses Burn

“The sprites are doing their best.”

“I know.” When he looked at my fisted hand, I opened it and flexed my fingers. “It’s… it’s very strong.”

“The dying rosebush is strong?”

“Yes. I don’t understand it either. As an unbound sorceress, before my Needing, I drew most of my power from nature.”

“I remember.”

I’d told him this many years ago, but I was amazed he remembered it. “I think that either because the rose was once a shifter, or because I’m still unbound, it feels a lot stronger than I would have expected.”

“Do you think you’re still drawing most of your power from nature?”

“I’m not sure, but I must be if I’m not bound to one of the gods… maybe. I don’t know,” I finished on a mutter.

I looked past him to the closed wooden doors. A large tree with far-reaching branches was carved into them to create an impressive structure with numerous limbs and thousands of leaves.

I was still gawking at the door when he grasped one of the wooden handles. “Welcome to the library.”

When he pulled the door open, I couldn’t stop myself from rushing inside before coming to an awkward, lurching halt. I gasped as my hand flew to my throat. The sound was so loud that it rebounded around the vast room and bounced off the thousands of books filling the towering shelves.

My head tipped back as I tried to take it all in, but the more I saw, the more there was to see. It was amazing!

And that word didn’t do it justice. It was the most spectacular, breathtaking, stupendous room I’d ever seen. It contained more books than I’d ever dreamed of seeing in my lifetime, never mind having access to read them.

There were no windows, but light filtered in from the hole in the center of the domed roof. And one of the tallest trees I’d ever seen grew through that roof. Its branches spread across the opening, blocking much of it, but patches of gray sky poked through the tree’s unfurling leaves.

More branches spread throughout the room, creating a magical forest. Swings hung from a few of those limbs; they didn’t move, but I could easily imagine swaying back and forth on one with a book in my lap. A ladder leaned against the trunk, providing access to the branches where someone could sit and read against the tree.

The large hole in the center of the wooden floor allowed plenty of room for the tree’s massive trunk and roots. A border of golden bricks rimmed the hole. Etched into the bricks were books with different titles, as well as the words, To Read is to Breathe. I circled the tree and discovered the words “Tree of Knowledge” on the other side.

“My… oh… it’s… it’s… spectacular,” I breathed. “The tree of knowledge.”

“It’s sister, the tree of unity, is in the grand entry.”

“Oh, of course,” I whispered.

I turned in a circle as I tried to take it all in. “How do you keep rain from getting onto the books?” I asked.

“There’s glass over the dome.”

“There is?”

I saw no sign of the glass; it was spotless. The sprites must fly up there every day and scrub it while they nourished the tree. While the tree wasn’t as leafed out as it should be, it was healthy.

On the way here, all I’d cared about seeing was the books. Now, I itched to touch that tree as much as I longed to run my fingers over the countless spines filling this room.

Between the earthy aroma of the dirt, the fresh scent of the tree, and the rich, musky odor of the books, I was sure this was what heaven smelled like. This was a dream come true.

When I got closer to the tree, I trailed my fingers across a low-hanging limb. A thrill of power shot through me; I closed my eyes, absorbing the strength of this beautiful creation.

I couldn’t believe how much power thrummed through it. A current of energy ran from the tree, through my fingertips, and straight into my soul, where it nourished a part of me that I hadn’t realized was thirsting for more. It helped make me whole.

Closing my eyes, I trailed my fingers down the branch as I moved closer to the trunk. I savored this feeling of strength and rightness until my toes bumped into the golden bricks.

Opening my eyes, I lowered my hand and stepped over the bricks. I approached the tree and rested my palms against its trunk. When I did so, my heart lurched as all the hair on my arms and nape stood on end. The power crackled like electricity, but it wasn’t painful; it was exhilarating.

Only Seth had made me feel this alive before, but that sensation was completely different than this one. Being with him had been pure joy and bliss.