Page 58 of A Fate in Flames

The question stirred all the emotions I had tried to bury right back up to the surface.I stilled, gripping the railing a little tighter.

“I… um—” Words failed me, dissolving on my tongue before I could shape them.“It was as intimidating as you might imagine.I learned my lesson, and believe me, I wouldn’t want another meeting with him or his snake again.”

“He is terrifying,” Mira agreed.“Well, the king also, but his serpent…” she shivered violently, “They say one touch from his flames feels like you’re being burned alive from the inside out.”

My brows knitted.That wasn’t what had happened at all.

I could’ve stayed on that walkway forever, lost in the peace it seemed to bring with it, but time was not mine to waste.With reluctant steps, I followed Mira as she led us onward.

Double doors loomed ahead, their massive frames intricately etched with ancient symbols.Mira pressed her palms against them, and the doors swung inward on silent hinges.

The moment I stepped inside, I froze, stunned.

It was unlike anything I’d ever seen.

The scent of ink on parchment saturated the vast library.Though there were no visible windows, light had filled the space through unseen sources, illuminating the towering shelves that stretched endlessly upward into the stone walls.Hundreds, no,thousandsof books lined them, their spines gilded in gold and silver.Whispering of knowledge I never imagined I’d find in a place like this.

“This is—” I trailed off, unable to express what I was feeling.“I didn’t think something like this would even exist here.”

Mira beamed, clearly pleased.“There is every kind of book you can imagine.Stories, history, magic…”

As I walked beside the nearest shelf, I traced along the spines, the gold engravings glinting beneath my touch.I moved in a daze, drawn forward until my hand stilled as one title snagged my attention.

“Dalkhan, King of the Lands.”

I frowned.

Lands?

“I thought he was the king of the Jinn,” I muttered.

Mira’s gaze sharpened.She stepped closer, following my line of sight.

“There are different dominions within the Jinn realm,” she explained.“Each ruled by a king or queen.We are in the Lands orAradhias it is known in formal speech.”

She scanned the shelves, plucking out a thick tome and placing it into my hands.“Here,” she said, tapping the cover.“This will tell you everything there is to know.”

I glanced back at the first book, hesitating only for a moment before pulling it down as well, stacking it atop the one she had given me.

Across the library, Tavrik busied himself looking at books bound in blood-red leather titled War and Battle.

Shocking.

Meanwhile, Theo stood uselessly in the middle, his eyes following every passing female.

I sighed as I approached, giving him a nudge to break his trance.I couldn’t even blame him, they were beautiful.

“Grab a book Theo.Learnsomething.”

He scoffed.“I’ll have you know, I’mquiteknowledgeable.”

“Right.”I snorted, shifting the books to one arm.“About battle strategy or about how to wink at women from across the room?”

Without missing a beat, he stuck his tongue out at me.

Very mature.Very knowledgeable.

“Hello, Mira.”