Chapter 51

As I leaveThe Pyre Sanctum, the lingering heat from my magic still clings to my skin.

My veil flutters softly with each step I take as I make my way to one of my favorite gardens.

Thankfully, it's empty this time of day. I sit on a stone bench near a bed of spiky looking red flowers. Leaning closer, I sniff them, but they have no discernible scent.

As I straighten, footsteps approach from my left. I turn as Aleksander walks toward me.

"Hello," he says.

"Hello," I say as I glance back at that mysterious bed of flowers, wondering what species has such vibrant color yet no fragrance.

"I wouldn't touch them if I were you," Aleksander cautions. "They have tiny spines that can stick in your skin."

"Like a cactus?" I ask.

He nods as he comes to stand beside the bench and clenches his hand behind his back, just like Jasce does.

After a moment's hesitation where I toy with the fringe of my veil, I muster up the courage to confront him about his gift. "Why did you give me that book about crimson magic?"

His lips quirk up at the corners, as if he finds my question amusing. "Because I know you enjoy books. I thought you might like it."

His response eases some of my suspicion but doesn't fully dispel it.

I exhale, then delve into what's truly bothering me. "What do you know about the Phoenix I can summon?"

"Did you see a Phoenix?"

"Yes."

His jaw tightens ever so slightly, as if he's grappling with thoughts he'd rather keep buried.

"When I touched the Phoenix inside the book, it drew me into a vision." I reach for my hematite stone, clutching it between my fingers. "Do you know anything about Phoenix and visions?"

Aleksander's brow furrows, and he tilts his head as he speaks. "A Phoenix drew you into a vision? That sounds like quite the imaginative tale."

I clench my hands in the fabric of my cotehardie, trying to anchor myself to this moment, to the certainty of what I experienced. "It was real. I touched the image, and the Phoenix came alive."

He folds his arms as he regards me for a long moment. "Phoenix are creatures of destruction and restoration. They do not create visions."

Frustration simmers through my veins as I shake my head at him. "I know what I saw."

Aleksander steps closer, his expression softening into one of concern. "You've been through so much lately. Stress can conjure all sorts of illusions."

His words weave doubt into my thoughts, making me question the reality of my experience.

Maybe it was all a dream.

"Things have been stressful lately," I admit.

"You should rest," he says, his voice thick with empathy. "Clear your head."

"I... I should go," I manage to say as I rise from the bench.

He nods once. "Take care of yourself, Annora."

As I walk away from him and those strange flowers, Aleksander's words echo in my mind, mingling with doubt and leaving me to wonder about the Phoenix even more than before.