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Angry red flames quickly covered the shelf, climbing up the wall with angry red fingers. Perci’s head whipped around as the smell of burning leather reached his nose. When he ran in the direction of the rising smoke, Mare was right behind him cursing herself for her forgetfulness and clumsiness.

“You left a torch here?!” Perci’s voice was hard and accusing as he squeezed between shelves until he made his way to the aisle where the books were burning. The source of the flames, the torch lay fallen on its side.

“Gods, what have I done?!” Mare cried, her eyes wide with panic as she shot forward to retrieve the burning torch.

Perci grabbed her and at the same time, the wooden book in his hand slipped between his fingers, landing in the flames.

“No!” he screamed. The book may be made from dragonwood but it was not infallible to the flames that began to lick the edges. Perci reached forward to save it, ignoring the rising fire as it consumed the dusty, dried pages of books, gaining more fue