*Ember*
A thrill passed through me as I took Alec's hand. His palm was warm against mine as he tugged me gently from the room and into the hallway. A bolt of excitement rolled in my chest as I followed him.
The thought that I might go to the library whenever I liked was deliciously novel to me. It felt like a wildly rebellious thing to stride so boldly down the corridors towards such a forbidden place. What would my father say if he could see me now?
As I trailed after Alec, my hand still held tightly in his, I did my best to memorize the path we took since I hoped to travel it often. We made our way downstairs, but instead of heading towards the back of the manor where we had eaten a few hours prior, we veered in the opposite direction.
Finally, we stopped before a set of double doors
