[center][img]http://i.imgur.com/AiePTnS.png[/img]
[h3]The Library[/h3][/center]

	The scent of books was one that could always calm Zaylin’s nerves, no matter the circumstances. Here, surrounded by the knowledge of ages and basking in the sweet redolence of vanillin, it felt almost like nothing of ill consequence could possibly happen. The mere sight of paper, glue, and the various bindings pushed the rage at the headmistress that had been bubbling inside her to a gentle simmer. The dragon side of her, the side from which stemmed her borderline-obsession with antique books, was all but drooling over the impressive collection. And yet, even among the glorious smell of mysteries waiting to be discovered, there was an aura about the deserted place that made the hairs on the back of Zaylin’s neck stand on end.

	She had wandered beyond one of the arched openings to the side of the entrance with its row of tables and lamps. Despite her own instructions to her friends, she paid little attention to how far she walked, a mental map of her steps forming as she went. She kept her gaze on the books as she sauntered through the aisles of packed bookshelves. Her eyes were the only part of her that still bore evidence that Amy’s energy burst had had an effect on her powers, the irises still various glittering shades of gold as they swept over title after title.

	Zaylin paused. Despite the life-threatening situation, there was one good thing about the whole ordeal: here, she no longer had to hide what she was or could do. Here, now, there was no fear of anyone finding out her secret. Here, she was among others of species deemed myths, and people with powers thought only to exist in children’s dreams. Though caution was always necessary to keep her powers in check, here, in this cursed school, she could let them play.

	A smile spread over her face. At the thought, a light breeze struck up and flicked the curled, feathery tips of the girl’s black hair as a spark flickered near her fingertips, the gold of her eyes impossibly intensifying.

	Gripping the strap of her messenger bag with one hand and placing the other lazily in the single pocket sewn onto her lengthy plaid skirt, she continued her walk through the maze of shelves. Every so often, she stopped at a section of shelving with subjects that could potentially offer a subtopic into the unusual and magical. Instead of going after a step stool or trying to find a ladder to get a better, closer look at the books above her reach, she called upon the static air around her, creating a wind that lifted her to her desired height. A couple times, she sat suspended there on a pocket of condensed air, her hair billowing about her face in the element’s effort to maintain the position as she flipped through books she hoped could provide proof of the clue Amy had given Stella. Alas, she had no such luck.

	Realizing she had gone further into the maze than she had initially intended, she made her way back toward the center of the library where she had last seen Tobias and Stella. Taking a slightly different route in the hope of actually finding something of use in their situation, she nearly tripped over a book cart as she rounded a corner. Only by her quick reflexes did she avoid toppling over it.

	Zaylin took a step back and glared at it. It was only partially full, as if the librarian or one of her helpers had been in the middle of returning the pieces of literature to their homes when the announcement to gather in the gym was made. Giving the cart a snort as if to tell it who was boss, she turned to continue on her way, when the gilded title on the spine of a red, leather-bound book caught her eye.

	She did a double take to be sure she had read the spine right: [i]The Golden Bough: The Magic Art Vol. I.[/i] 

	[i]Now [u]that’s[/u] what I’m talking about![/i] Zaylin thought, snatching the book from where it leaned against the cart. She searched the cart for any other promising titles, but found none.

	“Thank you, cart,” she said softly, her voice shattering the reverent silence as she gave the cart’s handle a pat. “You’ve been most helpful.”

	She began her sluggish walk back to the library’s center, her attention now on the book in her hand. She flipped it over and paused as she ran the fingers of her free hand over the pattern of leaves embossed on the cover’s back, the red leather smooth beneath her fingertips.

	Hoping the others had found something of even greater interest, Zaylin pulled her attention from the book and continued onward, her pace slow as she scoured every shelf on the way between her and her destination.