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I reached for the sliding glass door, but Nyfain got there first and slid it open forthe door shut behind us He didn’t stop when I did, though, instead walking on to the center of the room

Stopping in front of the enchanted rosebush co up out of the floor, he said, “Look at this,” his voice rough

My stoh h my center

I stopped opposite hi

“What do you see?” he prodded

I shookfor a guilty verdict I couldn’t I just couldn’t

“Finley, look,” he barked, power riding his command

I stepped back and wipedback on his coive him one of my own, and we both know mine landed a helluva lot harder

“Please,” he said softly “Look at the rosebush”

Grittingbetween us, I did as he said

“What do you see?” he repeated

“The enchanted rosebush, Nyfain, I don’t know What am I supposed to see?”

He pointed at the trunk, sparkling with color Then a branch that supported five full bloo around them

“This is your village, I now realize” He kept pointing “For a long time, it was the only branch with any blooht dead But this…” He pointed to a different branch The wilting roses wereback into full bloo froreen “This is the village we recently helped This…” He pointed at the base, where the ste color “This is the castle, I think I’et sick, but it looks like life is resurging here, too Your everlass elixir is changing the fate of the kingdo in the rosebush”

I stared at it in wonder

“This is great news, obviously,” Nyfain said, his voice subdued, “but noe enter the race”