Beyond Read Free Page B

there is one type of weapon that can kill any angel . It needs to be made from a certain type of crystal. I ’ m working on that for our missions, and I’m also creating some cool small weapons you may like, ” he winked. “ Now…shall we try again? ”
    I blinked at Austin in expectation . He flashed his “ don ’ t worry ” smile and said , “ Recludo. ”
    Like Moses part ing the Red Sea, the grass shook, shuffled , then parted . Way too cool! The clear path stretched a mile or more.
    I turned to Austin offering a huge smile, like a kid at a magic show . He winked with pride and bent down like a perfect gentleman , allowing me to enter first. As we walked on the dirt road, the smell of the ocean breeze and the taste of salt vanished . All I could hear was the sound of our footsteps on the pebbles of the path.
    As I glanced around the area, the tall grass sentinels closed in , brushing my body with their prickly thorns. I panted, my chest hurt , and dizziness overwhelmed me. Austin’s worried gaze met mine and immediately he grabbed me in his arms and shot skyward.
    My panic eased. I relaxed against Austin, now able to enjoy the magnificent view. I saw nothing but greenery covering the island . There were several gentle waterfalls that flowed in to a narrow stream. As Austin spiraled down, I saw patches of various flower s —roses, calla lilies , orch i ds—a gem of botanic beauty. I couldn’t remember ever having seen such grandeur . The vibrant colors decorat ing the flowers painted a perfect picture. There were also several trees that surrounded us, but the one right in front of me as we landed stood out from the rest.
    “ Are we here? ” I whispered.
    “ Yes, ” Austin whispered back. “ Why are you whispering? ”
    I giggled and shrugged my shoulde rs .
    He pointed to the tree. “ The one and only…Tree of Knowledge. ” Then he pointed to me. “ This is Claudia. ”
    “ Hello there, ” I muttered nervously, complete ly entranced. It was humongous—not what I had envisioned. I tilted my head back , taking in the tree’s grandeur . A natural glow emanated from its roots to the tips of its branches. All the branches curled outward and massive countless leaves together created a dome effect , resembling a giant umbrella. If it rained at th at moment, I would surely be sheltered underneath it. But what truly amazed me were the forbidden apples. Big, round, shiny, red apples hung from branch after branch. Just looking at them tempted me to stretch out my arm and yank one off. My mouth watered , and I could taste the sweetness.
    As I marveled at every single inch of th e tree, my gaze s h ifted to Austin. “ So … what do you think? ” he asked .
    “ Amazing! ” I exclaimed , my body tingling with excitement . Never in my wildest dream s did I imagine I’d be right in front of the Tree of Knowledge. “ Oh , my gosh! ” I slowly walked toward the trunk with my arms extended , looking at Austin to see if he would forbid it. He didn ’ t. Instead, he gestured with open arms .
    Carefully I ran my fingertips down the lines that protruded from the trunk . It felt rough, hard and cool , like any other tree. T hen I wrapped my arms around it , but was unable to embrace it completely due to the enormous size. Recalling the serpent, I stiffened. Though I knew it was no longer there, I hesitantly looked up to confirm that such a thing wouldn ’ t spring up and surprise me. I heard Austin chuckle , so I knew he was watching me and most likely think ing how silly I was. After I soaked in the moment that I was actually touching this marvelous tree , I backed away to see Austin grinning brightly.
    “ Beautiful , isn ’ t she? ” he asked, leaning against an adjacent tree with his arms crossed. “ Yes, it is, ” I replied.
    “ I wasn ’ t talk ing to you. I was talking to the Tree of Knowledge. ”
    Immediately heat rushed to my face . “ Funny , Austin. The Tree of Knowledge has no mind. It can ’