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Nothing had ever been guaranteed, but it sure as hell had been at least a little less indefinite before than it was now.

Furiously whispering an overview of her thoughts to both Raife and Aes Orsa, she finished with a hissed, “And don’t even get mestartedon that final verse!” The one that basically said all hope would be lost—forever—if darkness prevailed. Not thatAlex hadn’t already known that, butstill. Seeing it in writing was just—wasjust—

“Why would you do this to me?” she asked, her voice hoarse as she struggled to repress all she was feeling. “Why not just hand over the whole prophecy to begin with, rather than sneak around with missing verses and changed words?”

“Other than you, only three people in all the worlds know the prophecy in its entirety,” Aes Orsa said, pointing to the pages held in Alex’s white-knuckled grip. “Myself and the two who were with me when I spoke it—Raife and Zaylin.”

“Zaylinknows this?”

No wonder the Tia Auran was so temperamental towards Alex—and no wonder she’d presumed from the beginning that Alex was going to fail. The full prophecy wasn’t exactly a glowing résumé of Alex’s achievements to date—it was basically a list of all that she’d endured since her arrival in Medora until now.

“I spoke the words upon the eve of the Meyarins’ banishment to Medora, as I told you before,” Aes Orsa continued. “But from the mention of mortal blood, I knew it couldn’t be referring to any of our people or theirs, despite referencing our Gates of Testing. I presumed it must have something to do with the new world they would be exiled to—a world that would one day be threatened by darkness.”

She looked to Raife, then back to Alex as she continued, “It’s forbidden for Oracles to speak of a prophecy with anyone other than whom the words regard, or with those who are around to hear it at the time of foretelling. But I couldn’t in good conscience send my sister off without some kind of warning as to what she might one day have to face—and who she might one day have to guide and protect. So I gave her what I could: one verse changed enough by a single word to satisfy the oaths I took for secrecy. And in all these years since, no one but Raife, Zaylin and I have known the truth. Until now.”

Aes Orsa spread her hands in supplication and quieted her tone to finish, “Zaylin sought me out the moment she saw you commandSoraya de lah Torraand step through theeidenpath you summoned. With that and your public entreaty upon arrival in Vardaesia, we knew the prophecy was at hand—and that you deserved to hear the full extent of it. You know everything now, Alexandra. But I daresay there was little you hadn’t already learned on the journey that led you here.” She paused, her voice now a whisper of sound. “Your path is now clear. But only you can decide where you shall venture next.”

Knowing she was speaking figuratively, Alex stifled a groan and tugged at her hair, displacing the sparkly pins Zaylin had painstakingly secured earlier that night.

What’s happening down there, Alex? Your emotions are all over the place.

Not even Xira’s worry could ease her warring thoughts, so she proceeded to mentally recite the prophecy to him.

When she was done, there was a beat of silence as he processed, but then he asked, plain and simple,Want me to come back and roast them?

A strangled laugh left her, enough for Aes Orsa and Raife to share a concerned glance, but Alex didn’t care how unhinged she seemed. She wasn’t sure if Xira was serious or not, but it was a mark of just how distressed she was that she hesitated before finally responding in the negative.

The offer stands if you change your mind,he replied, as if whether or not he flame-grilled the two Tia Aurans was all the same to him.

Sending her thanks—as macabre as that was—Alex retreated from their mental interlude and returned her attention to the immortals in front of her.

“I don’t suppose you can tell me anything else? Anything that might help sway this”—she indicated to the prophecy—“in my favour?”

It was Raife who answered, a half-grin forming on his lips. “Seems to me like you’re doing all right on your own so far. Just keep it up for another two days and that ‘if’ will hopefully turn back to a ‘when’. Presuming all goes as it should, the final verse will become superfluous. At least in theory.”

At least intheory?

Deadpan, Alex said, “You just mentioned hope, presumption and theory all within the space of three sentences. Forgive me if I’m not wholly comforted by your declaration.”

Raife offered a rueful shrug. “Prophecies are fickle, Alex.”

Athora had once told her the same thing.

Continuing, Raife said, “I penned this one myself”—he gestured to the printed writing she still held—“so I can confirm it’s a perfect word-for-word transcript. But context is everything, and we won’t have that without hindsight.”

That was basically what D.C. had said about the original prophecy.

“Meaning,” Alex guessed dryly, “we won’t know until we know. And then it’ll be too late to do anything about it because it’ll already be over and done.”

When both Raife and Aes Orsa nodded, Alex sighed, loud and long.

“For what it’s worth, thanks for seeking me out tonight and sharing the real prophecy,” she said wearily, even if she didn’t exactly feel grateful that elements of her life had been foretold by an Oracle thousands upon thousands of years ago.

“All is far from lost, Alexandra,” Aes Orsa said quietly, reading her tone. “Remember what you told us all tonight; my sister’s final words—to not give in to the darkness, to not fear the shadows. She would not have given her life for your world if she thought her sacrifice would be in vain.” In a whisper, Aes Orsa finished, echoing Alex’s earlier sentiment, “Remember her, Alexandra. Remember Aes Daega.”

And, with a tear sliding down her cheek, Aes Orsa gave Alex a wobbly smile andparronedaway.

“Don’t forget what I told you yesterday, Alex,” Raife said quietly. “You have many supporters among my race. Conquer the final two Gates, and you’ll have even more.” He reached out to give her shoulder an encouraging squeeze, his silver eyes holding hers until, in a blaze of light, he disappeared as well.