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The witch’s smile widened as she set her silver eyes on me.

“The answer to your question is simple. You may open and close portals between worlds, in your pneuma form only . That has always been the way with walkers. You’ll be stronger in your animal form—able to channel more magic.

You’ll know what to do, if you get the opportunity to return to your garden. ”

It was so simple. Had I spent more time training with Raf and less time on this journey, I may have already discovered it on my own.

The wrath of Beira burned inside of me, as I realized this had all been a waste of time—that I’d willingly tangled myself in her web.

For nothing . Icy wind began to swirl around us as I tried to control my frustration.

Galen put his hands over mine, releasing a spurt of flame to snap me out of my rage-fueled spiral.

The Oracle released a giggle. “The lady is upset with my answer? Perhaps she’ll be happier with my next gift.

I shall tell you a prophecy that I’ve been holding for three hundred years.

I’ll be relieved to no longer hold onto this debt.

” She looked up at the sky and began to levitate.

Silver light exploded from her, illuminating the violet walls of the cave .

The Princes jumped in front of me, as Galen shoved me back. Rays of light beamed from her eye sockets. She cackled like a mad hyena and then spoke in a glorious, layered voice that didn’t belong to her, nearly singing the words.

Fae and Man will burn and die,

Two Chosen heirs can stop the fight.

She was promised by the gods

Her heart of gold can change the odds.

When two heirs share blood and throne,

Only then will peace be known.

A bridge may join two worlds as one

Or death and blood may overrun.

The fates will watch how this plays out,

A lock and key, on them we count.

The Oracle collapsed as her light dimmed, howling with wicked laughter, while I resisted the urge to flee. Slowly standing back up, like a corpse from a grave, the witch turned to the others. “Any other questions? Louis, I believe you have something you’d like to ask me.”

This was my cue… I turned to Galen and whispered, “I’m feeling faint. I need to leave… now . Could you walk me out? Rafael can stay with Louis.” My stomach dipped as he took my hand. I felt like a hypocrite lying to him.

His eyes were wide and worried. “Of course. Brothers, I need to escort Marigold out of the caves. We’ll meet you outside.”

We hurried out before the witch could stop us. My feet shuffled heavily as we left Raf and Louis behind in the dark depths of her lair. Every part of me resisted as we made our way back to safety without them.

Fresh air had never felt so precious in my lungs when we emerged from the cave and found the guards unscathed, waiting with our horses.

I wanted to kiss the ground with relief, but then remembered I was shackled to this place and began to shiver with shock.

How was I going to find the courage to go back in there?

“How are you feeling?” Galen asked with an enigmatic grin.

I eyed him suspiciously. “Much better. What is it?” It seemed premature to celebrate—when his brothers were still in there with that thing .

“The prophecy. Marigold, did you understand what it meant? Our Kingdoms are supposed to unite, through blood and marriage… through the chosen heirs . That’s you and me .

Together we’ll create a legacy of peace.

It’s more good news than I could’ve imagined.

” He was holding me by the shoulders—kissing me, right in front of the guards.

I blinked in disbelief. I hadn’t had time to absorb the prophecy.

I’d been more focused on getting out of there alive.

I threw a shield of wind around us before responding, “You… you think it’s about us ? Blood and throne? What does the blood mean?” I touched my neck, the bruise still tender.

“The blood-bond, of course. We’ll join in all the ways two beings can join. We’ll rule two worlds together. Your heart of gold with my political prowess—we'll be unstoppable. Our destiny, delivered by the gods themselves.” He looked so overjoyed that I couldn’t help but smile back.

In a hushed tone, I replied, “But our Queens aren’t dead—they won’t be for some time. What are we to do in the present to keep peace?”

This complicated everything. I wouldn’t let the Elders into Erador just because of a prophecy told to me by a mad witch.

Was I defying the gods if I didn’t want to be blood-bonded and married to Galen? I cared for him, but this was all happening so fast—too fast. I sat on the ground, head in my hands, not caring what the men thought. I needed oxygen. Overcome with the spins, I closed my eyes.

Galen squatted down beside me. “ Breathe , love. There was a reason you were pulled to Nymera—that we’ve been attracted to each other since the moment we met.

We’re meant to be mates. Don’t you see? Our relationship has been blessed by the stars.

We can enjoy each other freely—the Elders can’t touch you, unless they want to defy the gods themselves.

We can announce the engagement at the Hyacinth Festival. ”

He was proceeding without any caution and I wanted to scream at him to shut up and let me think.

Instead I stared at the ground. I needed to talk to Rafael and Louis.

Would their interpretation of the prophecy be the same as Galen’s?

Perhaps we could sway him to our side, maybe he’d help us usurp his mother. But what if he couldn’t be swayed?

I pressed the heels of my hand into my eyes, rocking back and forth as I tried not to have a full-blown panic attack. The most pressing matter had nothing to do with the prophecy; I had to discover my pneuma and fulfill my bargain with the witch without getting killed .

My head was swimming, but my heart was still in the cave with Galen’s brothers. I hoped Raf would be able to help Louis through whatever he faced. I pictured him carrying out Louis in a toad form and grew clammy.

“Are you disappointed… that fate has put us on the same path?” Galen asked with knitted brows.

I returned his gaze. “No… No!” I said in an unnaturally high voice, as I let him help me to my feet. “I’m worried about finding my shifting form… of returning here.” Tears began forming. I felt terrible reacting this way. I hugged him, clinging to him as I breathed in his familiar smoky scent.

“It’ll be okay. We made it out of the caves once, we’ll do it again. Together.” He kissed the top of my head.

Zagreus caught our attention as he snorted and stomped his feet, stirring up dust. Moments later, the brothers emerged from the cave.

Rafael was supporting Louis as they walked towards us.

Louis looked alright… his eyes were open.

He was breathing. But as they neared, I realized something was very wrong.

His uhra was no longer turquoise, but instead the color of a storming grey ocean—almost no blue to be seen.

And his face was drained of color, even his freckles seemed to have faded into his grey skin.

She’d altered his soul. What had she made him do?

As we all gathered around them, Louis shoved us away, separating himself from the group. “I don’t want to talk about it,” was the only thing he said to me for the rest of the day.

The nervous energy that was present as we began our journey was long gone, but the tension between the brothers remained.

As we made our way back, Rafael avoided me, while Louis avoided everyone .

We were all exhausted and short with each other.

All of us, except for Galen, who seemed to be thriving.

The prophecy had eased something inside of him and it made me happy for him, for us .

So I did my best to mimic his enthusiasm, but the truth was, I was feeling… confused . Lost.

The blood robbers, the Oracle, the prophecy, Louis…

the entire experience had torn me apart.

The thing I needed most—to find my shifting form to open the portal—would very likely lead me to my death.

How was I supposed to gain the confidence to find my pneuma, knowing I'd have to return to the witch when I did?

What was the point of a prophecy if the witch was going to kill me regardless?

She certainly wasn't forcing me back to her cave for a tea party .

And then there was Galen—my future— written in the stars .

And yet, he was still courting Isla… and I didn’t know how we were going to get around the obstacles we faced.

I was a spooked horse, dangerously close to grabbing the bit by my teeth and making a run for it.

Galen's unwavering optimism made me feel even worse.

He seemed to have no doubts about any of it.

How could he be so sure of us? We were so new…

from different worlds. Different Kingdoms. Different species.

It was a lot to consider.

Isla was waiting for us when we walked under the portcullis of Monrovia castle. She ran over to Galen, who was riding ahead of me, and I observed their interaction with barely harnessed rage.

“I missed you,” Isla said.

He didn’t respond and instead looked back at me. I released a sigh before I heard her whisper, “Come to my room tonight. It’s been too long.”

I couldn’t hear his response as the roaring in my ears became deafening.

Permafrost coated me like a second skin and a wave of anger struck like a violent winter storm.

Snow whipped around me, while I wheezed and coughed.

I’d frozen my lungs, I realized, as I struggled to take in the frigid air that I’d created—air so cold that I couldn’t breathe .

No one noticed as I held my throat, silently suffocating, absolutely mortified. I hunched over, grasping fistfuls of mane as I tried to stay in the saddle. Hibiscus pranced in place, snorting, then whinnying, as she called attention to us.

“Marigold, what’s wrong?” Louis asked, dismounting and rushing to my side. He lowered me off my horse as Galen and Raf appeared seconds later.

“I’m fine. I’m fine,” I choked out as I regained control of my magic, sputtering and gasping. Thoroughly humiliated, I shoved through the men and ran towards the castle.

Galen caught me on the stairwell. “She was purposefully trying to rile you. You have to stop letting her get between us,” he said in a tone that suggested I was overreacting .

I looked deep into his eyes. I didn’t know what was wrong with me, but I didn’t believe him.

I didn’t want to be comforted by him. I couldn’t see past the prophecy and the future that I'd never even had a choice in.

An invisible string had led me here, which meant I was nothing but a puppet.

Free will was all I'd ever wanted and the only thing I'd never have.

I needed time alone to process. “I think you should sleep in your own room tonight,” I said with a thick voice. “I need some space.”

He opened his mouth to speak, then snapped it shut, seeming to reconsider what he was about to say. “Very well. Send for me if you change your mind.” He turned on his heels and left without looking back.