Chapter 5

5

R hi

Azlan slides a cup of strong coffee in front of me.

“Want to tell us what you saw, sweetheart?” he asks.

I stare down at the black liquid, feeling seven pairs of eyes assessing me.

It took me a lot of arguing with Renzo to escape his arms and make it down here into the kitchen where the others were waiting. He finally got me into bed with him and he didn’t want to let me go. He wanted to interrogate me about the message from my aunt. That or mess around some more.

But I knew the others would be dying with curiosity downstairs and it felt like a conversation that we should have together.

“The memory belonged to my aunt. I was right all along. She left a message for me. ”

Tristan shifts on his seat. “What did she say in this message?”

“She confirmed my mom was a seer. And she said my mom had a vision about me.”

The room is quiet and I can hear eight hearts beat in unison.

“Did she tell you what your mom saw?”

I nod my head and pull a face. “My mom saw that I was the girl from the Fourth Prophecy and that is why I had to be kept hidden. To keep me safe.” I glance up at them all, that anger threatening to boil away inside me again. “I mean what does that even mean? More fucking riddles!”

“The Fourth Prophecy?” Azlan asks, peering towards his friend.

I frown. Let me guess. They all know about this prophecy and I’m the only one who doesn’t. Sur-fucking-prise.

“Do you know of any prophecy, Phoenix?”

The professor strokes his beard. “There are several prophecies. Only one I can think of relates to a woman.”

“Humph,” I snort. Why does that not surprise me?

“The prophecy is unclear, though – its interpretation open to debate. Scholars have argued as to its meaning for centuries.”

This time Winnie snorts. “It is not. It’s really obvious what it means.”

Stone rolls his eyes. “In that case, please feel free to enlighten us, Miss Wence? What have other learned scholars missed that is so blatantly obvious?”

“You’re all clever people,” she glances at Renzo, “well, most of you.” He shrugs. “I think you all know what the prophecy means. ”

“I don’t even know about some fucking prophecy,” Spencer mumbles.

“Me neither,” I say.

“There were six prophecies collected during ancient times, preserved and guarded. Three, it is said, have already been fulfilled. Three remain. Of those, only one relates to a woman. It foretells the second coming of Queen ?eelfl?d.”

“According to Miss Wence.”

I shake my head. “What do you mean?”

Stone sighs. “There is a belief among some that Queen ?eelfl?d and her fated mates weren’t simply fairytale figures, that they were real magicals, that their story was true. And there are some who believe that she will return with her mates one day to reclaim her crown.”

“And you think that’s me?” I say, pointing to my chest.

“Yes,” Winnie says, nodding her head.

“We don’t even know that’s what the prophecy means,” Stone mutters.

“What exactly did your mom see?” Azlan asks me.

“My aunt didn’t say exactly.” I chew the inside of my cheek, thoughts spinning in my head. “She just said my mom saw that I would prove to be the girl in the Fourth Prophecy and that would put me in danger.”

“Of course it fucking would,” Tristan says, standing suddenly so that his chair tumbles to the floor. “My dad already considers you a threat just because there are rumors about you. If he learns you’re some girl from a prophecy, he’s going to be determined to eliminate you. He won’t stop until he’s hunted you down.”

“Because you are destined to change things for us all, Rhi,” Winnie says with such certainty it scares me.

“By becoming some queen?” I say, laughing. “I’m no leader. Winnie, you can’t be serious? ”

“I am, Rhi. You’re different. Special. You know you are.”

“So are you, Winnie.”

My friend smiles at me. “Not in the same way, bestie, and you know that.”

“Nonsense, you’re smart and talented and–”

“I can’t wield crimson magic–”

“I bet you could learn.”

“–I’ve never predicted the future.”

“Those dreams were vague and misleading and–”

“I don’t have five powerful fated mates by my side.”

I shake my head, still unconvinced by the idea. “What does this prophecy say exactly?”

I glance at Winnie whose cheeks pinken. I turn my gaze to Stone. He opens his mouth, pauses, then shuts it again.

I frown at them both. “Don’t you know?”

“No,” Stone says, giving me a hard stare, “I do not have all six of the ancient prophecies committed to memory.”

“She doesn’t want all six, Prof., just one,” Renzo points out.

Stone inhales and exhales slowly.

“Winnie?” I ask.

“I never read the actual original text, just papers about the supposed interpretations.”

Stone buries his face in his hands like Winnie just admitted to some hideous crime. “How many times have I told you students to always read the original?”

“Can we look it up on the internet?” I ask, peering towards Trent.

“The internet’s been severely restricted by the Lord Protector, Rhi,” he tells me. “Only the most basic of functions are operating right now and all websites, except the authorities’, have been barred.”

“Great,” I say. “So my aunt says I’m some girl from this prophecy but we have no idea what the hell that actually means.”

“I’m telling you–” Winnie begins but I stare her down.

“Where exactly can we find these prophecies?”

“What?” Stone mutters.

“Where are these prophecies kept? If there’s one written down about me, I’d like to read it for myself. See what is actually written about my fate.”

“You promised me no more crazy ideas,” he says darkly.

“No,” I say, “you said that. I made no such promise.”

Stone glares at me.

“The ancient prophecies are kept in the Albany convent,” Tristan says. “On the Gray Isle.”

“Right, so how do we get there?”

“We’re not going to the Gray Isle,” Azlan says sternly.

“I am,” I say, staring him down. “So you can either come with me or not.”

“It’s too dangerous,” he argues.

“You said staying here for too long would be dangerous. That we’d have to move soon enough. Why not move there?”

“There’s a price on your head. If anyone spots you–”

“There was a price on my head before, remember?” I say, pointing at Renzo. “I’m not afraid.”

Azlan folds his arms and shakes his head.

“What? Are there ninja nuns at this convent or something?”

“No, the convent’s been empty for the last century,” Stone tells me.

“Empty? These supposed prophecies are being kept somewhere unguarded?”

“People are superstitious about moving them. Besides which, the convent is surrounded by treacherous waters– ”

“Haunted waters,” Tristan clarifies.

“The journey there is too risky. Someone could spot you,” Azlan adds again.

I cross my arms over my chest and stare them all down. Azlan’s jaw hardens. It’s obviously going to take all my powers of persuasion to convince them that this is what we have to do. But I’m determined and Stone is right – I need to read that prophecy with my own eyes.