Page 117 of The Oracle of Dusk

Technically it was a truth. One of the founding races of Trisia, fairies were here before the First Great Sundering but in small numbers. More would come as refugees to the lands she called home. They probably wouldn’t arrive for another several hundred years though, sometime between the second and third cycle of calamity.

“As a naïve foreigner, perhaps you were unaware of the company you’ve been keeping. King Theron is a blasphemer and a criminal. Initially, I was convinced you were behind the monstrosities in my palace, but perhaps he merely led you astray. If you speak the truth about your lover, you may yet save yourself the humiliation of being proven mad before the court. Did King Theron summon the monstrosities, or did you?”

So this was her ploy—to turn them against each other. The queen was giving her a way out, an olive branch, however rotted. If she did as Flora wished her to do, Theron would take the blame, and she would be freed from scrutiny, never needing to prove her magic before the court and become hunted for it. As the crowd leaned forward in anticipation and Orithyia stared at her with chips of ice in her gaze, Aurora wished she could disappear.

Bravery isn’t fearlessness. You’re extremely brave, Aurora. Don’t ever forget it.

Hyllus was right. She would never be able to live with herself for taking the easy way out, no matter what it cost her. She could be brave for Theron, who had sacrificed himself for her.

“Neither of us summoned the monstrosities, Your Majesty. We’re innocent.” Aurora raised her chin in defiance.

Flora’s glare made her blood freeze. Courtiers conversed in angry whispers.

“Your Majesty, if I may,” Orithyia began, silencing the din with a single tap of her cane on the mosaic floor. “I have brought the tools to prove Aurora’s innocence.”

“Please proceed, Your Holiness.”

Orithyia nodded at Flora and approached Aurora. Two paladins of Knowledge carried an item each on golden pillows in her wake. One she recognised—the minds-eye stone. The other she didn’t. It was a wicked-looking wrist cuff with spikes pointed inward. Aurora swallowed down bile.

“I have brought with me two objects. The first is an ancient artefact used to draw the magic out of a person, no matter if they try to resist. The second is a minds-eye stone, so that we may see what visions her magic conjures. With your permission, I will force a vision from her to prove her innocence and her status as an oracle.”

“I give you my leave, Your Holiness.” Flora waved her on.

Aurora had to will herself not to retreat as Orithyia advanced on her.

“Whatever happens next, remember that you brought it upon yourself,” the high priestess whispered so that only she could hear.

Orithyia took the cuff from her paladin and attached it to Aurora’s wrist. She clenched her fist as the spikes broke the skin with the weight of the cuff. She took Aurora’s palm, prying open her fingers and placed the minds-eye crystal in it, closing it once more. Then she activated the device.

Aurora screamed as the spikes sank into her wrist, piercing deep. Blood flowed from the wounds as she fell to her knees. Her magic rose up like a vicious beast inside her, wholly outside of her control. She tried to resist the pull. She didn’t want to glimpse the future again. Trying to prevent it last time had proved impossible. What if what she saw was another horror she couldn’t prevent? What if it only proved that fate was immutable and Phaedra was gone forever?

But in the end, her resistance did no good.

She was dragged through a void, only to open her eyes in the streets of Boreas. The people were dressed for a celebration. The streets were awash in colour, decorated gaily in the bright afternoon light. Well-wishers sang songs and shouted joyfully, raining flower petals down from the tops of buildings.

Despite the gaiety, her heart was broken. She could feel its ache, a pain that rose like a tide inside her and never relented. Aurora squinted. This vision was less clear than the ones before. As before, the edges were blurred. Even the colours and details in the centre of her vision were dulled by a slight red haze. She looked to her side to find she was carrying a large walking stick with feathers and beads embellishing a slightly bulbous top. Other women were walking at her side, all dressed in red with long veils atop their heads. In the centre of the group, a green and gold palanquin fit for a princess was carried by eight women. Seated inside with the sides open to the crowds, sat another dressed as Aurora seemed to be. Atop her head was a veil, but beneath that gauzy red fabric was the unmistakable glitter of a crown. Beneath the veil, the woman on the palanquin was a princess.

This was an ancient bride-kidnapping ceremony and Aurora had been invited to participate in it.

“Protect the bride!”

The hue and cry went up, and the crowd cheered as bare-chested men in pleated kilts of red advanced on the palanquin. Every man that converged on them was covered in an ugly mask, each one more hideous and intimidating than the last. Here were their mock-captors. The groom meant to run off with the bride while the others were to capture her protectors. A ritual that would end when the princess’ intended carried her over the threshold of a temple for the wedding ceremony.

Amidst the masked men, Aurora recognised Theron. His powerful physique and crimson hair were unmistakable. He wore gold jewellery while the other participants in this hunt wore none, and his staff was made of the same shining metal. While the other women fought off the approaching masked men, Aurora was transfixed. With his every step, her heart broke anew. Theron was the princess’ intended. This was their wedding ceremony. Tears blurred her vision further until she could no longer make out any details. She did her part, fought off the masked men, and allowed one to capture her, as per the ritual. She closed her eyes, wishing herself somewhere—anywhere—else.

Aurora gasped with pain as her mind was brought back to the Viridian court. Blood pooled beneath her and tears clouded her vision. Orithyia took the minds-eye stone from her grasp and removed the cuff, its spikes retreating from her flesh, forcing another scream from her lips.

“Your proof, Your Majesty. It seems congratulations will soon be in order. Princess Epicasta is to wed King Theron.”

And now Aurora knew the name of the woman who would take Theron from her. She wished she could curse the princess for her part in breaking Aurora’s heart.

“This is an auspicious day indeed, High Priestess.” Flora snapped her fingers and a healer rushed to Aurora’s side to close her wounds.

She ground her teeth against the agony of her flesh knitting back together.

“Aurora, you have proven your innocence and your magic. In light of your trials and honesty, I will award you a noble title and a position in my court.”

Approving murmurs raced through the crowd as Aurora’s gut sank. So it had already begun. Once hostile faces now smiled, their greed barely repressed.

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