Page 93 of The Oracle of Dusk

“You should go somewhere safe now, madam fairy.”

“I can’t! They won’t listen! They’re going to—”

“Aurora, you did everything you could.”

“Please, don’t stay here! Come with me!”

“I will not run from my fate.”

“Itcan’tbe fate! I can change it!”

Screams erupted. The shadows beneath the musicians roiled like boiling water. Some managed to flee, while others were devoured whole by the monstrosities clawing their way out of the shadowy muck. Nobles, entertainers and servants fled, tripping over themselves. Chaos erupted in the atrium as monstrosities began ripping and slashing and devouring. Everyone the beasts could snatch became a gory splatter. The green and gold of the vivarium was swiftly painted crimson.

“Aurora!”

She gasped, her eyes searching wildly for the monstrosities pouring out of the shadows. But there were no screams here. There were no floors covered in viscera and walls painted in blood.

She was drowning in Theron’s magic, pouring through her like water in a sieve.

“Aurora!”

Her eyes met his and she released a shaky breath. He was terrified, searching her for some injury. If only. Merciful Triad, she’d had a vision. She covered her face in her hands and whimpered. Was this some test? Was she supposed to face it or flee? What could she do against monstrosities, without a drop of divine magic in her?

“Does anything hurt? What happened?”

“I…”

How could she explain it? No one in their right mind would believe her.

“I thought you were having a seizure. But you didn’t exhibit any of the other signs and my magic couldn’t find what was wrong. Is it some kind of fairy sickness? What can I do?”

It didn’t matter if he didn’t believe her. So what if time magic was so rare it was almost unheard of? If her vision came to pass, he may very well die before he ever got back to Aureum. That wasn’t how history was supposed to happen. It wasn’t how she needed to change it. What if she held back, and she made everything worse?

“Monstrosities. In the atrium.”

His eyes widened. He held her closer, eyes darting towards the guest palace.

“You can hear that from here?”

“I…” She swallowed. Well, at least if he thought her mad, he was more likely to send her on her way. Some small silver lining to bolster her faltering courage. “I saw it. It’s not happening now. But it…it will. In the evening. On the night of a party. The prisoners here will be dressed as prostitutes. You will be painted in gold. The monstrosities will come up from underneath the musicians.”

“You…saw it.”

“Yes,” she whispered, eyes askance.

“And you’re not hurt?”

“No, not by seeing it.”

Not physically, at least. If she lived long enough, she was apt to lose her mind. The same as every other oracle. An early death or a slow slide into madness. Such lovely options.

“Wait here.” He sat her down under the shade of a tree.

Aurora made to stand.

“No, stay there,” he commanded.

There was something in his tone that made her heart sink. He was repelled by her. Perhaps he thought her mad, and that it was catching.

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