Page 114 of The Rose in the Shadows

And yet, she might be the only person who had the answer.

I had spent the past week reflecting over all that had happened in the last year, and had come to one conclusion. I could do things that shouldn’t be possible.

My power was stronger than anyone had an explanation for. I’d learned to fight like a trained soldier in less than two weeks. Magic still rippled in my veins despite the fact that the Mark of Hyrax was absent from my skin. So, what was it about me that made the impossible reality?

“You really don’t know?” She questioned.

“Would I be here if I did?”

Camilla was quiet, and the rush of regret I had felt quickly turned to irritation. I should have known better than to hope she could help me.

“A few summers back,” Camilla said suddenly. “I was cleaning out the old Hypatia Estate for my grandmother. Clay had just broken up with me, and she was pissed that I hadn’t gotten him to fall in love with me. She’s always been so obsessed with marrying into that family.”

“Get to the point.”

“Some Witches, powerful ones, have seen into the future and while I was cleaning out the old junk, I came across our collection of old prophecies. Hundreds of them, and everything I read in them had already come true. I didn’t think much of it, so I set them aside, but then I found the prophecy about you.”

Magic sparked in my fingertips, as if drawn to her words, and I clasped my shaking fingers together behind my back.

“It was old, carved on stone. I didn’t even think much of it at the time; it hardly made any sense, but then you showed up and wrecked the bridge. That's when I realized it was true. I know it won’t mean much to you, but you should know that none of this was ever personal, Thea. I was doing what I thought I had to in order to protect everyone.”

Could she hear my heart racing? I could hear it like a pounding beat echoing throughout my head, like an ominous warning of what was to come.

“What was the prophecy?”

She frowned and leaned her head back against the wall. Through hooded eyes, she met my gaze and didn’t blink as she recited the words that had changed both of our lives.

“The daughter of Hyrax will shake the veil, and the King of Damnation will rise once more to rule over the children of the Gods. She will create a new death in the mortal realm and will stand at his side as his armies usher in the new age. Prepare forthe Final War of the Gods.” She chuckled to herself. “It seemed stupid when I first read it. There were no children of Hyrax remaining until-”

“Until me,” I whispered.

That’s what she had meant when she said the history books would paint her as the victor. She had truly thought that by killing me she would be saving the world because, according to this prophecy…

I was destined to unleash Hyrax from the Underworld and start a third War of the Gods.

“I can’t do that,” I told her, not sure who I was trying to convince. “The veil isn’t even under the control of the Gods themselves. How could I possibly do anything to lower it?”

Camilla shrugged. “There are many things you’ve done that others can’t.”

No. Not that. Even if I could, Iwouldn’t.Because while it may be true that the victors write history, and while it may be true that Hyrax isn’t the violent, vicious, jealous God he’s portrayed as, I wouldn’t take that risk.

Because even if Hyraxwasn’tthe villain in this story, unleashing him from the Underworld, lowering the veil and allowing the Gods to walk amongst us once more, would most likely start a war. Zion and Hyrax had done nothing but fight with each other since they took control of the realms. Their sibling rivalry would claim thousands if not millions of Descendant and mortal lives if it escalated to another war.

“I won’t do that,” I whispered.

Her brow furrowed, not in confusion but in pity. “I think you believe that, but no one can fight their destiny. So, if you care about these people at all, you’ll finish what I started yourself.”

Iwanted to run. Anxiety bloomed in my muscles, pushing me to walk faster and faster through the halls of the palace.

Camilla’s words haunted me as I traveled, hanging over me like a foreboding cloud. It couldn’t be true. And yet, it wasn’t just the prophecy that was leaving me on edge.

It was the question that now lingered in my mind. The question that had been burning in the corners of my consciousness for far too long.

Dimitri seemed surprised when I asked him to ready a horse immediately. He had likely assumed I would want to return to Clay’s side or join the other nobles in a dinner honoring the fallen soldiers. I belonged at that dinner. As the matriarch of House Hyrax, my attendance would be expected by the Dragon and other Council members, but this simply couldn’t wait.

We rode hard and fast. Netta took my every command without complaint. The distance wasn’t far, but I felt bad for the way I pushed her. As I threw my leg off towards the ground, I ran my hand through her mane affectionately.

“I’ll get you an extra sugar cube when we return to the castle,” I promised her.

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