Page 51 of Sea of Stars

“Where are we?” I asked, even though I was pretty sure we were still in the desert.

“Just a few paces from where we found you and your lot. Those friends of yours don’t seem to like each other much. And very different stories they have of you.”

“They’re both alive?” I asked, relieved to hear that Denton still drew breath.

The old man nodded. “I guess your story will be similar to how the chubby one told it, eh?” He started tapping his foot against the cave floor.

I smiled for a second, knowing that he was referring to Denton. “Only because it's the truth."

Achates sighed. “I’ve never read a prediction wrong before,” he repeated.

I was growing tired of listening to him babble. He was clearly senile.

“What are you talking about?” I asked.

“The one you love shall rise and then fall. Challenge the fates and the Lords shall call.” Achates voice got louder on the words "and the Lords shall call." “I know what that means boy. I'm not a fool like you and Denton.”

“There are dozens of ways it could be interpreted. And trust me, I’ve thought about them all.”

Achates picked up a stick from the fire and whacked it against the ground. The hot timbers flew off. He took a few steps towards me waving the stick in the air. “There’s only one way I see it being interpreted,” he said and jabbed at me with the stick, singeing my skin in a few spots.

I tried to lift my legs to kick him, but they were so sore. “Get away from me!" I spat. "I was trying to prevent it from coming true. That’s why I assumed the role of king. I was trying to fix it.”

“You can’t change the fates you ignorant tart.” He slapped my leg with the stick, but I barely felt it. “This is all your fault," he added, waving the stick in the air. "All of it!"

“It’s my fault that we’re in a cave?” I asked. I knew I was being immature. But every word this old coot said made me angrier.

“It’s your fault that she’s dead!” he screamed. The word "dead" echoed around me, getting quieter and quieter. He moved closer to me, his face inches from mine. “Three to one, pfft,” he said. He turned and walked out of the cave.

My fears had become reality. She really was dead. As Achates disappeared, grains of rock rained down on my head and the cave made a strange crunching sound. The earth seemed to shake beneath me once again and I was knocked onto my side. With my hands tied behind my back it would have been hard to get up, but my body was in so much pain that it made it impossible. I heard rushed footsteps stop in front of me. I looked up and saw the old woman crouching down.

“I believe your intentions were pure, Breghton,” she said reaching out and stroking my cheek.

I knew she must feel the wetness from my tears, and I was ashamed. Achates words had stung me.

“You know that you made a mistake trying to change destiny?” she asked.

I nodded my head.

“And now I fear it is too late.”

“You think she’s dead too?”

The old woman shook her head. “It’s not just that. I can’t bear to think of that. I’m referring to the last line that appeared on your dagger.” Her words were quiet and rushed, like she was running out of time to tell me something important.

“Challenge the fates and the Lords shall call?”

The woman nodded and stared at me. “You think it means that the Lords will call Mahlia’s soul into the heavens now, don’t you, Breghton?” The way she said my name made me think of Mahlia.

“What else could it possibly mean?”

“The one you love shall rise and then fall. That line was already about Mahlia’s death. Predictions never repeat themselves. The last line is referring to something else entirely, something I fear is worse.”

Someone who hadn’t experienced all the pain I had might have said, “Nothing could be worse," but there was always something worse. And I knew that saying otherwise only made the inevitable harder to bear. It was the life of a divinare.

“What does the line mean then?”

She reached behind my back and slit the ropes bounding my hands together. “Follow me,” she said solemnly.

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