One True Queen: A Wings of Fire fanfiction

14.

Permafrost

It's breathtaking to see Darkstalker's magic in action.

He's pretty much living evidence that my tribe is wrong about why animus dragons lose their souls. He tosses out enchantments like it doesn't cost him anything, and he's still somehow remained a relatively normal dragon his whole life. I would love to ask him, like, a million questions about that, animus magic is so interesting.

I'm so caught up in thinking that for the duration of the whole weird mirror-call thing with Shadowhunter's parents, I only really tune back in when Clearsight starts talking about a hurricane, and my girlfriend gets upset. (Oh three moons, what am I supposed to say to her? Would another dragon know how to make her feel better?)

"Anyway. I'm telling you this because... we want to offer you a job." Clearsight exchanges a glance with Darkstalker. "I know you already do half of Heartfire's work as Minister of War, and after what he did it's hard to just restore him to his position, right now we have to deliver all his orders for him. Which is not ideal. Right now I want you to stay in the desert, but after you find Epiphany..."

"Yes!" Gaze cries, a smile bursting across her snout. "Of course! I—I mean—I need to do this first, but—a position on the Queen's Council—sorry, um, uh, professional mode! Yes, if I can pick it up after we get back. I think. Maybe. Uh... tentative yes?"

"That sounds good." Clearsight smiles fondly.

"Of course, Your Majesty! Oh my gosh, my parents are going to be so happy. Um. Wow. I—" She struggles to catch her breath, grinning And then, all of a sudden, the smile is wiped clean off her face, and she's speaking in rhyming couplets--the same prophecy she's been trying to deliver for weeks. (It's honestly starting to get a bit annoying.)

"In the ruins of an empire, moons-cursed lovers take the throne

Poisoned by powers, not their own

They'll fight tooth and claw, but in the end

Into madness, their kingdom shall descend

A princess hides in the dunes

A princess shatters in the snow

A soldier weary; sick and tired

A sea of broken bones

A ruthless queen ascends to power

A bitter mother holds her own

Lives off letters, crowns, and gold

She'd conquer kingdoms in love's name

And still end up alone

So beware the petty, beware the wise

Don't trust the threads, and their sharp eyes

Fear the power in your veins

Fear the grudges that you hold

Don't trust the monster this war made

But always hold it close."

She cringes--and it takes me a moment to realize, she's fully back to herself again. "Oh no, I... I did it again, didn't I?"

"Was that... a new prophecy?" Darkstalker asks.

"I think so," Clearsight says quietly.

"Wait," I butt in. "There was a prophecy before?"