"Let's talk in my room. It's not far," Rehia said. Then she turned and walked away, not even bothering to check if Meera was following or not.

Meera raised an eyebrow at that. Hello, Reverent Lady over here. Where's my goddamn respect?

She sighed and figured that this was bound to happen sometime. It wasn't as if everyone would consider her a messiah. Munral clearly didn't and was putting up a front to appease his king. Truth be told, she didn't even care about it that much.

She shrugged and followed. They passed many doors with stern-looking female guards. There wasn't a single man in these halls. She figured this was the women's quarters, and men weren't allowed here. She had noticed this back at the town square as well. Before they tried to capture and kill her, only the female guard came forward to touch her. This empire probably had a very segregated society in terms of the roles the genders played.

In the end, they didn't have to walk too far. A turn and a few doors later, they arrived at the princess's door. Rehia didn't even nod or even acknowledge the guard's presence, not even when they saluted her. She kept walking, and if the guards were a second too late, she would've banged her head on the gilded door.

Though, Meera nodded her thanks to the guards whose eyes widened when they must've used Identify on her. She passed them a smile and walked into the room, which was equally grand as the queen's, if not more so.

Rehia walked to the couches and plopped down and motioned Meera to take a seat. The cushioned seat was as if it were made of clouds. Meera just sank in but couldn't fault it as it felt so lovely.

"Look, Meera—is it okay if I call you Meera?" Rehia asked, quite frankly.

"Please do," Meera replied. "All this Reverent Lady business is going to get irritating pretty fast."

The princess snorted lightly. "Trust me when I say I fully understand. Everyone sees me as this arrogant princess who they must bow and scrape to all the time. It has its uses, sure, but it just makes it hard for people to see the real me."

Meera nodded. "I hate to be blunt, but I'm somewhat short on time. Why have you brought me here, Your Highness?"

"Firstly, if I'm not addressing you by your title, then you shouldn't address me by mine, either," Rehia replied.

Meera frowned at that. "But you're royalty."

"And you're practically divinity."

Meera tensed up at that. That comment made her think that the girl had some way of seeing past Misidentify.

"I'm not divinity," she said.

"No, I know that," Rehia said. "But you and your brother are near-about worshipped as much as my father. After all, you're going to save us from the big bad dragon."

"Yes…"

"The reason I brought you here is because I know my mother gave you the prophecy that the oracle Domina left in her care," she said. "I need to know what is it?"

"Why?"

"Because I have a feeling that we'll be engulfed by something that happens every few generations. The greatest plague enveloping the land…a lust for power. We're headed towards a civil war."

The lines from the prophecy flashed in her mind, but Meera didn't want any part in a civil war. Or make a choice that would determine the fate of this empire.

"Are you sure?" She asked. "Are the citizens that unhappy with your father's rule?"

"It has nothing to do with my father," the princess replied. "It's my brothers. My father has four legitimate children and a whole slew of bastards. Let's leave them aside. They're not the ones causing the problem. My brothers are. You see, in Varsha, the eldest son doesn't automatically become the crown prince. No, the most capable prince is chosen as the next God King. Every few generations, all the princes feel that they are worthy of ruling the land. My father's ascension to the throne was quite bloody indeed. It's the reason why I don't have any uncles."

Meera nodded. "Yes, your parents mentioned something of the sort."

"So, the prophecy states it. Can I see it?" She asked.

Meera shrugged and pulled out the scroll. What harm could it cause in letting her see it? Besides, it wasn't like Meera had any intention of waiting around to fulfill the prophecy. Rehia's eyes raced over the words, and she put the scroll down with a heavy sigh.

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"So, it's true," she said. "There will be a civil war…Countless lives will be lost…and our empire's fate…" She looked up at Meera. "Rests in your hands."

"No, it does not," Meera said firmly.

"But the prophecy—"

"I don't care what the prophecy says," she snapped. "The fate of this empire does not rest in my hands. I do not want that responsibility."

"Meera, I do not like to beat around the bush, so I will come right out and say it," Rehia said. "Munral wasn't the only one who had you investigated when you arrived here yesterday. I know most of your escapades on Gethys. I know what happened in Drurith, the Wiryar forest, and your business with the sorceresses. If my source is to be believed, and I have no cause not to believe her, you are the direct cause of the destruction of the Sorceresses of Akhessai."

It would be a lie if Meera said she wasn't taken aback by that. The woman made it seem like she had a firsthand account of Meera's business on Gethys. There was only one person she could think of who would know all this, and by all accounts, she was on Rhione. Unless Kalrina had diverted course and somehow ended up in the princess's circle, even before Meera had arrived at the palace. It was highly unlikely, but it would be just like the witch to pull something like this.

"Who is your source?" Meera asked.

"It's private," the princess replied. "And I would like to keep it that way."

"Then we have nothing more to discuss." Meera stood and turned towards the door.

"Fine," Rehia said before Meera had taken a step. "Sit, please. But do I have your promise not to bring them any harm if I reveal to you their identity?"

"Their identity?" The gears turned in Meera's head. There was only one person other than Kalrina who knew of Meera's doing on Gethys. A person who had been watching her, following her, throughout Gethys. "How many daughters of Aksha are you harboring, princess?"

Rehia's eyes widened for a moment, and then she smiled. "That's good. But I don't have just the daughters. I also have some sorceresses. Now, before you think of bringing them any harm, know that they are under my protection."

"As long as they don't get in my way," Meera replied. "I'll be honest, I only did what I did because they wanted to hold me prisoner and lure my brother to them. If they hadn't done that, the sorceresses and their leaders would still be alive."

She looked into the princess's eyes when she said that. The young girl was smart enough to understand the unspoken threat.

"You will face no obstruction from me or my family. I can assure you of that. Hell, the realm would jump over each other to help you in your quest." Rehia paused to look at the scroll with the prophecy. "Though, your quest seems to be in peril."

Meera said nothing. After all, she was right.

Rehia continued. "I'm sure you've had a run-in with the prophecy that Domina had issued to Veridiana. After all, why wouldn't you have? You had just such a big hand in bringing about its conclusion."

"Look who's beating around the bush," Meera said.

Rehia snorted. "Fair enough. Meera, I am not your enemy, nor do I want to be. But by now, I'm sure you know you cannot run from destiny. That these prophecies, if you're unlucky or important enough to be issued one, always come true."

That one chaffed Meera, for it was true. "Again, what do you want from me, princess?"

"The same thing my mother wants. I'm sure she must've asked you—to save my family a whole lot of bloodshed. Domina's prophecy states it, does it not? A son lost to ambition, another to schemes. This has to mean my brothers. Your choice could avert this fate."

"Read the prophecy again," Meera said. "My choice determines the fate of your empire, not your brothers. Besides, I don't want anything to do with this war business. I've seen two wars, and that's two too many. I just want to go to the University, have some of my questions answered, and find a way to the White Ember."

"I can help you with that." Rehia walked over to the desk, pulled out a parchment, scribbled something on it, folded it up, and sealed it with a wax seal. She walked back and handed it to Meera. "This will get you entry into the University. They're even more arrogant than my family, and that's saying something."

Meera took it gingerly. "And what do I need to give you in exchange?"

"Just a little bit of your time. In ten days, there will be a gala. The rumor is that my father will announce his heir at the gala. It's the talk of the town. Please come back for that. And no, you won't need an invitation. You're the Reverent Lady, after all."

Meera stood. "But why do you want me there?"

"Let's just say it's not going to go as everyone thinks, and you might even find a way to the Warlocks."

Meera's eyes widened. "But I never said anything about the Warlocks."

Rehia smiled. "Now, I would be a bad host if I didn't know of my guest's needs, now, would I?"

Meera was more than a little alarmed by the princess's casual demeanor. It was as if she were saying that she knew of Meera's wants and needs. So don't worry, just partner up with me, and I'll make sure you attain them. It was like she was another sorceress herself, wanting to use Meera for her own purpose.

Then, something struck Meera as odd. Why had the sorceresses come to her? How had they known that she could provide them refuge? She used Identify on the princess.

[Sorceress of Oblivion – Level 402]

Meera did her best to hide her shock, but the princess must've known that she had used Identify on her as her lips curled up slightly along the edges.

But if she's a sorceress, then why did Aksha tell the others to rendezvous on Rhione?

Maybe it was a decoy, but why would Aksha lie if she was so sure of her victory? But then, how come the sorceresses ended up here and not on Rhione? Did they change course once they found out that Aksha was dead? But there was no one alive who could carry the news to the daughters of Aksha's death unless the daughters felt their mother's death, which would explain the sorceress's presence here.

Despite the storm inside Meera, she smiled. "Of course, I'll be there. I can, at least, do this much."

Rehia smiled. "See you then."

Meera stalked out of the room silently. Cannot run from destiny? We'll see about that princess.

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