Chapter Twenty Four

**Rory’s POV**
“What the hell…?”
I eyed the thick cardstock in disbelief. What did this mean?
“It must be a mistake. Or maybe we are misinterpreting the drawing.” Jesse suggested, but it was clear as day.
There stood my love, my royal, overlooking the destroyed remains of Vegas with the silhouette of a crowned man over her shoulder. *A man. One man.* His features were vague and shifted, hiding any distinguishing attributes that would tell me who he could be, but the message was obvious. A frantic script at the bottom of the page read, “Eternal Kingdom.” This was the beginning of the end, and it started with Aria alongside a single King.
“Fuck.” The corner of the page crinkled in my tensed hand. This was huge. The air rushed from my lungs and my chest tightened as if a million stones were placed atop it. I couldn’t bring myself to come to terms with my new knowledge. No. Impossible. We were both Kings, so how does she rule with only one? Does she choose one of us over the other? Or does one of us die? If only our Oracle weren’t gone.
Then again, it looked like he didn’t know what he had envisioned either. His normally elegant writing appeared scratchy and strained, making me believe that the image stressed him as much as it did me. Would I lose my Queen?
“We should tell Aria and Bastion.” Jesse choked out, chewing on his thumb. I flinched at his suggestion, turning to him with a snarl.
“Absolutely not.” I hissed, catching him off guard. His brows furrowed in confusion as he sunk into his office chair.
“Are you honestly suggesting that we keep this from them?” I straightened my back, pulling the zippo from my front pocket and setting it aflame. “King, please, reconsider-“ He attempted to interrupt, but it was too late. In a flash, the page went up in flames, sending plumes of smoke into the stale air. I watched in utter satisfaction as the image burned, as if the destruction of the sketch would somehow change the validity of the prophecy. Once it was ashen on the tabletop, I took long menacing strides towards our High Priest.
“I’m not suggesting, Jesse. I’m commanding. As King. You will not inform either of them of this damned foretelling. If you do, I swear to you, you will regret it.” I was trembling, sweat forming on my brow as I made my threat. What the hell was I saying?
I wasn’t sure. All I knew was that I could not allow them to carry this burden. I would already be waking up every day wondering if Aria would stop loving me, or being worried that I would die and not be able to raise my children. They didn’t need the fear that had been instilled in my heart the second I laid eyes on the scorched page. I could at least spare them that.
Jesse’s eyes flashed with a pained concern, lowering his head in submission. “Yes, King. As you wish.”
I choked back the bile threatening to rise in my throat, crossing to his desk to grab the latest volume of James’ journal in hopes to find what we had been looking for in the first place. How would The Dark King be freed? And was there anything we could possibly do to stop it? What could we even expect if he were to arrive? My eyes roamed the pages vaguely, stopping when I caught ‘The Dark King’ sprawled along the blue lines.
I lowered myself onto the plush armchair, lowering the book onto my lap as I began to read. It is written in the same chaotic script as the image he created, making me wonder if they were granted him on the same day, the day he was killed. I swallowed, my Adams apple being caught in my throat, before soaking in the last message our Oracle had ever left us with.
“Date: August 4th, 2019
As was prophesied by the Opalescent Court Oracle, James Davis:
A cold storm. A harsh wind. They stand atop a high rise, overlooking the city. The Sire has succeeded. The Dark King rises. The skies darken. Chaos. Chaos everywhere. Death and destruction, human submission, blood. There is no peace. There is no peace. The Kingdom must rise. The Queen must break. Love will be lost, love will be found.”
“Are you getting anything?” Jesse asked, likely noticing my look of confused panic. I nodded, meeting his timid eyes with hesitation.
“I don’t think we can stop it.” I muttered, choking on coarse air.
“Why not?”
“It’s inevitable. All of it.” I eyed the pile of ash atop his desk with sorrowful eyes. We couldn’t stop it. One of us would be lost.