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That’s all we’ve asked of thee.

Now here’s your gift, your special gift

Just like we’ve promised thee.

The right to rule, the right to power

That’s what we’ve guaranteed

Because you’re right, because you’re just

Now you can be free.

But Exalted King beware, be warned

For this here may not last

The flowering peace, the blooming prosperity

Will all go so fast.

History will repeat, kingdoms will fall

This we have all foreseen

The rubbled streets, the screams of fear

All make for a horrible scene

How to stop it, how to save them?

Well the answer is here.

When good is tested, when blood proves right

The evil will disappear.

Silence sliced through Thicket’s ears as she finished reading the last sentence.

She flipped through the next few pages and, to her surprise, found the exact same prophecy written out a second time, notes and interpretations scribbled all throughout in handwriting of various kinds. Her eyes raked across them all, mind racing, racing.

Everything stopped when she landed on a set of handwriting at the very bottom of the page.

It was the same as it had been in the Dream World, the light touch, the easy curves and strokes. Her father’s handwriting. He had written two words that made Thicket’s blood run cold.

It’s here.

Was this…

Something scratched at the window above the nightstand. Thicket nearly jumped out of her skin. Through the fading light, she could just make out a figure moving through the stained glass.

A figure with molten orange eyes.

Thicket set the diary down and pried the window open.

“What are you doing here?” she asked as the cat leapt inside.

“Congratulations, Sleeping Princess,” the cat drawled, tail flicking as it settled on top of the windowsill. “You did well.”