Meera climbed the stairs quietly behind the Sovereign, her heart thumping with each step. It felt like she was walking to her death, but given the woman's gravitas, it was hard to refuse. Despite the danger, she was beyond curious about what the woman needed from her.

They climbed higher and higher toward the heart, as the two initiates had said. Down below, Aksha was leading a chained Kalrina back towards the dungeons in the stomach. But she wasn't the only one who had come out of the Halls of Judgement. A whole procession followed the Five. Their heads craned up, and reverent eyes glued onto their leader.

Meera avoided their gaze as it only made her more nervous. There was a pit that was opening in her stomach. She hadn't even felt this nervous when she faced Erenyx. The thought of Erenyx brought Narikas's handsome face to the forefront. She sighed at what could've been if he had been with her. She put him out of her mind and focused on the present.

He cannot help me now.

After taking some twists and turns but constantly climbing higher, they finally arrived at the Heart. Veridiana placed a hand on the door, and it opened inward to a bright, shining light.

Meera covered her eyes. It was a futile gesture since she could still see through her armor-turned-dress.

"Come, Meera," Veridiana said, walking into the light.

With a deep breath, Meera walked into the light. As soon as she crossed the threshold, the light disappeared. She snapped her head side to side, trying to find the source, and all she saw was a small round crystal hovering in the air.

Veridiana chuckled lightly. "A precaution for any unwanted guests. If I hadn't bid you to enter, and yet you did, the crystal would have blinded you."

Meera's eyes widened. "But why such extreme measures? Do you like your privacy that much?"

"In a way, yes," the sorceress replied. "You see, I hate others touching my things, and there are some things here that absolutely cannot and should not be seen by the sisterhood."

"Well, it's a good thing. I don't belong to your sisterhood."

Veridiana nodded. "Aye."

Meera finally took stock of the Sovereign's room, and it was perhaps the most lavish room she had seen in any world, earth included. Given her status back home, she had seen some lavish rooms. Once, she saw the penthouse of this billionaire, who had gold-plated toilets, and his furniture was some of the best she had seen. But still, this room put that man's place to shame.

It wasn't too big or small, and the size of the room was just right for entertaining a few people. The furniture and draping were so elegant and artistic that she was sure kings would beg her to introduce them to her interior designer. Many vases were filled with one kind of flower, like a rose, but its petals were longer than they were wide, and two shades of colors on a single flower, ranging from fiery red to icy blue. A strong yet sweet smell permeated the room, and Meera was sure it was because of this strange flower. There were a few couches and a big wooden table carved into a big tree with a massive dragon flying around it. She had a lot of the same dragon designs on all her draping.

Aren't dragons their mortal enemies?

But Meera kept her mouth shut. She didn't know what this woman was like or why she brought her here. Certainly, the other sorceresses were shocked at Veridiana's proclamation of bringing Meera here. Quite a few—even the Five—were jealous, so Meera stayed quiet and curious and let the powerful sorceress talk first.

Veridiana's eyes crinkled as she smiled. "Let's take a seat. We have much to talk about."

Meera quietly sat on the couch opposite Veridiana. She knew quite well that this was one sorceress she did not want to antagonize. The woman had made no threat against her, but Meera still couldn't get her heart to stop beating like a drum. She wasn't even this afraid when she stood before Narikas for the first time, almost naked.

"You don't have to be afraid, Meera," Veridiana said. "I didn't bring you here to kill you. I want to talk and put forth a proposal."

Meera squinted her eyes a little. "Okay…What sort of a proposal?"

"I'll get to that, but let's talk about you first, more precisely, your relationship with Kalrina."

"I don't have a relationship with that witch. As far as I'm concerned, she deserves what's coming to her." Meera paused and reined in her emotions. The Sovereign had a blank expression and looked a lot like her daughter. Meera swallowed and tried again, more controlled this time. She sighed. But I needed her to get out of this place." Then she added internally. Depending on how this conversation goes, it might as well be a dream at this point.

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"And you think she can help you in that endeavor?"

Meera frowned. "You were there at her hearing. You must've gauged her plan?"

"I did, and if you two plan on running away at her execution, you will not succeed."

"What makes you think we plan to run away?" Meera asked coyly.

Veridiana snorted. "Whether at the hands of the dragon or the sorceresses, your friend will die."

"Firstly, she's not my friend. She's like a bad odor that I can't get rid of, no matter how much I bathe myself. When I wanted a traveling companion, I wasn't expecting it would be that annoying creature."

Veridiana chuckled but then grew serious. "Then be rid of her and become my pupil, and I will teach you how to master your skills. Unlike Kalrina, who simply adopted the mirror class, I've mastered it. I've mastered all the classes of the sisterhood. Stay here, and I'll teach you to master your skills and take them beyond the realm of mortals."

Now Meera was curious. "Why me? Why bestow this gift on me and not one of your sorceresses?"

"They are not worthy."

"Not even Aksha?"

"Who says I haven't already bestowed this gift on her?" The more she talked, the more she resembled her daughter. Meera could see where Aksha got it all from.

"And if I refuse?" Meera said, but then quickly added. "Not because I don't want to be strong and master my skills but because I have to—"

"Find your brother." Veridiana nodded. "I know of your quest, and it's a noble one…but utterly futile."

Meera clenched her jaw. "What makes you say that?"

"Because of the Great Prophecy." The sorceress stood, walked to one of the vases with the strange rose, and inhaled deeply. "No matter how much you try to find your brother and return to your world before Aetheron wakes, you will fail."

Meera stood. "How do you know?"

Veridiana turned on a heel. "Because every prophecy dictated by a genuine oracle always comes true."

"Not that. The other thing you said."

"Oh…" She smiled. "I must say, both you and Neel have guarded this secret quite closely, but I'm afraid your brother let it slip when talking with the Five."

"With the Five?" Meera furrowed her brow, but then understanding struck like a lightning bolt. "Firaan…She read his mind." Her lips pressed in a thin line. Her chakrams, still in that cloudy lockbox, started going crazy as they attacked the box, trying to break free.

"Calm down, Meera," The Sovereign of the sorceresses said.

She didn't use any skill or a spell to make Meera fear her, but there was power behind those words. All the anger just whooshed out of Meera's body.

"Where you come from doesn't matter," Veridiana said in her normal, calm tone as she came and sat opposite Meera. "What matters is what you will do. When Aetheron wakes, it will take everyone to hold him and his armies back while the Champion fulfills his destiny."

"Aetheron's armies?" Meera asked.

"The dragons. The Cult of Aetheron and other such fanatics who will undoubtedly ally themselves with the great dragon, hoping that he will spare them. We will need every man, woman, and child who can hold a sword to fight against the enemy. It is for that time you will need to be strong enough to fight alongside your brother to save the world."

Even if all she said might be true, there was still one thing that was irking Meera. She drew a deep breath and hoped the powerful sorceress didn't take this the wrong way. "Now, I'm not saying what you're saying is wrong. All you're saying might still come to pass. Trust me, I just saw a prophecy come true, and I had a huge part in it, but still, what if I removed the Champion? Won't that delay Aetheron's rising since there won't be a Champion to fight him?"

"That is highly unlikely. The great prophecy has set things in motion that cannot be stopped."

"How so?"

"Because I, too, was issued a prophecy a century ago. A prophecy that would have a direct correlation with the great prophecy, and it began the moment your brother stepped foot on this world."

Meera gulped. Oh no…Neel, what did you do this time?

"What does your prophecy entail?" Meera asked.

"The destruction of the Sorceresses of Akhessai."

Meera was stunned to silence. Long minutes passed as no one said anything. Finally, Meera drew the nerve to ask. "What are the words of your prophecy?"

Veridiana pulled out a yellowed, rolled paper from the folds of her dress.

The Champion's footsteps mark the end,

Your world will the dragons rend.

The Beast of fire & stone will finally rest,

Her lover will wake from his nest.

Frost & ice will Gethys know by his hand,

The child of the Queen's final stand.

Only you alone will prove your worth,

And beware, for the Arbiter will birth.

Meera looked to Veridiana. "But it doesn't mention the Sorceresses of Akhessai?"

"It does. It states it quite plainly, and the oracle who issued me this prophecy said my home will be destroyed when the Champion comes here." She drew a deep breath. "And the Oracle's helpers came knocking a few days ago."

So, they are working with an oracle. That's how they knew where to find me in the Forest of Rothedon. “Silas and Cossus were here…What did they want?"

"Same thing you want. Directions to your brother," Veridiana replied. "Meera, those two are not to be taken lightly."

"I know."

"Then heed my warning. You need to get stronger for your brother's sake."

Meera knew Veridiana had an ulterior motive in training her, but she couldn't figure out what. The other option was to return to her cell to await Kalrina's execution. Something told her that Veridiana would ensure that Meera couldn't escape with the witch at her execution.

Besides, I need to know more to understand the names in this prophecy and how it relates to the Great Prophecy.

Meera closed her fist around the small piece of paper, looked at the sorceress, and nodded. It wasn't like she could refuse.