‘Did you know?’ the girl spat, venom dripping from her words.

‘Sapphire,’ the witch pleaded.

‘Did you know!’ she shouted back, her voice echoing against the dense trees.

‘I knew you were a part of the prophecy but didn’t know the extent of it, I swear.’

Sapphire turned away from her.

‘Please, Sapphire.’ Desperation rolled thick from the girl’s lips. She reached out but Sapphire pulled away.

‘I wouldn’t do that to you,’ Ashes whispered. ‘I would never do that to you.’

She regarded Ashes and believed the panic she saw. ‘Do you believe it? Believe that I’m –’

‘I believe that you’re the Anointed One – but only you can decide what to do with that fact.’

‘What would you do?’

Ashes sighed. ‘My opinion doesn’t matter.’

Sapphire put her head into her hands, trying to make sense of something – anything – she had learned at the base of that altar.

‘I have seen,’ Ashes started, rocking nervously on her heels, ‘many atrocities in my life. Our homelands burned, our crops destroyed, our altars left shattered and broken on the floor. All while Eriobis thrived. If we were sick, we relied on our old magic to save us. If we were hungry, we prayed to those who came before us to help us survive. I saw my people banished to a barren wasteland meant to destroy us. While the people of this place you’re so desperate to cling to sat by and cheered on our misery. Celebrated it. Their favourite sport to pass the time.’

‘I didn’t know,’ Sapphire said quietly.

‘But it never broke us. We exist because we believe in our magic. In our world. In our coven. And despite the hatred, despite the killing – despite it all, we still find ourselves capable of loving Eriobis.’

Sapphire flinched at the honesty, at the unconcealed brokenness that rang out in her voice. Ashes noticed. ‘You wanted my opinion, my queen. You will hear it.’

Gently grabbing Sapphire’s chin, forcing her to look into her eyes, to face her, Ashes continued. ‘I think, if I was the one that was prophesied, the anointed, a true child of Ryvinika, I’d set this world ablaze and dance across the kindling. I’d rip the nobles from their houses to make them watch and laugh when they begged for mercy. I’d make them feel every scratch, every bruise, every tear spilled by my people.’

Sapphire tried to jerk back, but Ashes’ fingers held her firm. ‘I’d lay waste to everything I found.’

‘Stop – please,’ Sapphire begged, her eyes brimming with tears. ‘Just st–’

‘But I’m not the chosen one, Sapphire.’ Ashes’ eyes were wild as they ran across her face, studying her. ‘You are. It is your path, you have to decide which way it goes. No one else can.’

Sapphire chewed her bottom lip, considering what that could mean for her, for her future, for her witch.