?Without a word all four of them fold themselves before me onto the floor. I’d probably have something to say about that – like how ridiculous these four grown men, all of whom are stupidly tall and muscled and all that, sitting on the floor like we’re in kindergarten – but, for once, we have more important things to talk about that is not my sarcasm.
?“Okay. . . so Syngenia’s blood flows through my veins,” I finish. “For some reason I was not killed onsite, and was caged instead. The Mage Board said it was because I did not possess bloodlust that I was given a chance to gain proper citizenship, however I don’t think that’s the full truth. There is a reason I’ve been forced to be here, specifically at this school.”
?I focus on Varian and his red eyes. They look nearly identical to his brother’s.
?“Why do you think that?” he asks softly.
?My shoulders sag. “There’s a prophecy that was told a long time ago. It was written as a Prophecy of Old, however only select beings were told it. It was about a damnation of a red sun.”
?So subtly, not even a real movement, they all make.
?“Except vocal prophecies are never properly understood, especially when certain words sound the same.”
?Castiel has turned into stone with how still he is, Thorne’s eyes are on the ground, Callahan is trying to subtly look at Varian, and the red devil is staring directly at me.
?“That’s a deadened proph – “ He cuts himself off when I drop my relaxed expression to a glare. He clears his throat and looks down. “What do you know about that?”
?“I know that prophecy is different to the famous Prophecy of Old. I know that you will try to tell me it is the damnation of a burning sun instead of red.”
?He snaps his eyes up. “How do you know that?”
?“Why did you think I was a spy?”
?He blows out a breath and I wait for any of them to speak, but it seems like they’re all waiting for Varian. My red devil who knows more than he’s able to tell.
?He looks directly at me and my red eyes.
?“Alexandros D’etrenomas is the leader of the rebellion. It’s a rebellion that started a few years after the War of Gods in disagreement with the Mage Board that was created. However, the world was still rebuilding so this rebellion was not as known or established as it is today. Not until about five hundred years ago when they made their first stand against the Mage Board.”
?Varian nods to Castiel and continues to hold eye contact.
?“Me, Castiel, and my twin brother, Percius, were all in the same year when we attended Syngenia as students. Alexandros was in the year under us and he became our friend when he was a second year and we were thirds. We tended to get up to things we shouldn’t – “ A ghost of a smile appears on Castiel’s face. “ – but during the summer before my fifth year me and Percius found something in the catacombs of our estate. A scroll thatpossessed aura that it shouldn’t, and when we read what was on it we discovered a Prophecy of Old.
?“When we went back to school for our fifth year we shared it with Castiel and Alexandros and we decided that year we would enact the prophecy. However, that did not go as planned. The leader of the rebellion at the time had the goal of finding and taking the prophecy and enacting it himself. This led to attacks being made to the school and the Mage Board getting involved with questions about why and we were all starting to realize this wasn’t just some ordinary Prophecy of Old.
?“We decided right before our graduation we would stop with the prophecy and I thought that was the end of it. Me, Percius, and Castiel graduated. The three of us enlisted into the Kingsguard and when Alexandros graduated he joined us.”
?I hold my pointer finger up and he pauses to let me ask my question.
?“What is a Kingsguard?”
?All four of them furrow their brows. Callahan speaks for the first time asking, “You don’t know what the Kingsguard is?”
?When I shake my head all four look to each other.
?“The Kingsguard is the military of Miy and the Mage Board. They make up the soldiers, enforcers, warriors. . . they’re constantly mentioned because they are who fight against the rebels. They’re all over Isos and our news updates.”
?I shake my head a little more vigorously. “What is Isos?”
?Callahan drags a hand down his face. “How do you not know what Isos is? That’s all Jullia talks about.”
?Jullia. . . “You mean the knockoffInstagramandTikTok?”
?He blows out an exasperated breath. “The social media platform, if that’s what you’re referring to, yes. How do you not know that’s what it’s called? You have thousands of followers and videos you’re clipped to.”
?I blink at him and I remember Jullia showing me the video of what I said to Darian and the one that was captured when I said Castiel was my fated, but I haven’t clicked on the app since Jullia set up my profile. I also don’t have any notifications turned on with my tablet.
?I shake my head slowly this time. Jullia’s words from earlier today filter through my mind. About me being oblivious.
