After an hour of pacing Mer's tiny hut, Valerie finally saw Mira and Sibyl returning with Claremont and Cerise on their heels.

"How many do we have to capture to end Putrefus's rule?" Valerie asked Sibyl.

"Most follow him out of fear. But his core followers are his best friends of many years. There are eleven," Sibyl said.

"We have located nine," Mira added. "They reside in the new hut they call the castle."

Sibyl's face was red with indignation. "That structure was intended as a hospital, so that critically ill Conjurors could come for the healing waters of our pool. But Putrefus has turned it into his headquarters."

"I don't know how they get off calling it a castle," Claremont said. "Looks like a big pile of mud to me."

"What about the other two of Putrefus's friends?" Thai asked.

"We didn't find them, but I know where they live," Sibyl said.

"Let's grab them first," Valerie said.

After conferring with Sibyl, the group headed out. Sibyl directed them to the huts of the two allies of Putrefus who didn't live in his castle. At each stop, Valerie and Cerise snuck in and quickly knocked the target unconscious.

Thai, Mira, and Claremont hauled them back to Mer's hut, where Thai had activated the charm to turn it into a little prison. It would last a few hours, which should be enough time to take Sibyl and her friends back into the city. Mer was gleeful about his role of jailer of Putrefus's gang.

It was only two hours later that they gathered at a back entrance of the Oracle hospital.

"I'm guessing Putrefus and his friends are on the top floor," Sibyl said. "It has a view of the whole city."

Quietly, the group stepped on platforms that whizzed up a ramp that had stops at each floor.

"Mira and Thai, wait a floor below. If we don't come for you, flee back to Arden for reinforcements," Valerie commanded.

Claremont was all but rubbing her hands in anticipation of a fight as she, Cerise, Sibyl, and Valerie took the platform to the top floor.

They stepped onto the landing, and the hall was quiet. A murmur of voices was the only sound, and they followed it.

Valerie stopped at a doorway and saw Putrefus with three of his friends, laughing as they clashed with black weapons obviously given to them by Reaper. But other than that, no signs of Fractus reinforcements were visible.

"This won't even be enough of a fight to be fun," Claremont said before launching herself into the room, her light-imbued mace in her hand.

Putrefus's face was a mask of horror when he saw Valerie, Sibyl, Cerise, and Claremont charge in.

"G-get back! These weapons will suck your magic!" Putrefus said, but he and his friends had backed into a corner.

One of Putrefus's friends, who had close-cropped hair and a snout that reminded Valerie of a pig, threw his dagger at Cerise with more skill than she would have guessed he had.

Valerie's magic surged, and she knocked the knife to the ground before it lodged in Cerise's heart. Then Claremont struck him with a hard punch to his temple, and snout-nose crumpled to the ground.

Claremont laughed then turned and swung her mace, knocking the black weapon of another of Putrefus's cohorts to the ground. Valerie had drawn Pathos, and she struck Putrefus's sword with her own, shattering it.

Cerise delivered a stunning blow to the last of Putrefus's followers, knocking him unconscious with more force than necessary, before Valerie yanked her back.

"I think they surrender," she said.

Cerise's snarl fell away.

"This fool almost killed me," she said, nudging snout-nose's unconscious form with her toe. "I was careless, and Emin would have been an orphan if you had not saved me."

"You're okay," Valerie said softly. "We wouldn't want Emin losing his boss today."

"Thank you, vivicus," Cerise said.

Claremont went to the door, looking out eagerly, as if she was hoping for more attackers to mow down. But no one came, and Putrefus was trembling.

"Don't kill me," he begged. "I'll give you whatever you want."

"The Fist doesn't kill anyone unless we have to," Valerie said.

"Unfortunately," Claremont muttered.

"You will come with us and stand trial for your crimes," Sibyl said.

"You always thought you were so much better than me, because you were Pythia's daughter. Not even her real daughter!" Putrefus said. "Now I suppose you'll rule the Roaming City."

"Keep it up, and I'll take you with me unconscious," Valerie said, and Putrefus shut his mouth.

"This city was not created to be controlled by a single Oracle," Sibyl said. "Pythia guided us, but we all made the rules together. That's what I want to bring back."

Thai and Mira had discovered the rest of Putrefus's gang while Valerie, Cerise, Sibyl, and Claremont captured Putrefus. The entire operation had gone more peacefully than any in Valerie's memory, and she was grateful.

Everyone in the streets stared as Putrefus and his friends were hauled to Mer's house, where they'd stay until they were tried, one at a time.

An enormous crowd had gathered by the time they were shut inside, and Sibyl cast off her novice robes. She fluttered a little above the heads of the Oracles, and an excited murmur rippled through the crowd.

Valerie had sent Thai to let the rest of Sibyl's Oracles know it was safe to return, and she saw them meeting friends and family they hadn't seen in over a year, gripping them in hugs.

"Friends, I hope you welcome back not only me and all of the Oracles who left, but also a return of a democratic Roaming City," Sibyl began.

Her words were met with cheers. It was a pleasant relief to only have to stand and watch as Sibyl outlined her plans for reorganizing the city to be more in line with the values that Pythia, the original Oracle and Founder of the city, had instilled, and explained her hope for an alliance with Valerie and the Fist.

"But no one will force a decision on you, ever. We decide as a group," Sibyl said.

Valerie walked around after Sibyl had finished talking, meeting many of the Oracles and stating her case again and again for why the fight against the Fractus was important. At last, as everyone drifted away, Sibyl turned to Valerie.

"I will take you to the Hall of Prophecies now, if you wish it."

Valerie nodded. Sibyl led her back to the hut where Valerie had received her first prophecy four years ago.

"Down there," Sibyl said, gesturing to a staircase that led underground. "Concentrate on the prophecy you seek, and it will come to you."

Valerie nodded, and started down the stairs alone. She'd only taken a few steps when Thai slid his hand into hers.

"You're not going alone," he said.

Valerie lost count of the number of stairs as they descended down, down, down. Being so deep beneath the ground was oppressive, like being buried alive, and she was even more grateful for Thai's presence. He kept the ghosts of her childhood in foster care at bay. How would she survive without him once she found the strength to send him away?

When they reached the bottom at last, everything was dark, except for the pinprick of light at the top of the staircase.

"What's next?" Thai whispered.

First one light, then another and another, appeared in crevices in the walls. There were hundreds, then thousands, then millions of tiny gold lights in the room, casting a warm, golden glow.

Valerie shut her eyes and concentrated, thinking of Chern and the prophecy he received in the Roaming City. When she opened them again, a single light whizzed from a spot on the wall, darting around the room like it was alive. It shot down and smacked Valerie directly in her forehead, and her vision went dark.

Her sight cleared, and she was looking at a redheaded Oracle sitting on a stool in the center of the room that was above Valerie now.

"I'm lost. I know what I want, but I can't get it! Tell me what to do." Chern's voice sounded younger than it did now, and it cracked with despair. Valerie guessed that she was looking through Chern's eyes, seeing the Oracle from his perspective.

The Oracle swayed in his stool, and when he spoke, his voice was melodic.

From Daughter of Earth and Father of Globe

Twins shall be born.

If you command their power, you will rule,

But in failure, down from your throne you will be torn.

Valerie gasped, and her mind returned to the present. Thai was kneeling next to her.

"It wasn't the prophecy I needed," Valerie said.

Before she could say anything else, another beacon of light zipped through the room and hit her in the forehead, and she fell backward.

There was a flash of a dusty street, and Putrefus's face, red and a little sweaty.

"Tell me, quickly, are you drawn to prophesize for me? Know that if your words help, you will be rewarded," Chern said, speaking quickly.

"Rewarded how?" Putrefus asked, narrowing his eyes.

"I will need regents to help me rule the Globe. Even I cannot be everywhere at once. The Roaming City will be yours to command."

"Yes," Putrefus said, his eyes glazing. "I have words for you."

Two worlds, both alike in uncertainty

In a shifting tide of unrest

From ancient rules sweep new possibility

Of chains on men and the shroud of death.

Seize the power of the psychic twin

To gift your army the power of shadow.

Stain the vivicus with the blood of another

And her power will be yours to force man to bow.

But if the vivicus remains untainted by death,

And brother and sister against you unite,

An amoebiate's power will amplify their gifts

You will fall to the Pillars of Light.

Valerie's vision returned, and she saw Thai's anxious face searching her own until the tiny lights of the prophecies winked out.

"Tell me what you saw," he said.

"There's hope. But only if Henry and I can find our way back to each other."