Page 202 of Carousel

Destruction.

The Card of The Rupture.

No.

“Bombs?” I shriek. “Bombs are coming?”

Any moment now.

“Then get out,” I say. “Run!”

She caresses my face.

I have always known this was my fate, child. And though it may be possible at times to find alternative options for how futures could present, we cannot outrightly escape what the Sisters have written for us.

I’m sobbing. “Old Mother. Please⁠—”

I need you to listen to me carefully. I can see you have still not remembered the last of the truths. I cannot die knowing you might make mistakes, simply because you don’t have all of the information you need to avoid them.

“I thought you said I wasn’t strong enough.”

You are stronger than ever before. But…

“What?”

Look around you. Your mind is even darker now. Tainted. What did you do, to make it this way?

“I don’t⁠—”

I do know. Ephraine. I killed Ephraine.

I try not to show the truth on my face. But I sense she senses it.

She remains calm. Oh, child. Perhaps what I tell you now will bring you back to who you are. It will, at the very least, offer you the answers you need.

“What do you need me to do?”

Listen.

Just…

Listen.

It’s like listening to a spell being cast.

When I was your age, I moved into the Palace to provide guidance to the royal family, through my cards. Though my magic usually only allows me to see the near future, I had a premonition of the more distant future while the Queen herself was young.

She would birth a powerful ruler. A son, who would have magic unlike anything in the known world. But he would become a cruel king and would bring upon destruction to his country and bloodline – and thus, his reign would mean the end of magic.

That was the first fortune. The Card of The Tyrant.

Much like you now, the Queen sought to change her fate. She demanded I predict a future where the first future could be bent – or reversed entirely. As I said to you, it is a risky business, cheating the stars. But I managed it. And so came about the second fortune.

When I drew the card of The Soulmates – the card which, of course, is inspired by the old story – I saw a potential solution to the problem of The Tyrant.

I saw that the Prince could be tamed. His magic could be poured into another. This person – who would need to be someone he could grow to care for – would act as his foil. In magic, we call it counterbalance. His powers would never work fully without her support. She would bring him back from tyranny. In return – if they were to unite – their power would be as great, if not greater.

There were many facets of this fortune to be considered. The future queen would need to be of exceptional birth and training. Nothing could be left to chance. And so began the arduous process of selecting the individual.