The Dragonet Prophecy predicts the end of a war that will have gone on for 20 years. This prophecy is the reason for the dragonets’ entire lives, and the lives of almost everyone they encounter in the novel. Everyone in Pyrrhia is touched by the prophecy, from the warring dragons who don’t want it to come true, to the imprisoned dragons who lean on it as their last and only hope. This conceit anchors the plot: No matter what the characters do or say, the prophecy must be considered. Or intentionally ignored, depending on the character. Characters consider their role in the prophecy, try to manipulate the prophecy, or try to remember the prophecy when times are hard.

The prophecy also supports the novel’s world building. Placing the prophecy at the beginning of the novel provides a hook for the story. The language of the prophecy is poetic and cryptic like a riddle. As new characters are encountered and life in Pyrrhia is constructed, certain elements of the novel make sense based on whether they stem from the prophecy. In the epilogue, it is revealed that Morrowseer didn’t just write the prophecy—he may be manipulating it, or the dragons involved, for his own gain.