"What the hell is going on?" I whispered, my voice foreign and raspy.My head throbbed as if a hundred bricks had been dropped onto it. A sharp, pulsating pain threatened to split my skull open. I groaned, squeezing my eyes shut, but the question lingered. Where was I? What had happened?Fragments of memories flickered like a broken reel: the party, the laughter, and too much alcohol. A dare stood out—a moment of absurdity when I leaned in to kiss old man Jared, whose presence among the young crowd was both creepy and baffling. But just as my lips nearly met his cheek, a strange weakness swept through me, draining the strength from my limbs. And then... darkness.A sharp scream pierced the silence. My head snapped toward the door just as it flew open, revealing a middle-aged woman. She stood frozen in shock, her hands trembling as the bucket and cloth she held clattered to the floor."She's awake! Your Majesty, she's awake!" the woman stammered, her face pale as she turned and fled do
Lucius stood over the still form on the bed, his chest tightening with frustration. this was not her. The blade had chosen Athena once, but now it refused to be unsheathed by this stranger."Kael," he commanded, his tone sharp and cutting. "Go to the Prophetess. Tell her the ritual failed. The soul is incorrect."Kael's hesitation was brief, but Lucius caught it. "Your Highness, Prophetess Kim is still recovering from yesterday's ordeal. She may not—""I did not ask for your assessment of her condition," Lucius snapped, his gaze icy. "She must try again. Go now."Kael bowed low, the movement rigid. "Yes, Your Highness." He turned on his heel and strode away, his heavy boots echoing in the tense silence.Lucius turned to the maidservant lingering at the edge of the room. "You are to speak of this to no one," he ordered, his voice quieter but no less firm. "As far as the court is concerned, she remains in a healing trance. Do I make myself clear?"The maid nodded quickly. "Yes, Your Hi
I woke with a jolt, my head lighter this time, the throbbing haze from before finally fading. Blinking, I took in the unfamiliar room again—the same carved walls and eerie glow. Turning my head, I noticed the middle-aged woman slumped in the chair beside me. She was asleep now, her face etched with exhaustion. She must have stayed there for hours, maybe even the whole time I'd been unconscious.The memories hit me like a freight train. They'd dragged me from my world, from my time. The sword that wouldn't budge, their desperate pleas for help, and mine to be sent back—it all swirled in my head. I clenched the soft cloth of my borrowed dress, the frustration making my knuckles white as I stood on shaky legs.Running was my first thought, but... where would I go? I didn't even know how to get out of this place, let alone how to return to the life I'd been ripped from. Instead, I crept to the door, cracking it open. The hallway stretched out before me, dimly lit by flickering sconces. Th
The prophetess's voice trembled slightly as she explained the immense difficulty of pulling a soul from the future, especially one from hundreds of years later. She sighed deeply, her frail body seeming to shrink with every word she spoke. "You have no idea how taxing it was," she continued, her tone laced with exhaustion. "The energy required... it's far beyond what we anticipated. The spell itself is forbidden, and attempting it... well, it always comes with consequences." She paused, her eyes flicking to Kael and then to Lucius. "The cost... is my energy. My life force, drained to fuel the spell. I can feel it slipping away, piece by piece."Kael's expression hardened, and he stepped closer to Lucius, offering a silent support. Lucius, still furious, clenched his fists, the tension in his body palpable. He could barely contain his anger at the turn of events, but Kael kept his voice calm. "No one will find out. No one—no guards, maids, or servants. I will inform the generals, and w
As soon as Ariel left the room, her elegant footsteps fading into silence, I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding. Her presence had been a strange mix of comforting and stifling, and now that she was gone, the overwhelming solitude pressed in.I stood, letting the heavy blanket slip from my shoulders. My eyes darted around the grand, ancient room. Every corner seemed to whisper secrets I wasn't privy to. The air was thick, laden with the intense aroma of incense and old wood, like my grandma's room but far stronger—almost suffocating.Unable to sit still, I approached the tall, gilded mirror standing in one corner. What I saw stopped me cold.The reflection staring back wasn't just me—it was her. The goddess they all seemed to worship. She looked so much like me it was unnerving, but the differences were stark. Her hair was longer, silkier, flowing like a dark river. Her features were sharper, more defined, her beauty otherworldly. She looked... perfect. Ravishing. Regal.My h
Lucius's POVI shut the door softly, ensuring she had climbed into bed and was pretending to sleep. I couldn't risk anyone finding her—not now, not ever. The thought of Ariel catching even a glimpse of her made my body stiffen. My daughter hadn't yet seen her mother awake, and she wasn't going to get the childhood she deserved.Guilt gnawed at me as I walked down the hall, my steps heavy with the weight of my failures. My feet carried me to the third floor, where maids and guards on patrol bowed as I passed. I nodded absently, focused on reaching her room. When I opened the door, she was already asleep.I walked over to Ariel's bedside and knelt beside her. She clutched the old teddy bear to her chest—the one I had told her was a gift from her mother. Since then, she had treated it like a sacred treasure, carrying it everywhere. My heart clenched when I saw the faint streaks of tears on her cheeks. She had fallen asleep crying again.I reached out to brush her hair from her face, resi
Lucius's POVI slammed the door behind me, fury still simmering beneath my skin. Only Gideon and Kael had dared follow me from the chamber. The others were still cleaning up the mess caused by Edward's insolence."I told you I didn't want to meet him!" I growled, turning sharply to face the two generals. "You two convinced me to see that miserable man, and for what? More headaches?"Gideon, ever the optimist, tried to placate me. "Well, on the bright side, we now know a spirit might be here in Decresh.""'Might' being the key word," I shot back, my voice laced with irritation. "We have no proof. For all we know, Edward could be lying to sow chaos."Kael sighed, stepping in. "He's a king, Lucius. A detestable one, sure, but he's not stupid enough to fabricate something this serious. A spirit isn't just a threat to your kingdom—it's a threat to his as well."I clenched my fists. "Are you two even on my side?""Of course we are," Gideon replied, his tone calm but firm. "But you need to t
I handed the bottle of alcohol to Kiara, she took it with an ease that unnerved me, tipping it back in one smooth motion. Her throat bobbed as she drank, and in seconds, the cup was empty.I stared, waiting for the inevitable reaction—the grimace, the shudder, perhaps even a cough. But instead, she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, turned to me, and grinned. "Wow, this is amazing. So good and strong. Pour me four more."I blinked, utterly dumbfounded. "What?" I managed, my voice caught somewhere between disbelief and admiration. "You… want more?"Kiara nodded eagerly, her eyes gleaming with challenge. "Four more, Lucius. Don't hold out on me."My confusion deepened. This was no ordinary drink—it was strong enough to make seasoned warriors, like Ryder and Asha, balk after a single gulp. Even I didn't finish it in one go. Yet here she was, a slip of a woman from a different world, demanding more as though it were fruit juice."Not even my generals can handle this," I muttered,
Lucius's POVAfter leaving Kiara in her room, I retreated to my quarters for the night. It had been an emotionally heavy evening, one that lingered like mist in the corridors of my mind. I couldn't bring myself to sleep beside her as I usually did. She needed space, time to reconcile her memories with the life now surrounding her. I had to respect that, though it left my chest feeling hollow.I sat on the edge of the bed, staring at the flickering flame of the lantern. The silence was deafening, and the night stretched on, stubborn and unyielding. Sleep was elusive, but eventually, exhaustion pulled me under.---The morning sun was weak when it filtered through my windows. I rose, brushed off the remnants of restless dreams, and prepared for the day. Duty called, as it always did.The meeting with King Edward of Aston was first on the agenda. Annoying Edward. If history had ever taught me one thing, it was that his tendency to needle and gloat could make even the most patient men los
I gave her a small nod and sat on the bed as she settled beside me. Something deep within urged me to pull her into an embrace, and I did. She clung to me tightly, and in that moment, I could sense the storm of questions swirling in her mind, mirroring the chaos in mine.Why would a mother stab those people? What kind of mother would do that? What truly killed her? as she a villain? Or was it something else entirely? The doubts, the confusion—they spun relentlessly in my head.Ariel turned to me, her eyes filled with concern. "Mom, are you sure you're okay?"I forced a faint smile, brushing a strand of her hair behind her ear. "I will be," I said softly. "I'm just struggling to piece together my memories. By the time I'm done, I'll be fine. I promise."I offered her another weak smile, trying to mask the weight of everything inside me. "I guess the sickness still lingers in my body," I added, my voice light, though the struggle to seem normal gnawed at me.She needs a mother. And thou
Lucius POVSeven days had passed since Athena fell unconscious, her future soul bound to her past body. The process was delicate and draining, and even though she remained still, the news of her awakening had spread like wildfire. From the depths of Dei Krishna to the Northern Human Empire, rumors circulated that Athena was returning.The council room buzzed with tension. Every duke, noble, and general of Decresh was present, their faces grim. Even the king, seated at the head of the table, watched silently. The weight of the kingdom's unrest hung heavy in the air."We need Athena now," Duke Albrecht began, his voice sharp. "Reports confirm the spirit of pride infiltrated our walls, using the arrogance of our own people to remain undetected. This palace, filled with prestige and power, was the perfect host."I nodded slightly. He wasn't wrong. Pride had provided a foothold for the spirit to thrive, but the insinuation stung.Albrecht continued, "If that spirit could enter, what's stop
Lucius POVI watched as Athena—or Kiara, I wasn't sure which name fit her best just yet—suddenly slumped into my arms. Her body went limp, her energy utterly spent from the overwhelming power she had summoned. My mind struggled to process the moment, to reconcile the chaos. A spirit had dared to invade my palace, the heart of my kingdom, and yet, if not for that spirit, I might have lost her all over again.The realization hit me like a thunderclap. The fiery, unyielding woman I had foolishly tried to send away was my wife. She was Athena. The goddess Athena.I turned sharply to Gideon and Kael, who immediately sprang into action without a word, their training kicking in. They would scour the palace grounds, ensuring no trace of the spirit's essence remained. My focus shifted to Maidservant Tae, who stood frozen, her hands trembling, her eyes wide with disbelief."Tae," I said, the weight of command in my voice pulling her out of her stupor. She blinked rapidly and stepped forward. Ca
As the sword unsheathed, its energy surged through the chamber, radiating a blinding light. My grip on the weapon tightened instinctively, and before I could fully comprehend what I was doing, I swung it. The energy within the blade erupted in a powerful wave, hurtling through the air. The spirit, still a distance away, froze in its tracks as the energy collided with it, consuming its dark form.The spirit screamed, its voice piercing and unnatural, before dissolving into a cloud of black smoke that was quickly scattered by the force of the energy.The barrier trapping Lucius and the others shattered in the same instant, fragments of shimmering magic falling like shards of glass before fading into nothingness.I stood there, trembling, staring at the empty space where the spirit had been. The sword in my hand now felt impossibly heavy, and I dropped it with a resounding clang against the stone floor.Ariel's cry broke through the deafening silence."Mom!" she shouted, running to me.H
As they blindfolded me, a strange mixture of emotions swirled in my chest. I was being led to the place where they intended to perform the ritual, and though I couldn't see, I could feel the shift in the air. The aura changed the moment I crossed into the room—a heavy, overwhelming presence that was both familiar and unsettling.I felt it. I couldn't explain how, but I knew. The sword was there.They guided me to kneel, placing me at the center of something significant, though my blindfold dulled the specifics. My hands brushed the cool surface of the floor, and my heartbeat quickened. I wasn't just anxious—I was sad. Knowing this was the last time I'd be here, the last time I'd feel this strange world, or see… him.Lucius.Even blindfolded, I knew he was nearby. His presence was undeniable, commanding even in silence. And despite myself, I hated the thought of leaving him behind. This gorgeous devil of a man had somehow worked his way into my thoughts more than I cared to admit.The
Lucius's POVWe were back at the cornerstone of my palace, the same place where we performed the last ritual, and here we were again. The chamber was vast, dimly lit by the flicker of hundreds of candles arranged meticulously around the room. Their light reflected off the ancient relics we'd gathered—each one holding a specific purpose, each one essential for what we were about to attempt.In the center of it all lay Athena's sword, radiating a faint, otherworldly glow. It was the focal point of the ritual, the key to unlocking the energy we needed to send Kiara back to her world. Last time, the ritual had drained prophetess kim nearly to the brink of collapse. This time, we would take no such risk. Athena's sword would be both our source of power and our safeguard. One of the relics—a crystalline orb carved with intricate runes—was designed to channel the energy directly from the sword into the ritual, sparing us from the backlash.Every detail had been accounted for. Every precautio
The next day came and went in a haze. After a restless night, I woke to find Maidservant Tae bustling in with a tray of fruits—watermelon slices and a few other things she'd managed to scavenge for me. At least she remembered I couldn't stomach their food.I ate in silence, my thoughts heavy, while Tae flitted around the room tidying up, her movements brisk and her words clipped. Something in the air felt different today, and I could feel her judgment without her saying a word."You're leaving today," her tone was matter-of-fact, but it hit me like a dull thud.I should have felt elated—relieved even. I was finally going back to my world, to my family, to everything I knew. But instead, a sinking feeling sat in my chest, twisting my insides in a way I couldn't explain.Why did it feel so awful?I shouldn't feel this way. I had my own life, my world. Yet, the thought of leaving brought a lump to my throat.I didn't have long to dwell on it before Ariel burst into the room like a whirlw
I pushed the door open, my pulse racing. There she was, sitting upright on the bed, though she looked like a ghost of herself—pale and fragile, her hands gripping the edges of the blanket as if holding on for dear life. Relief and a thousand questions battled in my chest.I stepped closer, my boots muffled against the thick carpet. Her eyes met mine, hazy but searching, and the faintest crease formed between her brows."You're awake," I said, my voice betraying the mixture of relief and urgency I felt.She nodded weakly, her lips parting as though words came to her slowly. "I… I saw something," she murmured, her voice soft but steady enough to command my full attention. "A memory… of me. At the lake." Her fingers tightened on the blanket, her knuckles whitening. "I was there, Lucius. But it wasn't me… was it?"Her gaze pierced through me, a mixture of desperation and confusion swimming in those eyes. "Am I… her?"The air thickened around us. I let the question hang for a moment, my ch