Guided

Stumbling back, Alessia feels a sharp pain in her head. It was a massive wave of pain. It felt like someone was smashing a hammer into her head. She kneels, and a groan slips out from her lips.

Blinking up, she notices the shadowy figure again. It was looking down at her. At least, that's what it seems like.

As her legs shake, Alessia forces herself to stand up. She can't succumb to the pain that is rocking her head. Grabbing a book off the shelf, even though her eyes are blurry, she must find out what this all means.

The first book is about a Goddess in another realm who disappeared and was never heard from again, leaving her realm in shock. The second and third books have a similar history. The more she is finding out, the more questions she has.

What does this all mean? Alessia shakes her head, trying to push back the pain that is coming through. She can feel the sweat on her forehead, her body is shivering, and the feeling of nausea is becoming too much to bare.

The wave of pain comes back, if not worse, causing Alessia to stumble and grab onto the bookshelf for support. She feels the book's shelf wobble as her weight tries to pull it down.

The pain is unbelievable.

Alessia starts to fall backward, and the shelf slips away from the wall and slowly comes down with Alessia. She was feeling too weak to move or dodge the falling bookshelf. She can only hope to make it out with little to no injuries. It doesn't seem like anyone is aware of her whereabouts.

Closing her eyes, Alessia can no longer endure the pain or the upcoming disaster. The only thing going through her mind is the meaning of these missing goddesses and who keeps track of them.

Bam!

"What are you doing, human!?" A deep voice yells.

Squinting through the pain, Alessia can make out a figure, the broad shoulders, the snake tattoo, and the long black hair.

It was a Zagreus.

"You are weak."

Alessia can feel herself being picked up. Alessia tries to read Zagreus's face as best as she can or as her eyes would allow.

The darkness makes his facial features more intense, his jawline sharp like a razor, and the anger in his eyes blazed like a fire.

Alessia isn't sure if he is p*ssed at her for being nosey or if she almost got hurt. She can no longer hold back the pain in her head to think about it.

* * *

Zagreus looks at the pathic woman in his arms. How did she faint so quickly, and most of all, why was she in the hidden library? The library he blocked off from everyone, the library his Mania would spend hours and days in.

When Mania went missing, he sealed the library, and only he could enter it with his hidden door. The shelf he put together was the bookshelf that almost fell on this human. He wanted to find another Goddess that fell into a similar state. The best way to hide his investigation was in a library that no one would bother to see or look into.

Yet, this simple, little woman found it effortlessly.

Zagreus can feel his eye twitch with annoyance. He wants to train this woman as she can help him find Mania. Yet, somehow she gets under his skin, a human. He is a God, a prince, and a future king. He shouldn't let this one little human get to him so much.

He will use her and discard her once Mania is found. But why does seeing her almost get smashed by the bookshelf cause him to move so fast?

Pushing the door to her room open with his foot, Zagreus walks over to the bed and lays her down. She was sweating bullets, and her body was ice cold. He didn't notice before, but her clothes were wet from sweating.

Donn enters the room with another behind him, his future wife—a flower nymph- as if on cue.

"What is the meaning of her state?" Zagreus ask and looks over his shoulder at his brother.

Donn was at Alessia's side within a second. He touches her forehead and looks her over, and glances back a Zagreus.

"What did you do to her?"

"I didn't do anything. She was like that when I found her. What is wrong with her?" Zagreus looks at his brother, Donn's eyes are full of mistrust.

The flower nymph Rose appears at their side and looks at the human breathing hard and shallowly.

"She was poisoned." As the words leave her mouth, Zagreus can feel a heat he hasn't felt in a long time feel his body.

"What do you mean, Rose?" Both Donn and Zagreus say in unison.

Rose closes her eyes and touches Alessia's forehead. A small red light emits from her hands and into Alessia's body.

Rose releases her hand from her head and looks back at both princes.

"I removed the toxin from her body. She will be fine. The poison was from a plant. I can smell it. There is a hint of Mongolian flowers and an Angel's Trumpet. The Angel's trumpet is very poisonous to humans."

"They are mainly found in the heavenly realm." Zagreus's words hold an ominous feeling in the air.