Chapter 3
** Not Your Typical Afterlife**
**Athena's Point of View**
The man with wings—Taye, he said his name was—sets me back down on solid ground. I immediately take a few steps back, trying to figure out what's happening. I mean, it's not every day you get scooped out of mid-air by a dude who looks like he fell off the cover of a romance novel. The whole situation is surreal, like I'm starring in some weird crossover between *The Twilight Zone* and *Game of Thrones.*
"My name is Athena Mikaelson. I am nineteen years old. I live in a small village near Brooklyn. My parents are a lost cause due to the lifestyle they've chosen." I pause, mentally running through my personal bio. "Okay... I'm not crazy, and it's been proven I'm not dreaming. If these two options aren't true, then that means…" I look at Taye, who is patiently waiting for my epiphany. "Am I dead?" I ask loudly.
Taye gives a slight nod to the people around us who are still holding spears, and they scatter like we've just announced free tacos. We're alone now—just me and this winged dude who could easily model for some celestial calendar.
"It didn't take you long to figure it out. My name is Taye, and I'm sorry for what happened to you," he says, his voice so calm it almost makes me forget that I just asked if I'm dead.
"Am I dead? Am I really dead?" I repeat, like if I ask it enough times, the answer will somehow change.
"You gave your life to save an innocent soul. That is commendable," Taye says with a slight bow, as if I'm some kind of hero. Which, okay, maybe I did do something heroic, but I'm not exactly ready to embrace the whole 'martyr' label just yet.
I look at him without saying a word because, honestly, all my attention is drawn to his wings. They're massive and glimmer with streaks of silver. I feel like I should be asking him for flight lessons or something. "And now what? Am I in Heaven or something?"
Taye blinks, clearly caught off guard by how nonchalant I am about all this. But, hey, I've had a weird life. A weird death is just par for the course. He gestures for me to follow him, and we start walking. Taye tries to explain the situation as we go, but I'm only half listening because—hello, I'm still trying to wrap my head around the fact that dragons exist in this place. Like, where's my manual for this afterlife?
"This is the land of Lanom. It's neither Heaven nor Hell. This is where those who pass away first arrive, and then they're sent to the place they deserve," Taye says in his most informative tour guide voice.
"Aha... Great. I've ended up between worlds. Just my dream come true," I mutter.
Taye gives me a sympathetic look, the kind you'd give a lost puppy. "I'm sorry, Athena, for this. I'm sure Petorth had his reasons for sending you here."
"Petorth? Is that like the afterlife equivalent of customer service? Do I need to file a complaint?" I ask, and Taye looks like he's not sure if I'm joking or genuinely planning to ask for a manager. Honestly, I'm not sure either. If I have to be dead, couldn't I have at least gotten a tropical beach or something?
As we head to who knows where, Taye tries to lay out the rules here in the simplest way possible. Apparently, I'm the only human who will stay between worlds longer than necessary until someone figures out what my 'role' is. Gee, that sounds fun.
"Dinner will be served by…" Taye drones on, but I barely hear him because out of the corner of my eye, I see something that makes me squeak. And, okay, I'm not proud of the squeak, but there it is.
"Holy crap... Are those dragons?" I nearly shout, my voice rising several octaves.
Taye nods, visibly displeased by my lack of composure. "Yes, Athena. They are dragons. We need to get to the castle. We can't waste any more time," he says, trying to sound all authoritative and serious.
Well, excuse me for being a bit excited about seeing actual dragons. I mean, he acts like he sees them every day, which he probably does, but still! Dragons, for crying out loud. I thought angels were supposed to be all serene and patient. Maybe Taye missed that memo.
Taye's urgency pulls me along, but my mind is still racing. Dragons. Angels. A land between worlds. I feel like I should be more scared, but instead, I'm oddly exhilarated. Maybe it's the whole "nothing to lose" thing that comes with being dead.
"You're taking this rather well," Taye comments, side-eyeing me as we walk. His wings rustle slightly, and I'm reminded again of just how ridiculous this whole situation is.
"Well, I'm still waiting to wake up," I reply, giving a shrug. "Or for you to tell me this is some elaborate prank."
"No prank," he says, his tone softening. "You've truly crossed over, Athena. This is the beginning of your journey, not the end."
"Journey?" I echo, my curiosity piqued. "What kind of journey?"
"That remains to be seen. The fact that you're here, in Lanom, means you have a purpose that's not yet fulfilled. Most souls pass through quickly, but you… you're different."
Different. That word lingers in the air like a bad smell. Different could mean anything—maybe I have some hidden talent for dragon taming, or maybe I'm destined to screw up royally.
As if reading my thoughts, Taye continues, "Sometimes, the most ordinary lives hold the greatest potential. You may not see it now, but there's something inside you, Athena, something that will shape the fate of more than one world."
"Yeah, no pressure," I mutter under my breath.
We finally reach the edge of a cliff, and below, I see a castle straight out of a Disney movie. The walls shimmer like they're dusted in fairy glitter, and the towers stretch up so high they practically pierce the sky. Around the castle, I spot the dragons—massive, majestic creatures with scales that gleam like jewels. Some are flying, others lounging like giant, scaly cats.
"Welcome to the castle of Lanom," Taye says, his voice filled with a mix of pride and… wait, is that sadness? "This is where your journey begins."
I take a deep breath, trying to ignore the fact that I have no idea what I'm doing. This is it, then. No turning back now. I glance at Taye, hoping he'll drop some final words of wisdom, but all I see is calm resolve. Seriously, they must teach that look in Angel School.
"Ready?" he asks, extending his hand.
I hesitate for just a second before taking his hand. "Ready," I reply, even though I'm pretty sure I'm lying. Together, we step off the cliff, and as we descend toward the castle, I can't help but wonder—if this is how my afterlife is starting, what on earth (or off it) is going to happen next?