Threads of Fate

Evelyn's fingers tightened around the edges of the book, her pulse racing. If what Elias was saying was true, then her existence was tied to something beyond her comprehension. A century-old mystery, a forgotten past—was she truly The Echo, or was this just another cruel twist of fate?

Lucien stepped closer, his presence a steady anchor. "You're saying she's lived before? That she's… reincarnated?"

Elias exhaled slowly. "Not in the way you might think. The Echo isn't just someone who returns through time—she is time itself, a convergence of past, present, and future. If Evelyn is indeed The Echo, then she is the key to everything Isadora was trying to protect."

Evelyn shook her head, frustration flaring. "But why don't I remember anything? If I was someone important, if I had a life before this… why is my mind blank?"

Elias studied her, then set the book down carefully. "Because memories of The Echo are always sealed. Locked away until the right moment. And if Isadora ensured yours were hidden, then she must have had a reason. A dangerous one."

Evelyn felt the weight of his words settle deep in her chest. Was this why she felt so lost her entire life? Why nothing ever seemed to fit, like she had been living someone else's dream?

Lucien's hand brushed against hers, grounding her. "If her memories are locked… how do we unlock them?"

Elias hesitated before answering. "That is where the real danger lies. The Echo's memories are never meant to return without consequence. To awaken them is to disrupt fate itself. But if you want answers… there may be a way."

Evelyn swallowed hard. "Tell me."

Elias gave her a sharp look. "Are you certain? Once you step onto this path, there is no turning back."

A flicker of uncertainty ran through her, but it was drowned by something stronger—determination. If she was The Echo, if she had a destiny that had been stolen from her, then she needed to know why.

She straightened her spine and met Elias's gaze. "I have to know the truth. Whatever it takes."

Elias nodded grimly. "Then we begin at first light. Prepare yourself, Evelyn. Because once the past awakens, so will everything that has been hunting it."

A shiver ran through her. She didn't know what awaited her in the depths of her lost memories, but she was no longer afraid.

She was ready to face the echoes of time.