Chapter Thirty Two: Athena

The library was dark, swallowed by shadows, the faint smell of dust and decay lingering in the air. The lights were off, and the place felt abandoned—or at least it seemed like it was. Torn papers littered the floor, crumpled and stained. Books, some half-burnt, others shredded, lay scattered like the corpses of forgotten knowledge. This place wasn't just old—it was hideous.

As we pushed deeper inside, the silence felt heavier. Every step we took made the wooden floorboards creak underfoot like they were warning us to turn back. Tory walked beside me, unusually quiet. His eyes kept flickering to me like he was holding something back.

"What is it?" I finally asked, cutting through the silence.

He let out a long sigh and stared ahead, refusing to meet my gaze.

"Nothing... it's just..." he hesitated. "My family... we're in some debt to one of the gangs. A big one. I talked with my mom, and it's... it's a lot of coins. I don't have enough to pay them..."

I didn't respond. I didn't have a response. Deep down... I didn't care.

"It's fine, you don't need to say anything," he added, reading my silence. "It's not your problem."

And just like that, we kept walking down the library's cold halls, shadows stretching with every flicker of light. After what felt like forever, a dim glow appeared at the far end of the room. It came from one of the old desks.

As we approached, the light revealed an older gentleman sitting there, flipping through what looked like ruined pages of a book.

He glanced up, startled."Oh... I wasn't expecting anyone... Who are you?"

"I'm Lia," I replied calmly. "And this is Tory. I'm looking for Kay."

He raised a brow, smirking faintly."Well... I am Kay. What can I do for you?"

I couldn't just outright ask for his help to reach Athena—not with Tory standing next to me. My mind raced for another way to ask, but before I could think of something, Kay leaned forward, eyes narrowing like he could see right through me.

"You're here for Athena... aren't you?"

I froze. My heartbeat quickened. Tory looked at me, confused and angry.

"Excuse me?! What do you mean, 'you're here for Athena'? LIA!?"

"Shut it, Tory," I snapped. "We can talk later." I turned back to Kay."Can you help me reach her or not?"

"Sure," he grinned as he snapped his fingers.

In an instant, the entire library disappeared. The air shifted, thick with an otherworldly hum. We were no longer in that crumbling ruin. Instead, we stood inside a massive library, bathed in a soft light purple glow. Holy magic swirled around us like drifting stardust.

And then I saw her—Athena herself, standing by an enormous book resting on a pedestal.

"Ah, young one, you've arrived. And you brought a friend. How thoughtful," she smiled. "But let's talk alone, shall we?"

Before I could speak, Tory collapsed to the ground, unconscious. I didn't move to help him. My eyes were fixed on her.

"What do you know?" I demanded.

She raised a brow. "Is that a way to speak to a goddess?"

"You told me you'd tell me what you know if I came here."

"I told you we'd talk—not that I'd tell you," she corrected with a sly grin.Fucking gods.

"Now then, information isn't cheap, you know."

I gritted my teeth. What could she possibly want? My soul was already gone, my family long dead. I had nothing left.

"I want you... to seal the Horseman," she said calmly.

My stomach dropped. Seal the Horseman? The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse? Was she insane? She couldn't be serious.

"You expect me to seal the four most dangerous beings in existence for information about the fire?"

She tilted her head. "I'd expect you'd even kill the Fates themselves if it gave you a sliver of knowledge about who killed your family."

"And you expect me to do this alone?"

"You brought a friend," she smirked. "Use him."

"Why can't you just seal them yourself?"

"They are more powerful than me," she said with no shame.

"And yet you expect me to do it?"

"If you want the information I hold—yes."

Fucking gods and their stupid power games. I already knew why. It was always about power. And how would I do it? I'd figure that out later. I clenched my fists.

"Fucking hell... fine."

"I'll agree to your deal."

Her grin widened. "Wonderful. Here, take this."

She handed me a small amulet, cold to the touch, its silver chain glowing faintly.

"While wearing this, you'll be able to speak to me. Use it when you've finished the job—and ONLY when you've finished it."

She waved her hand. "Tata, now!"

In a flash, we were back in the old, decrepit library. Kay was gone, vanished without a trace. Tory stirred beside me, slowly waking.

"What just happened?!" he asked groggily, rubbing his head.

I didn't answer. My hand clenched around the amulet, and my mind raced with one thought:I have to seal the Horsemen...