Chapter 1

Athena's life had always been hell. From the moment she lost her parents to the cold, unforgiving hands of death, the world seemed determined to crush her spirit. Thrown into the care of strangers, she had hoped for a glimpse of kindness—a thread of comfort to hold on to. But her foster family proved to be just as ruthless as fate itself.

 But when the weight became too much to bear, Athena found solace on the mountaintops of Dravenmoor. Climbing through dense forests and jagged paths, she would reach the peaks where the world stretched wide and endless. Up there, the shadows felt less suffocating, and the wind whispered secrets only she could hear.

 Athena's power would awaken—her extraordinary ability to bend time itself.

 She had learned to control it over the years, a gift—or perhaps a curse—that had always been with her, though she hadn't understood it at first. On the mountaintops, the chaos of her life would fade, and she could stretch moments into eternity, or make hours slip by like minutes. It was as though time itself listened to her pain and responded, offering her brief reprieves when the world grew too heavy.

 But today was different.

 Athena had climbed the mountain as she always did, seeking the solitude that had become her sanctuary. The crisp air filled her lungs as she settled on the rocky ledge, the familiar stillness enveloping her. She closed her eyes, letting the wind carry away the remnants of her thoughts. She reached down, dipping her fingers into the cool stream that snaked through the rocks below.

 She could feel the water's pulse, its life force flowing beneath the surface. With a slow, deliberate breath, she focused, and the world around her seemed to hold its breath too. The water in her palm, once trickling freely, froze in place. Her fingers moved gently, coaxing the liquid to slow down, to suspend in mid-air as if the world had forgotten how to pull it toward the ground.

 Athena's mind worked with the rhythm of the stream, shaping the water as it slowed to a standstill. She breathed deeper, her power stretching the moments, until the droplets swirled together, forming a perfect sphere—a shimmering ball of liquid that seemed to defy the gravity of the world around it.

 And just then. She paused, sensing it before she heard it—an unfamiliar sound carried by the wind. The rhythmic thrum of hooves against the earth. Horse whistling, distant but growing louder. Athena's breath hitched, her senses sharpening. The horses were nearing, their riders coming closer, and the sound was unlike any she had ever heard on this mountain.

 Without thinking, she darted behind a large rock, her body pressing into its cold surface, her breath shallow and controlled. She flattened herself as best as she could, barely daring to move. The mist still swirled around her, but it wasn't enough to hide her. Her heart beat loud in her ears, and the power that once felt like a shield now seemed a dangerous secret, something she was terrified would betray her.

 Athena remained hidden behind the rock, her breath shallow, her body tight with tension. 

 The ball of water trembled in her grip, a fragile orb that felt both alive and weightless. She could feel it, the pulsing rhythm of the stream beneath the rock. The longer she held it, the more she felt the pull of the natural order, demanding that she let go.

 And then, just as the last sound of the soldiers faded, Athena couldn't hold it any longer. With a quick, almost reflexive motion, she released the ball. The water shot forward, splashing with a force that rippled through the air like a stone thrown into a still lake. It collided with the river below, sending up a quick spray of droplets before sinking swiftly into the current.

 For a moment it was nothing but silence.

 She remained still, barely breathing, hoping against hope that the soldiers hadn't noticed.

 But then, a voice broke through the silence.

 "There's a being here," the man said, his tone low and measured, like he'd sensed something—or someone—lurking in the mist. The sound of the hooves had stopped, and Athena's chest tightened as she heard the rustling of leather and the shuffling of feet.

 Athena didn't dare move, not even to breathe, her body pressed flat against the stone as if it might somehow meld with it and disappear.

 At this moment. She couldn't stop time. She wouldn't stop it.

 Her curiosity, however, got the best of her. Slowly, inch by inch, she peeped out from behind the rock, just enough to catch a glimpse of the soldiers. The mist hung thick in the air, but the outlines of the men became clearer as they moved across the path, their eyes scanning the surroundings with precision.

 At the front of the group, the man who had spoken earlier stood tall and commanding, now down from his horse. His gaze pierced the fog. His dark armor glinted faintly, his posture rigid and authoritative. He appeared to be the leader, a figure of control amidst the uncertainty.

 "My lord, there's no one here," one of the soldiers reported, his voice muffled but clear enough to reach Athena's ears. "Could be a bird, or something else, not human."

 My lord? She thought.

 Athena's breath hitched as the man's voice rang out again, sharp and commanding. "And behind the rock and trees? If it's a bird, I want it dead or alive," he ordered, his tone brokering no argument.

 The chill in his words sent a shiver down her spine. Athena peered from her hiding place, her heart racing. Now, as the mist parted slightly in the breeze, she could clearly see the arrogance in his eyes—a cold, calculating gleam that made her stomach tighten with fear. He's mean, dangerous, she thought to herself, a cold knot of dread forming deep within her. The man had the look of someone who wouldn't hesitate to hurt anyone who got in his way.

 She held her breath, barely daring to even think, praying the stone would be enough to shield her from his prying eyes. "Please, please don't let him come closer." She murmured softly.

 And just then it got worse. Her heart pounded in her chest as the soldier, following the lord's command, began to move closer toward the rock, his boots scraping softly against the ground. She could feel the heat of his breath and the rhythmic thump of his steps, and for a fleeting moment, she thought he would discover her hiding place. The tension was unbearable—her breath shallow, her body pressed against the rock as if it could somehow swallow her whole.

 But just as the soldier was mere moments away from peering behind the rock, a voice called out from a distance, cutting through the thick air like a knife.

 "Tristan, I don't think this is necessary. We're touring the kingdom of Dravenmoor, and whatever we see or hear is not related to us," the voice said, calm yet authoritative.

 The voice—deep and strong—carried an air of finality, and in that moment, Athena's gaze flicked to the man who had spoken. She couldn't help but notice how strikingly similar he looked to Tristan, his sharp features except the piercing eyes which lacked arrogance in them. She had seen moments ago, in the other lord.

 Were they related? Athena thought, her mind whirling. 

 The resemblance was undeniable. Perhaps brothers, or even father and son, though the tension in their exchange hinted at something deeper, something more complex. Where were they from? she wondered. Why were they here?

 As the realization sank in, Athena's racing heart began to settle. The danger, though still lingering in the air, had momentarily passed. The soldier, who went back, on order. 

 A deep sense of relief washed over Athena, and she found herself silently thanking whoever—or whatever—had intervened. Her heart, once a chaotic drumbeat of fear, now slowed as she allowed herself a moment of peace. The danger had passed, and though she still didn't fully understand who these men were, she felt a strange sense of gratitude for their unexpected mercy.

 For now, she was safe.

 As Athena made her way back down the mountain, the tension slowly began to loosen in her chest, but it wasn't gone. The weight of the encounter with the soldiers still lingered, like a shadow that refused to fade. The mist around her felt heavier now, as if it had absorbed all the fear she had carried with her. Each step brought her closer to the familiar path home, but the word home had begun to twist in her mind.

 She had always found solace in the mountains, where the world felt far away, where she could be alone with her thoughts. But now, as the rocky peaks of Dravenmoor loomed behind her, the thought of returning to her foster home, to the place where she was never truly safe, filled her with a gnawing unease.

 Her pulse quickened as the house came into view, the familiar silhouette now appearing ominous in the fading light. Home—it was no longer a sanctuary. It was a battleground, a place of constant reminders that she wasn't safe, not really.

 With a deep breath, Athena took one final step toward the door, her hand trembling as it brushed against the cold wood. She didn't know what awaited her inside, but one thing was certain. The tension was rising, and it was only a matter of time before everything came to a head. And just as she was about to sneak into her room.

 "Where do you think you're going?" The voice was low, smooth, and unmistakable.

 It was Zara.

 Athena's breath caught, and her pulse quickened. She was caught. There was no way out. The doorknob suddenly felt stiff, the distance between her and freedom seemed to stretch farther and farther.

 Zara's silhouette loomed in the doorway, a smug smile playing on her lips. Athena's mind raced. What do I do now? She could feel the walls closing in, the weight of the evening pressing down on her, and the tension between them suffocating her.

 Zara took a step forward.

 "You thought you could sneak past me?" Zara whispered, her voice dripping with malice.

 Athena opened her mouth to say something—anything—but before she could, Zara's hand shot out, grabbing her arm with a grip that felt like steel.

 And then, just as Athena struggled to pull away, the door to the living room creaked open, and Calista's voice rang out, sharp and demanding "What's going on here?"

 Athena's breath hitched. The door, the path to freedom—it was all slipping away. Time, like it always did when everything seemed at its breaking point, slowed to a crawl.

 And then Zara smiled, she knew something Athena didn't.

 Something Athena was yet to find out.