Chapter 2

"Oh, nothing," Zara said sweetly, loosening her grip but not letting go completely. "Just catching our little wanderer sneaking back inside. Isn't that right, Athena?"

 Athena forced herself to meet Calista's eyes, summoning what little courage she had left. "I just… went out for a bit. I needed some air."

 Calista scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Air? You're always sneaking off without telling anyone. You think you can just come and go as you please?"

 "You can't just always do things your way." Zara scoffed. "I mean you don't belong here, Athena" now sighing.

 Athena swallowed her hurt, nodding silently. As the sisters turned to leave, Calista leaned in close, her breath warm against Athena's ear.

 "Maybe next time, think twice before running off to your little hiding spots…" Calista whispered. "or who you meet."

 "Oh, but don't worry, Calista," Zara cooed, her voice dripping with fake sweetness. "I don't think Athena will be meeting anyone for now. After all… her crippled lord is getting married to her soon." She scoffed.

 Married? To a crippled lord? All these questions rang loud bells in her ears.

 Calista let out a dry laughter "yeah yeah. The Duke of caladorn wants a bride for his son." 

 Athena didn't respond, too stunned to form words. As Calista and Zara strode off, their laughter echoing down the hallway, Athena sagged against the wall, her chest tight with fear. Marriage to the duke's son. 

 The reality of it crashed down on her, leaving her shaken and trapped. But then she tried to convince herself. Maybe it wasn't true since her foster father mentioned nothing about it.

 After dinner, Athena quietly cleared the table, her hands moving on their own while her mind wandered back to the mountains. The thought of escaping there brought a faint smile to her lips, but it quickly faded when she heard Harper's gruff voice from the doorway.

 "Athena," he called, his tone firm but laced with something heavier. Come forth and seek me in the sitting room."

 She hesitated, wiping her hands on her apron before going to him. Harper was seated in his worn armchair, eyes fixed on the crackling fire. His face, hardened by years of labor, looked almost thoughtful—a rare sight.

 As Harper spoke, Athena sensed movement to his right, and sure enough, his wife—Quinn, eased into the seat beside him. Her sharp, scrutinizing eyes raked over Athena like a blade, and a twisted smirk tugged at her lips.

 "You're nineteen now," he began, his voice rough but deliberate. "Of age. Ripe for marriage."

 Her heart was beating faster. From the evening—the sarcasm of her sisters. They were right. Her stomach twisted painfully. "Sir—" stopping halfway, not sure of what to say anymore. 

 "I've done enough for you—fed you, clothed you since you were twelve. Brought you in when your parents died and no one else would have you. It's time to pay your dues." Harper rubbed his temples.

 She bit the inside of her cheek to keep the sting of tears at bay. She knew where he was heading to.

 Harper continued, oblivious or uncaring. "I've made arrangements," he said flatly. "You'll be married soon. It's high time you stopped being a burden and became useful."

 Athena's throat tightened, words choking back as his declaration sank in. She wasn't sure whether to feel anger or despair. Marriage. Why now?

 "That's right," Quinn chimed in, her voice cutting and bitter. "You should be grateful. We took you in when no one else would. A penniless orphan with nothing but dirt on her face and foolish dreams in her head."

 Harper was never a kind man, but he wasn't the worst of them. He rarely spoke to Athena unless it was to bark orders. In his eyes, she was more of an obligation than a daughter. Yet, compared to the rest of the family—Quinn and her spiteful daughters, Calista and Zara—Harper's indifference almost felt like mercy.

 Harper cleared his throat, cutting through her spiraling thoughts. "The marriage is set for five days from now," he stated bluntly, as if discussing the weather. "Giving the crippled lord an heir—at least your existence will mean something."

 Athena's heart dropped, crippled? Her mind spun, struggling to wrap around the suddenness of it. Five days? How could they arrange something so life-changing so quickly? Why not Calista—who was twenty-two and far more suited for marriage, or Zara who was twenty. Why her? She is just nineteen.

 The truth hit her like a blow. Of course they wouldn't choose Calista. The eldest daughter was too proud, too precious to be given to a man like him—a crippled lord. And Zara? She was Quinn's darling, too perfect to be wasted on a crippled man.

 But Athena—she was just an orphan. The burden. The girl who didn't truly belong. Who better to pawn off to the Blackwood family? A man she never met. 

 She wanted to ask a lot of questions. She wanted to turn down the marriage. But couldn't find her voice, too stunned and hurt to speak. She wasn't in the position to make decisions in her life. She just stood there, rooted to the spot, wishing the floor would open up and swallow her whole.

 "You'll not embarrass this family when lord Tristan Blackwood comes for you." Quinn's cold voice sliced through the silence.

 She wanted to scream, to run to the mountains and never come back. But instead, she nodded weakly, fighting to keep the tears from falling.

 "Yes ma'am."Was all Athena could respond. She forced her feet to move, but her thoughts were far from cleaning. Five days. Five days to accept that her fate was sealed.

 She dragged herself to her tiny, dimly lit room. Her thoughts raced, tumbling over one another like an avalanche. Just five days before she would be handed over to the crippled lord—Tristan Blackwood. Her stomach churned at the thought, and she pressed a trembling hand to her mouth.

 Crossing the room, she sank onto the thin mattress, curling up on her side. The weight of everything threatened to crush her—her past, her powerless present, and now a future wrapped in chains. Was this truly how her life was meant to unfold? Was there nothing she could do to change it?

 Athena buried her face in the rough pillow, trying to quiet her thoughts. If only her powers could bend fate as easily as they bent time. Maybe there was another way—a way to make herself stronger, to stand against them. She needed a plan, but exhaustion pulled at her limbs, and her eyelids grew heavy.

 Just before sleep claimed her, one thought lingered—elopement.

 The next day unfolded just like any other—monotonous and dreary. Athena rose before dawn, scrubbing the floors and tending to the livestock as the sky slowly brightened. Her muscles ached, but she pushed through, letting the routine dull her restless thoughts.

 Calista and Zara were already awake, lounging at the dining table, whispering and giggling. When Athena passed by with a bucket of water, Zara stuck out her foot, making her stumble.

 "Watch where you're going," Zara sneered.

 Calista just smirked, barely glancing at Athena as she struggled to steady the bucket. "Clumsy as always. Getting married to the crippled lord suits you a bit."

 Athena bit back a retort, knowing better than to engage. She simply picked up the spilled rag and kept cleaning, ignoring their pointed snickers. This was nothing new—just another day of taunts and silent endurance.

 Quinn barked orders from the kitchen, demanding the linens be washed and the firewood restocked. Harper had already left to tend to the fields, and without his looming presence, the sisters felt freer to pick at Athena whenever they pleased.

 Five days. The words echoed in her mind, and she couldn't shake the dread that came with them. But despite the tension simmering beneath her skin, the day carried on as it always did—filled with chores, whispers, and the relentless grip of uncertainty.

 Night fell, wrapping the house in a heavy silence. In four days, she would be forced to marry a man she had never met—a crippled lord. If she needed to make a decision it was today. Now.

 Morning broke with the usual sounds of Quinn clattering in the kitchen and Calista whining about the chores left undone. But when Zara barged into Athena's room to yank her out of bed, she stopped short, frowning at the empty bed. Went back to inform her mother.

 "She's not there," Zara muttered, glancing around. 

 "What do you mean she's not there?" Quinn snapped.

 "I said she's not in her room," Zara repeated, a hint of annoyance in her voice. "Maybe she's hiding somewhere, trying to skip chores."

 Harper, just coming in from the fields, caught the exchange and narrowed his eyes. "What's all this noise about?"

 "Athena's missing," Quinn replied tersely, slamming the teapot down. "I swear, that girl's been nothing but trouble. You better hope she hasn't run off."

 Harper's jaw tightened, and his glare shot straight to Zara. "Go check the neighborhood. Bring her back with you!"