2 : A World Upside Down

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*A World Upside Down*

Mina walked cautiously through the village, the crunch of dried leaves beneath her boots the only sound besides the distant murmur of voices. The forest had given way to thatched rooftops and cobblestone streets, but everything still felt… wrong.

Women strode past her, heads held high, dressed in sharp, tailored armor that gleamed in the sunlight. Some barked orders at groups of men who scrubbed floors or carried heavy baskets. Others gathered at market stalls, their voices confident and commanding as they haggled over prices.

Mina blinked, her heart pounding. The world she'd fallen into was the opposite of what she'd known. Here, women ruled. Men served.

She passed a group of men in aprons standing by a bakery, whispering about the perfect bread recipe. One of them caught her eye, but quickly looked away when she met his gaze.

She swallowed hard, feeling a knot tighten in her stomach. *How did this happen? How is this world like this?*As she moved deeper into the village, her eyes caught a glimpse of a woman standing by a fountain. The woman's sharp, piercing gaze locked onto Mina's face, lingering just a moment too long.

The woman was striking — tall and slender, with jet-black hair pulled back into a tight braid. Her sharp cheekbones and dark eyes gave her an intimidating presence. She wore a dark cloak embroidered with silver thread, something that suggested nobility or power.

Mina quickly averted her gaze, but the woman did not look away. Instead, she stepped closer.

"Lost, are we?" the woman's voice was low, but laced with an edge that sent a shiver down Mina's spine.

Mina's heart hammered. She forced herself to nod, "I—I'm just trying to find my way."

The woman's eyes narrowed. "Not many strangers come here without a purpose."

Mina tried to appear calm, but her hands trembled. *What do I say? That I'm trapped in a novel? That I don't even know who I am?*

Before she could answer, the woman smiled—a slow, knowing smile. "Be careful who you trust in this place. Power isn't just held by the queens and their daughters. There are others watching."A chill ran down Mina's spine, stronger than the cold she'd felt earlier. She glanced down at her hands, noticing again the slight shimmer beneath her skin, as if the very air around her reacted to her presence.

She looked back at the woman, but she was already turning away, disappearing into the crowd with a grace that seemed almost unnatural.

Mina swallowed her fear and pressed on. She had no idea who that woman was, but the warning echoed in her mind.

Her footsteps led her toward the village square, where children played under the watchful eyes of women who seemed to radiate authority.

Mina's gaze dropped to her fingers again. The chill she felt near the fountain was back, stronger this time. She clenched her fist tightly and saw a thin layer of frost form on her skin, sparkling briefly before fading away.

Her breath caught. *What is happening to me?*

A voice whispered in her mind, soft but clear: *"Wake me."*

Mina's heart raced as she looked around, searching for the source, but no one else seemed to hear it.

As dusk settled over the village, Mina knew one thing for sure — she was no ordinary girl anymore.Mina backed away, heart pounding. Her hand brushed against a stone fountain tucked behind the market. Cool water spilled from a carved lion's mouth, trickling into a shallow basin.

She crouched beside it, her throat dry, and dipped her fingers into the pool.

The moment her skin touched the water, a sharp jolt raced up her arm.

She gasped and yanked her hand back.

Her fingertips steamed faintly. Not from heat. From something… colder.

*Ice?*

A ripple moved through the water, slow and unnatural, like it recognized her.

Mina staggered back, breath catching.

Inside her, something stirred—ancient and locked tight. It pressed against her ribs, coiled like a sleeping beast. Her heart pounded as she clutched her chest.

*What was that?*

She looked around, but no one had noticed. The village bustled as usual, women leading, men obeying, and Mina suddenly felt like she was made of something dangerous.

Far from the village, deep in the palace where no one spoke Elara's name aloud, her father stood by a window, watching the mountains.

He felt it.

The first flicker of her bloodline. A shift in the cold.

His hands clenched behind his back.

She was awakening.

And he was the only one who knew why.

Because the woman he loved—Elara's mother—had whispered it to him on the night she vanished:

*"When she touches the egg, it will begin."*

An egg hidden in a cave known only to him. A dragon egg, left dormant for generations. And a daughter born of frost and still water—marked by fate.

But Elara would never know.

Not yet.

Back in the village, Mina sank onto a bench near the fountain, her fingers still tingling. Her thoughts raced. *None of this was in the book.* Elara was barely a name. Barely a shadow. She hadn't mattered.

But she mattered now.

Something inside her had stirred.

And as night fell and stars began to prick the sky, she heard it again, soft and distant—more feeling than sound.

*"Come find me."*

A whisper not of words, but instinct.

Of magic.

Of fate.

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