Chapter 42 - The Messenger
Morning came too quickly.
Athena hadn't realized she had fallen asleep until pale light was already slipping through the narrow window and stretching across the stone floor.
Her body felt heavy.
Not from exhaustion.
From everything she had felt the night before.
The howls.
The warmth in her chest.
Silas's voice telling her she wasn't wolfless.
She sat on the edge of the bed for a long moment, gathering herself before dressing and stepping into the hallway.
The fortress was quieter than usual.
Not asleep.
Watchful.
She could feel it in the air.
Low voices echoed from the main chamber ahead. Familiar voices. Serious ones.
She slowed as she approached, her heart beginning to thud harder with each step.
"...saw them at the northern edge," a deep voice said.
Rowan.
"How many?" Silas asked.
"Three. Watching. Not crossing."
Athena's stomach tightened.
Watching?
Silas's tone dropped lower.
"They wouldn't come this close without reason."
Rowan's voice remained calm, but there was no mistaking the tension beneath it.
"They know something has changed."
Athena stepped into the doorway before she could stop herself.
Both men looked at her immediately.
Neither surprised.
Silas's expression softened slightly when he saw her, but the tension didn't leave his posture.
"What's happening?" she asked quietly.
Silas walked toward her slowly.
"Scouts saw mage movement near our outer territory."
Her chest went tight.
"Mages?"
Her mind immediately went to James.
To his family.
To what Silas had told her about them practicing magic.
"They wouldn't be here unless they were looking for something," Rowan added.
Athena's breathing became shallow.
Her thoughts raced too fast to catch.
"They're watching the borders?" she asked.
"Yes," Silas said.
"Why?"
Silence stretched between them for just a second too long.
Athena already knew the answer before she asked.
"Are they coming because of me?"
Neither man answered right away.
And that was answer enough.
Her hands began to tremble at her sides.
"I didn't do anything," she whispered. "I didn't even know-"
Silas stepped closer.
"You did nothing wrong."
"But they think I did," she said, voice cracking slightly.
Rowan's gaze softened.
"They think something they worked very hard to control is no longer under their control."
Athena swallowed hard.
She looked between them.
"So this isn't about James," she said quietly.
Silas shook his head once.
"No."
A chill slid down her spine.
"This is about me."
Silas didn't deny it.
He didn't need to.
Athena's mind flashed back to the mirror.
To her eyes turning gold.
To the way the howls had felt in her chest.
To the words Silas had said.
You were made to forget.
Her voice came out barely above a whisper.
"What did they do to me?"