Dawn light pierced sharper than any knife into Athena’s eyes. Andi was huddled over by the medicine shelves, tending to Ares who was standing beside her. She carefully was mixing an ointment and healing his burns. The healer turned her head.

  “Sleep well?”

  The healer’s hair was pulled into a loose bun, but some of it still covered her eyes. Athena nodded, swinging her legs out of the cot. Athena slid on black slippers. She stumbled over to Andi and Ares.

  “Do you guys know where Orion is?” Her voice was drunk with sleep.

  Ares tilted his head to the door, before he pushed himself onto the medicine table, kicking his legs. “Down the hall, in the..what's it called again?” He turned to Andi, eyes glistening with something unreadable.

  “He’s in the library your majesty,” Andi didn’t meet Athena’s brother's gaze, her eyes never left the ointment.

  Athena nodded again, limping out the door, before Andi called after her. “Come back so I can check your wounds!”

  Athena didn’t answer and walked down the hallway. The dream was fresh in her mind, almost welded. Her fingers grazed her neck, she could still feel the strings sharp pull. Her hands shook as she brought them down to examine, still feeling the mass pushing against them.

  She shook her head, turning past the dim candlelight and into the library. Orion’s black hair was disheveled and curled at the edges, covering his eyes barely. His gaze was sharp inside some book with no cover. The slippers clicked and echoed as she stood beside him.

  “A history book?” She asked as she peered over his arm.

  The general snapped the book shut, his eyes widened. “Yes,” His gaze faltered on her before he placed the book back. “Are you feeling better?”

  Athena wiped one of her eyes. “Better than before,” Her hand rubbed her neck blankly.

  Orion noticed. “Are you alright?”

  She jumped, looking up. “Oh-yes!Just a little itchy is all,” Athena didn’t meet his gaze, her eyes turning to the books.

  Orion hummed, his eyes met Athena’s gaze on the books. Athena stood still, the silence stretched thick between them. Her raven black hair curled around her face, her icicle blue eyes still sharp even behind the ebony wall. The light licked up her pale skin. She looked out the window, reaching from the floor to the roof. The sky held fluffy, snowy, clouds, dappling the azure painted sky. The sun let light filter through the clouds, causing fractured light to beam in different spots all at once.

  “So, are you still too weak for training?” There was a playful glint in the general's eyes, a dim challenge.

  -------------------------------------------------------------

  The warmth from the sun painted Athena’s skin as she held the wooden sword. She flexed it in her hands, beneath ivory skin pulsed black blood. Orion stood in front of her, sword in hand ready.

  Athena stood still, waiting for him to move.

  He slowly raised his sword and it met hers with a soft THUD, he let it fall and re-angled it, attempting to hit her with a side attack. Athena stepped back, motions quick, blocking the sword. It faltered in Orion’s hands, before he adjusted his grip. She tightened her grip, she let it pierce through the air, aiming for his feet. Orion stumbled back, catching his balance and aiming for her sword slightly faster. She pushed her sword against his, attempting to knock it out of his hands.

  His sword fell on the grass.

  He raised his hands in surrender. “Fine. You win.” A grin played on his lips.

  Athena stifled a laugh, she picked it up for him. “Again. This time don’t go so easy on me.”

  Orion laughed, twirling the sword. A game glistened in his eyes. “I wouldn’t dare,” His tone was filled with mockery.

  Athena swung quickly, trying to aim a blow for his arm. His wooden sword met hers, pushing her back. Her feet stumbled back in fluid motion, before she disappeared. Orion’s gaze swept the area around him, waiting for her to reappear. A figure loomed behind him, a sword pressed softly to his back.

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  “Backstabber,” He joked, turning around and knocking the sword out of her hand.

  Athena watched as the sword fell, she dug the front of her slipper kicking up the grip of the sword and catching it. She twirled it without effort, aiming it at his throat. A smile formed on her face. She then let her hand fall, placing the sword on the ground.

  “I should get back to Andi, she wants to check up on me.” Athena began to walk towards the entrance again.

  Orion set his sword beside hers, following her. “I’ll come too,” His eyes softened on her. “And this time, please don’t fall into another coma.”

  Athena laughed gently. “No promises.”

  As they made their way through the labyrinth of the castle halls. Something tugged at her mind, a distant voice. A shudder ran through Athena, goosebumps formed on her neck.

  The two made their way through the winding halls, the dim candle light casted long shadows across the plush velvet carpets. Her back still felt sore but most of the pain had died down. Athena and Orion finally reached the healer’s room, Ares sat cross-legged on the medicine counter, as Andi carefully placed bandages and ointment on his neck and arms.

  “Welcome back, I’ll just finish up here and treat you in a moment,” Andi said, not looking up as carefully placed a string of bandages around Ares’s arm.

  Athena gave the healer a curt nod and sat down on the cot, Orion sat beside her. His hands folded in his lap as he slouched. His eyes kept tracing back to Athena.

  “Are you sure you're okay?” His tone sounded skeptical.

  Athena opened her mouth, about to protest, but words died. Was she okay?Gods, she didn’t even know at this point. She knew Orion wouldn’t stop asking until she answered, or gave him a good one.

  “I-I...I don’t know anymore,” Her gaze hit the floor, as if suddenly it was the most interesting thing in the room.

  Andi barked a sharp laugh. “Maybe if you Kryewn–brains hadn’t been training you would have been okay!”

  Ares looked at Andi. “ Kryewn - brains? ”

  Orion and Athena also sat with curiosity, what in the Gods great glory was a Kryewn?

  The medic placed the roll of bandages gently on the counter beside Ares. Her hair was still pulled up into a loose bun, her bangs curling like honey as her eyes varied across the three of them.

  “Yes, like in Ancient Gods Mythology?Y’know The Gods and Sins messengers?” Andi looked around like they were the dumb-founded ones.

  Andi rolled her eyes. “Nevermind, come here Athena,” She motioned her over with a tick of her head.

  Athena pushed herself from the cot, walking over. Andi pulled out herbs from an upper cabinet, and began pounding the mixture with a pestle and mortar. As Andi turned to Athena, she halted, eyeing the two elephants in the room.

  “Could you guys leave real quick?” She narrowed her eyes on Orion and Ares.

  The boys exchanged an awkward glance between one another, before exiting the medic room and shutting the door softly.

  “Lift your hospital gown please, I need to apply this to your back.” Andi instructed.

  Athena lifted the gown so only the scars mottling her back and her pale skin showed. Andi pressed the ointment mixture to the scars. The gear in Athena’s back shifted again, like a blade was being pressed to her back.

  The ointment had a strong odor, something akin to mint and rotting wood. The fowl smell made Athena’s nose wrinkle.

  “Done.” Andi examined the scars more closely. “Did one of your wounds re-open?Athena this looks deep, you might need stitches.”

  “I’ll be fine for now, I need to speak with Halkyn for now,” Athena pulled her gown again.

  Andi sighed, turning to a small metal tap on the wall and turning it on, the crystal water ran into the drain along with the fowl ointment. “Fine, I’m pretty sure he's in the study. You should at least put clothes on, actual clothes.”

  Athena nodded, exiting the room. Ares walked back in as soon as Athena exited, stealing a mischievous glance from her brother. Orion hadn’t been waiting at the door, the general was nowhere in sight. Athena shrugged it off and began to go look for her room. She passed hanging plants in vintage beige pots.

  She found her room and walked in. Cream pages were scattered everywhere, red ink that looked like almost vermillion of blood stained the pages and floor. Her mirror was shattered, the silver shards everywhere.

  Athena's eyes widened in shock as she eyed the figure standing there. The woman. The woman from her hazy dreams.

  Ginger hair fell wavy like orange waves of sand. Hazel eyes that could pierce a Sin’s throat. Her tan skin–mottled still with dark brown freckles that could replace stars had let off a faint glow. She pressed a finger to her chin.

  “I have one more proposal.....”