Chapter 24: Why Me?
Athena’s pov
She scoffed. "You’ve kept me caged. And now you come to speak in riddles again?"
He didn’t answer her rage. Instead, he looked at her — truly looked. The firelight flickered against her face, casting shadows along the edges of her jaw, highlighting the storm behind her eyes.
"I offered you the truth once," he said softly. "You spat in my face. But you still haven’t asked why I let you live."
Athena’s jaw clenched. She turned away. "You said you wanted me to break."
"I still do," he said simply. "Because until you let go of what you think you know, you’ll never see what’s real."
He walked to the window, his hands clasped behind his back, eyes on the cold stretch of land below. "The Moon Goddess," he said, "might die soon."
Athena froze.
"She is greatly weakened," he continued, voice low and steady. "A shell of what she once was. Her divine presence? Fading. Her gifts? Barely tethered to this realm anymore. And your sacred order... your bonds, your ranks, the power you draw from her? All of it... decaying."
Athena swallowed. "You’re lying. The moon goddess is immortal. There’s no way she’s dying. You’re lying to me!"
He turned slowly, facing her. "There’s no reason for me to lie, Athena. You should have seen the signs by now. Maybe you just decided to ignore them."