Athena's POV
It started with a pinch. Right behind my eyes. Dull and nagging. Like a headache sneaking in the back door.
I thought it was just hunger. Or thirst. Or being alive too long when I wasn’t supposed to be.
But then the shaking started.
My hands twitched when I reached for the bread. The crust was hard, stale, but I chewed slowly, pretending it was warm. Pretending it mattered. I even smiled at Maren. Not because I trusted her. Just because I wanted to feel human for half a second.
She looked strange that night. Eyes darting. Mouth too tight.
Maybe I should’ve known.
The pear was bruised. Sweet in a way that made me gag. My tongue went numb halfway through it.
That was the first real clue.
Something wasn’t right.
By the time I curled up on the straw mat, my stomach felt
