Athena's eyes dropped, her gaze hiding a secret. "I'm happy for you, Lucas. Truly, I am." But her voice was laced with a hint of melancholy, a sorrow she couldn't shake.
Eira's eyes narrowed, her intuition on high alert. "Athena, what's wrong? You can tell us."
Athena's shoulders sagged, the weight of her secret crushing her. "You know already. I have a curse," she whispered, the words barely audible. "A curse against my happiness."
Lucas's eyes widened, his face pale. "What do you mean?"
Athena's voice trembled. "It manifested when I found Tristan, my fated mate. If I don't find a way to break it before my 21st birthday, it'll kill me."
Eira's gasp filled the air, her eyes horror-stricken. "That's less than three years away!"
Athena's nod was barely perceptible. "I know. I've been s
