The Shadow of Athenae
Prologue: The Night of Fate
The moon hung low over the balcony of the Athenae palace, casting silver light on marble pillars and lush gardens below. Callista, the princess of Athenae, leaned against the cool stone railing, her dark hair cascading like a waterfall. Her mind was a storm of desire and trepidation.
Duke Theren approached silently, his presence commanding yet gentle. "You shouldn't be here," he murmured, though the glint in his eyes betrayed anything but caution.
"I don't care," she said, her voice sharp and witty, as if the arrogance of her status could protect her from the consequences of passion. "It's only one night, isn't it? One night that will change nothing."
He smiled, dangerously, leaning closer. "Nothing changes, except everything."
And it did. That night, they shared a storm of passion, a collision of intellect and fire that left the world outside their room irrelevant. Yet even in the throes of love, Callista's mind did not rest—she calculated, observed, and memorized every nuance of his expression.
The consequence of that night was hidden, a secret carried in her womb. Dorian, conceived in passion and secrecy, would one day mirror her brilliance—and her ruthlessness. But at the moment, it was simply a night, a beautiful memory, and the first twist of fate in a chain that would shake kingdoms.