The echoes of Artemis’s own ragged breathing filled the space around her as she came to. The weight of exhaustion pressed heavily against her limbs, but the memory of what had happened still burned fresh in her mind. She had killed a monster. The thought sent a wave of shock through her body, but before she could fully process it, voices reached her ears, pulling her from the haze.
“Artemis!” The urgency in her mother’s voice sent her heart into a frantic rhythm.
She groaned, her head pounding as she turned toward the sound. The fluorescent lights above flickered slightly, casting eerie shadows along the walls of the unfamiliar room. Where was she? The last thing she remembered was standing in that hallway, watching Lamia disintegrate. Then, darkness.
A warm hand pressed against her forehead. “Sweetheart, I’m here.”
Artemis’s eyes fluttered open fully, meeting the worried gaze of her mother, Evelyn. Her eyes shimmered with barely concealed fear, her copper-toned hair was disheveled, loose strands falling around her face. Beside her, Daniel, her stepfather, rushed in, his expression tense with worry. His normally composed demeanor was gone, replaced with something raw and desperate.
“Thank god,” Daniel exhaled, kneeling beside her. “We thought we lost you.”
His voice cracked on the last word, and Artemis felt a pang of guilt. She had seen Daniel worried before, but never like this. He wasn’t just concerned—he was terrified. She had scared him, scared both of them.
Before Artemis could respond, she noticed another figure standing in the corner of the room. He was unlike anyone she had ever seen. Tall and regal, with platinum-gold hair that fell in soft waves past his shoulders, and eyes so light they nearly appeared white—pupilless and glowing like twin celestial orbs. A quiet, almost divine energy radiated from him, filling the room with an otherworldly warmth. He looked at her with a gentleness that sent a chill through her—not of fear, but of something deeper, something familiar.
Her breath caught. “Who…?”
Evelyn took a shaky breath, glancing at the man before turning back to Artemis. “Sweetheart… this is your father. Aiden Blake.”
Silence stretched between them as Artemis’s heart pounded. Her real father. The man who had been nothing but a mystery her entire life. “My father?”
Aiden stepped forward, his movements slow, deliberate. “Yes, Artemis,” he said, his voice smooth and calming. “I’ve wanted to meet you for so long.”
Artemis felt a storm of emotions rise within her. Confusion. Anger. Longing. “Why now?” she demanded, her voice trembling. “Where were you? Why did you leave us?”
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Her mother’s grip on her tightened. “I left him,” she admitted softly. “To protect you. If they knew who you were before you turned thirteen, the monsters would have never stopped hunting you. I had to keep you hidden.”
Artemis stared at her, the weight of her words settling heavily in her chest. “So all this time… you knew?”
“Yes,” Evelyn said, her voice breaking. “I knew who you were meant to be. And I knew they’d come for you eventually.”
Mr. Sage, who had been silent until now, stepped forward. “And now, they have. Which means we don’t have much time.”
Daniel clenched his fists. “So what do we do now? How do we keep her safe?”
Aiden’s glowing gaze softened as he knelt beside Artemis, reaching out but stopping just short of touching her. “Now that you’ve awakened, I can protect you properly. But you must come with me. There’s a place where you’ll be safe, where you can learn to use your powers.”
Artemis swallowed hard, her mind spinning. Everything was happening too fast, but deep inside, something told her this was only the beginning. She met her father’s glowing eyes, searching for any hint of deception, but found only warmth. Only truth.
She took a deep breath. “Tell me everything.”
Aiden nodded, his expression indiscernible. He pulled a chair closer to the bed and settled into it, his presence commanding but strangely comforting.
“I am not human,” he started, watching her carefully. “Not entirely, at least. You are my daughter, which means you are something more than human, too.”
Artemis’s heart pounded. She had known something was different about her, but hearing it spoken so plainly sent a chill through her. “What am I, then?”
Aiden hesitated, as if choosing his words carefully. “You are a reborn goddess.”
The words hung in the air, heavy with meaning. Artemis sucked in a sharp breath. “A reborn goddess?” she echoed. “Like in mythology?”
Aiden gave a small smile. “Mythology is often based on truth. You are the reincarnation of Artemis. Your powers have been dormant, but when you killed that monster, they awoke. That is why I am here now. You need guidance. Protection.”
Artemis’s head spun. Everything she had known about herself had shifted in an instant. “And the monsters? Lamia?”
Aiden’s expression darkened. “There will be more. Lamia was only the beginning. The moment your powers awakened, they sensed you.”
A cold dread settled in her stomach. “And what happens if I don’t come with you?”
Aiden’s gaze turned solemn. “Then they will find you. And they will not stop.”
Artemis turned to her mother, whose eyes were filled with unshed tears. Evelyn had always been strong, but now she looked almost fragile. “I should have told you earlier,” she whispered. “but I just wanted you to be safe.”
Daniel placed a hand on Evelyn’s shoulder, grounding her. “But we can’t keep her from who she is,” he said softly.
Artemis clenched her fists. Fear, anger, and something else—determination—burned inside her. She had never felt so overwhelmed, but she refused to be afraid. Not anymore.
She looked at Aiden, her jaw set. “Then teach me. If I’m supposed to be this great power, then I need to know how to fight back.”
Aiden studied her for a long moment before nodding. “Then we leave in two days.”