Prologue - E. B., D. K.

Phoebe

The forest always feels like a different world, a place where I can shed the weight of expectations and just be Phoebe. Not Phoebe, the daughter of Horseman Conquest and A Fate, not the leader-in-waiting of the next generation, just... me.

Here, I can escape the destiny that’s been mine since before I was born. It’s a heavy crown, one that requires me to be more than I sometimes feel capable of being.

My parents, Goddess bless them, they try to understand, but there’s a part of this journey I have to navigate alone. My brothers, too, they’re caught up in their own destinies, each of us a cog in a machine set in motion before we were even born.

Today, the forest feels alive, almost buzzing with a silent energy that speaks directly to my soul. I wander, letting my feet guide me, drawn deeper into the heart of this secluded place.

There’s a part of me that dreads returning home, to plaster a smile on my face and pretend all is well. It’s exhausting, playing that role when in