2

I rushed to the door and opened it quickly.

But the moment I saw what was on the other side, I froze.

There were people sitting around a large round table. It was made of polished wood warm, familiar. It looked just like the celebration tables we had in the dragon village. The soft candlelight filled the room with a golden glow. People were smiling, talking, laughing.

For a second, I forgot where I was. It looked like home.

Then I heard a voice from the table, light and playful.

"Mommy, I told you not to wear that. It's too old-fashioned."

I blinked. That voice... I knew it. My heart started beating faster as I followed the sound.

That's when I saw them.

Aurora. My sister. My parents. Even Oma. All sitting at the table, eating together. Laughing like nothing had ever gone wrong. Like nothing had happened at all.

Tears rushed to my eyes.

Without thinking, I ran to Aurora and threw my arms around her. I held her tight and buried my face into her shoulder.

"Aurora!" I cried out. "Thank the Goddess. It was all a dream! You're okay!"

But something was wrong.

She didn't hug me back.

Instead, she pushed me away with one finger. One finger. As if I was dirty. As if I disgusted her.

"What the hell?" she muttered, wiping her hand. "What's wrong with the maid, Mom?"

Maid?

The word hit me like a slap. In the dragon village, a maid was someone who helped around the house. But I wasn't a maid. I was

I looked around, confused. "Mom? Dad? It's me Fiona. Come on, stop joking."

They all stared at me like I was a stranger.

"Who are you calling Mom and Dad?" someone snapped. Her voice was sharp and cold.

I turned. It was Oma or at least someone who looked just like her.

"Are you still dreaming or something?" she asked, frowning at me like I was crazy.

"No… this can't be happening," I whispered.

I tried to laugh, to act like it was some weird prank. But my hands were shaking. I looked at Aurora again, really looked this time.

That's when I saw it.

It wasn't her.

Aurora had long white hair. This girl had blond hair. Softer features. Her nose was different. Her eyes didn't have the same glow.

I stepped back, my chest tight. "This isn't real. What is this place?"

Why did they look so much like my family, but weren't them?

Was this a trap?

A mistake?

There's no way my father could've sent me here on purpose.

Then the man at the table spoke. His voice was loud and full of annoyance.

"You're about to lose your job and your shelter, that's what's happening—if you don't stop acting crazy and go wash the damn dishes!"

"Job? Shelter?" I repeated, confused.

"You heard me. Go do the dishes. Now."

"There's been a mistake," I said quietly. "I don't do dishes. I'm not even allowed near the kitchen."

Back in the dragon village, I was banned from the kitchen because of my fire. Literal fire. When I got upset or emotional, things burned. I once burned down the bakery by accident.

But instead of understanding, they just stared.

Then they all started laughing. Like it was the funniest thing in the world.

"She's finally lost it," one of them said.

"Looks like someone's leaving the house today," the man added with a growl.

"Go clean the dishes before I make you."

I didn't reply. I turned away not because I was going to do what he said, but because I needed to breathe. I needed to think. Nothing made sense.

This house. These people. This world.

I looked around the room, hoping for some kind of clue.

Then I saw it.

A calendar on the wall.

The writing on it was strange symbols I didn't recognize but the numbers were clear.

12/12/2022.

My heart dropped.

No. That can't be right.

I blinked again. Looked closer.

It was real.

I remember the last date I saw before the dragon village fell. It was 12/12/2000.

That means… twenty-two years.

Twenty-two years had passed.

But how?

I still looked the same maybe even younger.

How did I jump twenty-two years into the future?

And why do I feel like no time passed at all?

This wasn't possible. My father… he didn't have this kind of power. Not anymore. After he was cast out of the divine realm, most of his powers were taken from him. He could barely teleport between villages, let alone travel through time.

Unless…

Unless he hid something from me.

Or someone else sent me here.

I stared at the wall, my hands trembling.

Who is my father, really?

I needed answers.

But first, I needed to understand where I was. Who these people really were.

And most importantly how I could survive this.

I walked slowly back to the dining room, this time more carefully. I kept my head down. I didn't speak. I just listened.

If I was going to find a way out of this, I had to stop acting confused.

I had to blend in.

No powers. No magic. No help.

Just me and my mind.

Because something wasn't right.

My father would never send me here to be a maid.

Would he?