**Selene's POV**
The gates slid open the moment the car pulled into the driveway.
As soon as I stepped inside the mansion, the familiar routine began. The maids were already lined up, perfectly synchronized as always. One reached for my bag, another gently took my school jacket before I could even say a word. Their movements were efficient, trained—almost mechanical.
"Welcome back, young mistress," they chorused.
I nodded faintly and walked past them, my mind already elsewhere.
Upstairs, my room greeted me with its quiet luxury—soft lighting, silk curtains swaying gently from the open window, the faint scent of lavender lingering in the air. I shut the door behind me and leaned against it for a second, exhaling deeply.
School.
NLGS wasn't even a full day in, and already it felt exhausting.
Sofia's venomous glare replayed in my mind. Dylan's arrogant smirk. The whispers, the stares, the way the whole school seemed to breathe drama like oxygen.
Gosh… he's such a jerk.
I shook my head, annoyed that Dylan of all people had managed to crawl into my thoughts. I stripped out of my uniform and headed straight for the bathroom. The warm water poured over me, washing away the tension clinging to my skin. For a brief moment, everything felt quiet—safe.
But even then, something felt… off.
Like I was being watched.
I dismissed the thought and finished my bath, slipping into a pink bum-short and a white singlet. Comfortable. Simple. Me.
Downstairs, dinner was already served. The long dining table looked excessive for one person, as usual. Fried pork, white rice soaked in chicken stew, mashed potatoes, and a glass of apple juice placed neatly beside the plate.
I ate quickly, barely tasting the food.
If there was one thing I wished for—more than wealth, more than status—it was time. Time with my parents. Time to feel like a normal girl instead of an expensive porcelain doll living in a golden cage.
After dinner, I pushed my plate aside, unaware that far away, in a realm unseen by human eyes, something ancient was stirring.
**Fire Kingdom**
Flames burned endlessly across the vast stone hall, their glow reflecting off obsidian walls carved with ancient runes. The air was heavy, thick with heat and tension.
At the center of the chamber lay a massive throne forged from blackened firestone. Upon it rested a figure unmoving, his presence overwhelming even in silence.
"The king has slept for one hundred and twenty years," one of the cloaked figures spoke, his voice echoing through the hall. "And still… no sign of awakening."
Another stepped forward, fire swirling faintly around her feet. "The prophecy is clear. Only the girl—born of both purity and corruption—can wake him."
A low murmur rippled through the gathered council.
"But she must die," another voice snapped. "If she awakens him first, our end is sealed."
"We don't even know where to find her," one growled. "She walks among humans, unaware of what she carries."
Silence fell.
The flames flickered violently, as if reacting to the words.
"The king must awaken," the first figure said grimly. "And when he does… the girl must be destroyed."
Unseen to them, somewhere across realms, Selene shivered for no reason at all.
A destiny older than time had already found her.
And it would not let her go.