Page 3 of When Sisters Collide
The next morning, the climb turned brutal. The path rose into near-vertical flights of stairs carved straight into the mountainside, slick with mist and swallowed by fog. More than once, Alena lost sight of Phoebe—until a firm hand seized her arm and pulled her upwards.
The ascent ended at a narrow ledge, barely wider than a man’s foot, jutting out over a sheer, bottomless drop.
“No. Absolutely not,” Alena said, recoiling at the sight. “We’ll never make it.”
Phoebe shot her an unimpressed look. “You will. Trust me.”
“Trust you?” Alena’s voice rose, edged with fear and fatigue. “That’s all I’ve done since I left with you. You dragged me halfway across the empire, made me abandon my friends—and I still don’t even know where we’re going!”
Phoebe pulled the fur pelt tighter around her shoulders, then checked the sword at her hip and the bow and quiver slung across her back. “To a sanctuary. A safe place where we can train.”
Training to become the Omega. To kill the Emperor.
And maybe—just maybe—find a way to save her sister.
It sounded impossible.
The cold wind pressed at Alena’s back, shoving her towards the edge. With a reluctant breath, she followed Phoebe forward.
“Whose sanctuary?” she demanded. “At least tell me that.”
“Answers are earned, not given,” Phoebe said. “Cross the path—and I’ll tell you.”
The path was a ribbon of stone, barely wide enough for a foot, flanked by rusted iron chains wedged into the cliff face.
Alena inhaled sharply. “You’re sure about this?”
“We’ll use the rope. There are hooks built into the rock. Go slow, and you’ll be fine.”
So she trusted the Amazon. And with luck—and a deathly grip—they made the crossing in one piece.
“The Grey-Eyed Maiden,” Phoebe said once they’d collapsed onto a flat rock to catch their breath and eat. “That’s whose sanctuary this is.”
Alena froze, a bite of bread halfway to her mouth. “She sent you to me?”
Phoebe nodded. “Yes. She’s guided Omega warriors before, or so she told me, and now she wants to guide you. She came to the Amazons for help. And when I found out who your mother was, I agreed.”
That was all Phoebe offered. No more answers, no more time to rest. She rose and moved on, and Alena, still reeling, followed in silence.
By dusk, they reached the summit.
The sky stretched wide above them, painted in brilliant pinks and golds as the sun dipped low. On a small plateau, stone huts clustered like forgotten relics. A dozen priestesses moved quietly among goats, their robes fluttering in the mountain wind.
One of the older women greeted them with a smile and led them to a modest hut. Inside were straw beds layered in fur, and a warm meal that smelled faintly of herbs and ash.
Alena ate, barely tasting the food, exhaustion dragging at her limbs. But when she lay down, sleep refused to come. San and Kaixo haunted her thoughts—their absence gnawed at her, filling her with unease. What if they were in danger? What if she never saw them again?
And then, without fail, her mind drifted to Leukos.
She dreamed of him that night—his brow furrowed and dark eyes blazing.
Because she isn’t who I want.
He had meant her. He had chosen her. And still, they had parted.
A hollow ache bloomed in her chest, the weight of his confession pressing down. But she forced herself to push it away. She had made her choice. She was here for a reason, to understand what she had become.
Leukos was in Tiryns, with Queen Charis. Duty had pulled them in opposite directions.
