Leaving the bags by the courtyard gates, I walked away from the estate.

With the sun on my face, I felt lighter than I had in years. The toxic shackles of my "family" were finally left in the dirt.

When I returned to the Temple of Light, a servant handed me a letter.

From Cassandra, of course.

Even through the ink, I could practically hear her gloating.

“Sister, did you know Lord Apollo blessed me with the Gift of Eternal Youth? He risked being punished by the Pantheon just for me. He said he’d never let me have less than you. Are you jealous?”

Maybe because I'd already seen the depths of his favoritism, my heart didn't even ache this time.

I walked over to the vanity and looked at the laurel crown I was supposed to wear for the ceremony.

It used to be my greatest pride. Now, it was just a gilded cage.

I dropped it into a box and pinned a note to it: [Since you love everything of mine so much, you can have the crown, too. May your love never wither.]

For the next few days, Apollo remained a ghost, busy playing house with Cassandra. He just had servants drop off gifts and letters at my door.

I stared at the mountain of presents, feeling absolutely nothing. I knew they were just leftovers Cassandra didn't want, tossed my way out of convenience.

"Throw it all out," I ordered the servants.

As for the letters filled with his pretty lies? I tossed them straight into the fire without breaking the seals.

Two days before the wedding, Apollo finally showed up.

He took my hand, his voice dripping with affection. "Lyra, I'm so sorry. I've been drowning in work. But today, I'm taking you to the Soul Cleansing. It's the final step before you become my consort."

The Soul Cleansing required submerging my mortal body into three sacred pools representing Greed, Wrath, and Ignorance.

It was agonizing. Like having your soul ripped apart and stitched back together. Without a god channeling their magic to protect you, a mortal would likely go mad from the pain.

"Don't be scared, Lyra," Apollo cupped my cheek. "I'll be right beside you. I'll wrap you in my magic so you won't feel the worst of it. Trust me, okay?"

I stayed quiet, then nodded.

I knew I was never going to be his wife, but the cleansing would make me stronger, closer to the divine. There was no reason to say no.

We arrived at the sanctuary pools. Taking a deep breath, I stepped into the first water—Greed.

Instantly, a bone-crushing cold spiked through my skull. Apollo immediately reached out, and a warm, golden barrier wrapped around me, siphoning away most of the agony.

But just as I stepped into the second pool—Wrath—where the pain doubled, Apollo’s face suddenly drained of color.

"Cassandra? What's wrong?" he blurted out to thin air.

Panic seized his features. He hurriedly turned to me. "Lyra, Cassandra is calling for help! She's hurt, I have to go to her!"

"Just wait for me here, okay?!"

Before I could even agree, he ripped his protective magic away from me and vanished.

Leaving me to drown in the excruciating pain.

Watching the space where he just stood, I felt nothing but a hollow chill.

"Go. I don't need you anymore," I whispered. My voice was so fragile a breeze could have shattered it.

But Apollo was already gone.

I didn't wait for him to come back. Clenching my jaw, I stepped directly into the final pool: Ignorance.

Without his divine shield, the water turned into invisible razor blades, violently flaying my soul.

It was absolute torture. I bit down on my lip until I tasted copper, refusing to let out a single scream.

Just endure it, Lyra. After today, it's all over.

When the final trace of mortal impurity was burned away, my body finally gave out. The world went black.

When I woke up, I was back in my bedroom at the temple.

A servant helped me sit up and handed me a letter.

Cassandra again. “So sorry, Sister. I just got a tiny scrape, and Lord Apollo was so frantic he dropped you completely. Guess you're not that important after all. Anyway, happy wedding day tomorrow.”

Maybe the near-death pain of the pools had burned away my capacity to care, because I felt absolutely nothing.

The servant nervously watched my deadpan face and hesitated. "Lord Apollo also left a message... He said Lady Cassandra is gravely injured and needs him. He might not make it back tonight. But he swore he will give you the grandest wedding tomorrow. He wants you to rest."

The night before our wedding, my fiancé was sleeping by another woman’s bed.

It was almost comical. But I couldn't even be bothered to call him on his bullshit. I just wanted to get the hell out of here.

Dawn broke.

I changed into a simple traveling cloak. I handed the memory stone and the boxed laurel crown to the servant.

"When the ceremony starts today, hand these directly to Apollo and Cassandra."

"Yes, My Lady," the servant bowed and scurried off.

I walked out to the grand ceremonial venue I had designed myself. Staring at the sea of golden laurel flowers, I gave my final order to the head attendant.

"Tear all the laurels down. Replace them with white roses."

"But My Lady, laurels are your favorite—"

"Tear them down." I didn't offer an explanation.

By now, some of the early-arriving gods were mingling. Spotting me, they walked over with warm smiles.

"Lyra, congratulations. You're finally binding your soul to Apollo."

"You look beautiful today. Wishing you an eternity of happiness."

Looking at their genuine smiles, I gave a small, polite smile back. "Thank you. But I'm not the one who needs your blessings today."

Leaving the gods thoroughly confused, I didn't waste another second and walked away.

One hour before the ceremony. I stood in the most secluded corner of the temple grounds.

Suddenly, a massive rift tore through the fabric of the air, leaking shadows and the heavy, intoxicating scent of the Underworld.

Hades stepped out, clad in robes of midnight, his sharp features unreadable.

Those abyssal eyes locked onto mine. His voice was a low rumble. "Are you ready, Lyra? Have you severed your ties?"

I looked up at him, zero hesitation in my veins, and placed my hand firmly in his cold palm.

"I'm ready. Take me away, Lord Hades."

His fingers curled tightly around mine. The freezing touch of his skin brought me a sense of peace I hadn't felt in years.

He pulled me into the shadows.

Before the rift closed, I threw one last glance over my shoulder at the Temple of Light.

I knew I was never coming back. Not in this lifetime, not in the next.