Greece, 1667 BCE

The morning sun had not yet risen, but father and daughter treked across the rocky outcroppings that served as the lower mountains of the Caucasus mountains, marching towards the brushing of warmth that burning away the darkness like embers on smoldering paper. He had explained very little to her about why rousing her so early, and she was stifling a yawn every dozen steps or so. But, now she found herself hundreds of miles from home, following her father into the mountains, trailed by three emissaries from the other three clans of the Council of Primes, and Mercury, who had been their escort to these dark ridges and valleys.

Remnant patches of old snow crunched under her sandals and dampened the hem of her chiton as it grazed the ground, collecting ice and mud de...

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