Loria's POV The first thing I noticed when I opened my eyes that morning was the warmth of sunlight spilling through the small window beside my bed. For a few seconds, I stayed beneath my blanket, watching the golden light stretch across the ceiling until the reason for my excitement came rushing back. Today was my nineteenth birthday. A grin spread across my face as I sat up, my heart already racing with happiness. Finally, nineteen. In my community, that meant I was officially an adult. I could make more of my own decisions, chase the things I wanted, and perhaps finally step beyond the small world I had always known. As far as I was concerned, today marked the beginning of the life I had been waiting for. I rushed into the bathroom, brushed my teeth, and jumped into the shower. I couldn't stop humming as I bathed, and before long, I was swaying to the music playing in my head, using my shampoo bottle as a microphone. When I caught my reflection in the mirror, I shook my head at myself, laughing under my breath. I didn't care how ridiculous I looked. Today belonged to me, and nothing was going to ruin it. After bathing, I slipped into the two-piece outfit I had saved for months to buy. I turned from side to side in front of the mirror, admiring how well it fit my naturally curvy figure. For once, everything looked exactly the way I'd imagined it. I grabbed my bag and headed toward the sitting room, eager to show Grandma. She was sitting with a cup of tea when I walked in. The moment she looked up, something flickered across her face. It was there for only a heartbeat-guilt, perhaps, mixed with a sadness I couldn't quite place. Then it vanished behind a smile. "Don't you look stunning?" she teased. I glanced down at myself before looking back at her. "Really, Grandma? I look that good?" "You certainly think so." I laughed, and she smiled wider. For some reason, though, I couldn't shake the feeling that there was something behind that smile. Before I could ask, a familiar voice called my name from outside. "Loria!" The front door swung open, and Vivian rushed inside before I could even reach it. She wrapped her arms around me so tightly that I stumbled backward. "Happy birthday, birthday girl!" "Vivian!" I laughed, trying to escape her grip. "You're going to suffocate me." "Good. At least you'll die knowing you were loved." Grandma burst out laughing, and Vivian finally released me. She stepped back and examined me from head to toe, placing both hands on her hips. "Look at you. So this is what nineteen looks like?" I rolled my eyes. "What is that supposed to mean?" "It means you're no longer a little girl." She leaned closer, lowering her voice dramatically. "You're a woman now. You can meet any man you want, fall in love, get married, and live happily ever after." I snorted. "Please. Marriage is the last thing on my mind." "Of course it is." "I'm thinking about enjoying my freedom." Grandma's smile disappeared. Only for a second. But this time, I noticed. The light in her eyes changed, and something heavy settled over her expression before she quickly looked away. My amusement faded. "Grandma?" She looked at me. "What?" "Nothing." I studied her face for another moment before Vivian grabbed my hand. "Come on. Your birthday isn't going to celebrate itself." I glanced at Grandma again. She forced another smile. "Go and enjoy yourself, sweetheart." I hesitated, but Vivian was already pulling me outside. Whatever was bothering Grandma, I would ask her when I returned. For now, I had a birthday to enjoy. Vivian and I spent the day making terrible financial decisions. We moved from one stall to another, trying on clothes we had no intention of buying and taking pictures in outfits that made us question our own judgment. At one point, Vivian stepped out of a changing room wearing a dress several sizes too big. The sleeves nearly swallowed her hands. I covered my mouth, but it was too late. She pointed at me. "Don't you dare laugh." That only made it worse. "You look like someone's grandmother." "Wait until you see yourself." "I already know I look beautiful." "Your confidence is becoming dangerous." "It took me nineteen years to build it. Leave me alone." She shook her head, fighting a smile as we continued through the market. By afternoon, we had eaten more than we could handle, taken countless pictures, and spent nearly all the money we had planned to save. Vivian insisted that birthdays were supposed to be irresponsible, and honestly, I wasn't going to argue. Later, we sat beneath a large tree with cold drinks in our hands, watching people move through the busy street. Vivian rested her head against my shoulder. "Can you believe we're adults now?" "I can." "I can't. Adulthood sounds exhausting." I laughed softly. "You're the one who spent the entire morning reminding me I'm a woman." "That was different. I was teasing you." She nudged my shoulder. "So, what do you want now that you're nineteen?" I didn't need to think about it. "Freedom." The word came easily. I wanted to make my own decisions. I wanted to see places beyond the small world I'd grown up in and choose what kind of life I would have instead of simply accepting whatever life was handed to me. More than anything, I wanted to make Grandma proud. She had raised me after my mother was gone, and although she rarely spoke about the past, I knew she had sacrificed more for me than I could ever repay. Vivian lifted her drink. "Then here's to freedom." I smiled and tapped mine against hers. "To freedom." Neither of us knew how differently those words would sound before the day was over. By the time I returned home, the sun had begun sinking below the horizon. I walked through the door still carrying the excitement of the day with me, already preparing to tell Grandma about everything Vivian and I had done. Then I noticed the silence. The house was unusually still. "Grandma?" No answer. My smile faded. I walked farther inside and found her sitting beside the fireplace, her hands resting loosely in her lap. The flames cast shifting shadows across her face, but they couldn't hide her red eyes. She looked nothing like the woman who had laughed with me that morning. "Grandma?" Her head lifted slowly. The moment our eyes met, something inside me tightened. I rushed toward her and knelt beside her chair. "What happened? What's wrong?" She tried to smile. It broke my heart more than if she had cried. "You've been acting strangely all day," I said. "Please tell me what's going on." Her lips trembled. Then tears slipped down her cheeks. "Grandma..." She reached for my hand and held it tightly. For several seconds, she said nothing. Then she whispered, "It is time." I stared at her. "Time for what?" Her fingers tightened around mine. "You're nineteen now, Loria." "I know." She looked toward the fire. "There is something I should have told you a long time ago." A knot formed in my stomach. "What?" She took a shaky breath. "Your family has an ancestral obligation." I frowned. "What kind of obligation?" Grandma finally looked at me. "Every woman in our bloodline has served the four gods of Baklava." For a moment, I simply stared at her. "What?" "Your mother served them. I served them. Your great-grandmother served them before me." She swallowed. "And now it is your turn." A strange laugh escaped me. There was nothing funny about what she'd said. I just couldn't believe it. "Grandma, stop." "I'm not joking." My smile disappeared. "You want me to go where?" "Baklava Castle." The name alone sent a shiver through me. "To serve the four gods?" She nodded. I pulled my hand from hers and stood. "No." "Loria-" "No." I backed away, shaking my head. "I don't believe this. You can't be serious." "I wish I wasn't." "I just turned nineteen!" My voice cracked as disbelief gave way to anger. "This is supposed to be my life. My choice. You can't suddenly tell me I'm supposed to leave everything behind and become a maid for four terrifying gods I've never even met." Grandma stood, tears streaming freely now. "It is our family's duty." "I don't care!" The words came out sharper than I intended. "I don't care about some ancient duty. I don't want it." The excitement I'd carried all day seemed to drain out of me. Just that morning, I'd been celebrating the life I thought was finally beginning. Now I was being told that someone else had already decided what my future would be. "No, Grandma." My voice dropped. "I'm not going." She stared at me through her tears. "You have no choice." Those four words struck harder than anything else. And suddenly, the strange look I'd seen in her eyes that morning made sense. She had known. She had known all along that my nineteenth birthday wasn't the beginning of my freedom. It was the day my freedom ended.

Loria's Pov I woke up feeling like shit. I couldn't even lie to myself and pretend I'd slept through the night. After the bomb Grandma dropped on me yesterday, sleep had been the last thing on my mind. Yesterday was supposed to be the happiest day of my life. Instead, I had gone to bed knowing that in two days, I was expected to leave everything I knew behind and serve four gods I'd never even seen. The thought made my stomach twist. How could my ancestors have agreed to something like this? How could generations of women in my family simply accept a duty that decided the course of their lives for them? No. I wouldn't. I couldn't. If Grandma thought I was going to quietly pack my things and leave without a fight, then she clearly didn't know me at all. She had said I was supposed to leave in two days. Two days. I pushed the blanket aside and sat on the edge of my bed, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. My body ached from hours of tossing and turning, but the exhaustion was nothing compared to the thoughts racing through my head. I had imagined nineteen differently. I wanted to make my own decisions. I wanted to see places beyond our little community, meet new people, fall in love if I wanted to, and decide what kind of woman I would become. I had spent years imagining that life. None of those plans included Baklava Castle. None included four gods who apparently had some ancient claim over my family. And certainly none included becoming their maid. A tear slipped down my cheek before I could stop it. I wiped it away roughly. Crying wasn't going to solve anything. If there was one person who could help me think clearly, it was Vivian. She always had a way of making even the worst situation feel a little less impossible. I got dressed quickly. There was no way I was staying inside that house all day while Grandma watched me fall apart. I needed to see my best friend. I needed someone who would listen without telling me that this was destiny or that I had no choice. When I stepped into the sitting room, I found Grandma already seated near the window. She must have heard me because she slowly lifted her head. The sight of her stopped me. Her eyes were swollen, and the skin beneath them was red from crying. She looked smaller than she had yesterday, almost as though the weight of something unseen had settled onto her shoulders. For a moment, neither of us spoke. I had spent the entire night angry about the life I was being forced to leave behind, but seeing her like that made another thought creep into my mind. Grandma had cried too. And suddenly, I wasn't so sure she was only worried about me leaving. "Grandma..." My voice came out softer than I intended. She looked away almost immediately, wiping beneath one eye with the corner of her sleeve. "You're awake." "Obviously." I tried to sound normal, but my voice betrayed me. "Did you sleep at all?" She gave me a faint smile. "Did you?" I opened my mouth, then closed it. Fair enough. I sat beside her and studied her face. Yesterday, I had been too angry to think beyond my own fear. This morning, I couldn't ignore the feeling that something about her story didn't add up. "Grandma, what aren't you telling me?" Her body stiffened. That tiny reaction told me more than her words ever could. "I told you everything you need to know." "No, you didn't." "Loria-" "You said every woman in our family served them." I turned toward her, forcing myself to keep my voice steady. "Fine. But you never told me why. You never told me what happens when we go there. You never told me why I have to leave in two days." She remained silent. I swallowed. "And you definitely never told me why you look like you're mourning me before I've even left." Her lips parted, but no words came. There it was again. That silence. That fear. Whatever Grandma was hiding, she wasn't ready to tell me. And for the first time since her confession, I wanted more than an escape. I wanted answers. I stood, grabbing my bag. "I'm going to see Vivian." Grandma looked up sharply. "Loria..." "I won't be long." She seemed as though she wanted to stop me, but instead she lowered her eyes. "Be careful." I froze. Be careful? I turned around, but she was already staring down at her hands. Something about those two words unsettled me. I was going to Vivian's house, not walking into a war. Yet Grandma had said it with such seriousness that a chill ran down my spine. "I'll be fine," I said, forcing a small smile before walking out. The morning air felt cooler against my skin than it had the day before. I shoved my hands into my pockets and started down the familiar road. Usually, the walk to Vivian's house took less than fifteen minutes. That morning, every step seemed to give me another reason to be angry. Four gods. Generations of women. Two days. And now Grandma's warning. I still couldn't make sense of any of it. What kind of people agreed to give their daughters away generation after generation? And why had nobody ever thought to end it? By the time I reached Vivian's house, I was gripping the strap of my bag so tightly my fingers hurt. I knocked once. Nothing. I knocked again, harder this time. The door swung open, and Vivian appeared with a piece of bread in one hand and a confused expression on her face. "Girl, why are you banging on my door like the police are chasing you?" I stared at her. She stopped chewing. Her expression immediately changed. "Loria?" I pushed past her and walked inside. "Something happened." Vivian shut the door behind me. "What happened?" I turned toward her, but the words caught in my throat. How was I supposed to explain something that still sounded completely ridiculous inside my own head? Vivian took another bite of her bread while watching me. "You're scaring me." "I'm leaving." She swallowed. "Leaving where?" "Far away." Her eyebrows pulled together. "Okay... where exactly?" I took a deep breath. "I'm going to Baklava Castle." The bread nearly slipped from her hand. "What?" "I have to go to Baklava Castle." Vivian stared at me as though I'd just announced that I was moving to the moon. "Why?" I looked down at my hands. "Because apparently, my family has been serving the four gods for centuries." Silence. Vivian blinked. Then blinked again. "Loria." "I'm serious." "You expect me to believe that?" "I didn't believe it either." She slowly put the bread down. "Wait." She stepped closer. "The four gods?" I nodded. "The actual four gods?" "Yes." "The ones everyone talks about?" "The same ones." "The ones who live in Baklava Castle?" "Unfortunately." My voice cracked on the last word. Vivian's eyes widened. I covered my face with both hands. "I don't want to go, Viv." Her expression softened immediately. She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around me. I held onto her tightly. "I don't want to leave you," I whispered. "You don't have to." "I do." "Then we'll figure something out." I pulled away and wiped my face. "Grandma says I don't have a choice." Vivian frowned. "Everyone has a choice." "Not according to my ancestors." "Your ancestors aren't here." Despite everything, a small laugh escaped me. "That is what I like about you." "What?" "You always make everything sound simple." "Because you're making it complicated." "I am being sent to serve four gods, Vivian." She nodded solemnly. "Okay. That part is definitely complicated." I laughed again, but this time the sound didn't last. Vivian took both my hands. "Tell me everything." So I did. I told her about Grandma's confession, the Thames women who had served the gods before me, my mother's role, and the fact that I was expected to leave in two days. But there was one thing I couldn't explain. Grandma's face. The fear in her eyes. The way she had looked at me as though she already knew something terrible was waiting for me. When I finished, Vivian was quiet. "Do you know anything about what happens when you get there?" she finally asked. "No." "Does your grandmother?" "She says enough to make me afraid and not enough to make me understand." Vivian sighed. "Then we need answers." I nodded. For the first time since Grandma's confession, the tightness in my chest eased a little. I still didn't know what awaited me in Baklava Kingdom. I didn't know what the four gods were really like, why my family had been bound to them for generations, or what Grandma was so afraid to tell me. But I knew something had changed. I wasn't going to Baklava Castle blindly. If Grandma refused to tell me the truth, then I would find it myself. And whatever my family had been hiding for generations, I intended to uncover it.

Loria's POV The suitcase sitting at the foot of my bed was proof that Grandma hadn't been bluffing. I crouched beside it and checked everything I'd packed for what felt like the tenth time. A few clothes. Some toiletries. A pair of shoes. A handful of accessories. That was it. I stared at the suitcase for a moment before slowly looking around my room. Was this really all I owned? My eyes moved over the clothes hanging in my wardrobe, the accessories scattered across my dressing table, and the little things I'd collected over the years. There were memories everywhere-some so ordinary I'd never thought twice about them until now. So many things were staying behind. Oddly enough, that made me feel a little better. Maybe deep down, I still believed I'd come back for them. Maybe this wasn't really goodbye. But would I truly be back? A knock sounded at the door before I could answer. A head full of curly hair peeked through the doorway. "Hello, princess. May I come in? This humble servant of yours is at your service." Vivian stepped inside and bowed dramatically. I stared at her for half a second before bursting into laughter. "Vivian, you are just ridiculous." I shook my head, trying to catch my breath. "I'm a maid, not a princess." The last part came out quieter. My smile faded. Vivian noticed immediately. She always did. Before I could sink into my thoughts again, she grabbed both my hands and pulled me to my feet. "Nope. Absolutely not. We are not doing this again." "Doing what?" "Being sad." She started singing one of our old childhood songs, completely off-key, while dancing around my room as though she were performing on a stage. I watched her for a moment. Then I joined her. Soon, we were both singing and dancing between my bed and the suitcase, laughing at how ridiculous we looked. For a few precious minutes, I forgot. I forgot about the gods. I forgot about Baklava Castle. I forgot that tomorrow would take me somewhere I'd never imagined going. Then the laughter faded. My eyes landed on the suitcase. The reality returned so quickly that my throat tightened. Vivian saw the tears gathering in my eyes and pulled me against her. That was all it took. I buried my face against her shoulder and finally let myself cry. She rubbed my back gently. "There, there, dearest. Let it all out." "I love you so much," I whispered between sobs. "I love you too." She held me tighter. Vivian had been beside me since we were children. Through every stupid argument, every secret, every embarrassing moment, every celebration, and every crisis that had once felt like the end of the world, she had been there. After Grandma, she was the person who knew me best. The thought of leaving her hurt more than I wanted to admit. "How will I cope?" I whispered. "I can't do this without you, Viv." She pulled back and wiped my cheeks with her thumbs. "But who said you have to?" I frowned. "What do you mean?" "We can ask your grandmother if there's any rule saying I can't come and visit you." "You'd really come?" She looked offended. "Of course I would. Do you honestly think I'm going to let you disappear into some strange castle and sit here pretending everything is normal?" A small laugh escaped me. "You make it sound like I'm being kidnapped." Vivian raised an eyebrow. "Are you not?" I opened my mouth. Then closed it. "Technically..." She burst out laughing. I couldn't help laughing with her. For the first time that morning, the weight in my chest loosened. Maybe I wouldn't be completely alone. A little later, Vivian crouched beside my suitcase and started examining its contents. "You really don't have much." "I know." She pulled out one of my folded dresses and held it against herself. "This is coming with me." "Vivian!" "What? You won't need it where you're going. I'm doing you a favor." I snatched the dress from her hands. "You're unbelievable." "And yet you love me." "Unfortunately." She grinned. "That's better." We laughed again. I wished I could freeze that moment. Not because nothing was wrong, but because for a few seconds, it felt like everything was still normal. A few hours later, Grandma called us downstairs for lunch. The moment I entered the room, I noticed the tiredness in her face. Her eyes weren't as swollen as they had been that morning, but the sadness was still there. "I'll help you finish packing after lunch," she said. I nodded. There were still a hundred questions I wanted to ask her, but I didn't want to turn our last meal together into another painful conversation. So I sat down. Grandma served the food, and for a while, the three of us tried to behave as though tomorrow wasn't waiting for me. We talked about ordinary things. Vivian complained about the food. Grandma laughed at her. I joined in. But underneath the laughter was something none of us wanted to say aloud. I was leaving. And this time, there was no pretending otherwise. After lunch, Grandma helped me finish packing. She moved slowly around my room, folding clothes and checking what I'd chosen to take. I noticed how often her hands paused, as though every item she placed inside the suitcase reminded her that I wouldn't be here much longer. Then she stopped beside my wardrobe. "Take this." She reached into the back and pulled out a small wooden box. I stared at it. It looked old. Not simply old from being forgotten in a cupboard, but old in a way that made me wonder how long it had been waiting there. "What is that?" "Something that belonged to your mother." My heart skipped. "My mother?" Grandma nodded. "She wanted you to have it when the time came." I reached for the box. Before my fingers could touch the lid, Grandma placed her hand over mine. "Not yet." I looked at her. "Why?" Her expression changed. "Because there are some things you need to understand first." That familiar feeling returned. The same feeling I'd had since yesterday. The feeling that Grandma was standing in front of a locked door and refusing to let me see what was behind it. "What things?" She shook her head. "One day, Loria." I wanted to push. I wanted to demand answers. But something in her eyes stopped me. So I reluctantly nodded. "Fine." Grandma placed the box carefully inside my suitcase. I watched it disappear beneath my clothes. Whatever was inside had belonged to my mother. And somehow, I knew it wasn't just an old keepsake. It was connected to the life I was being forced to enter. I just didn't know how yet. That evening came far too quickly. Vivian stayed until sunset, and when it was finally time for her to leave, neither of us seemed ready. "This isn't goodbye," she said as she pulled me into another hug. "I know." "You'll see me soon." "I know." "You better answer every call." "I will." "And don't let those gods intimidate you." I laughed softly. "I haven't even met them." "Exactly. So don't let them intimidate you." She pulled back and pointed a warning finger at me. "And if any of them annoys you, remember that you have a best friend who's only a few phone calls away." "You're ridiculous." "You're welcome." She hugged me one last time before turning toward the road. I stood in the doorway and watched until she disappeared from sight. The house suddenly felt much quieter. I looked down at my suitcase. For the first time since Grandma's confession, I allowed myself to believe that maybe I could survive this. Maybe I wouldn't lose everything. Maybe Vivian was right. Maybe somewhere beyond this familiar life, I could find a new one without completely losing the person I had been. The next morning, the sound of a vehicle stopping outside our house pulled me from my sleep. My heart immediately began pounding. It was time. I dressed quietly and stood in front of my mirror for a long moment. The girl staring back at me looked exactly the same. Same face. Same eyes. Same nineteen-year-old girl who had gone to sleep believing adulthood meant freedom. But somehow, I didn't feel like that girl anymore. I picked up my suitcase and walked downstairs. Grandma was waiting. She didn't say anything at first. Neither did I. We simply looked at each other. Then she walked toward me and pulled me into her arms. I hugged her tightly, breathing in the familiar scent of her clothes. "Take care of yourself," she whispered. "I will." "And Loria..." I pulled back. "Yes?" Her eyes filled with tears. "Whatever happens, remember who you are." A strange chill moved through me. "What does that mean?" She smiled sadly. "You'll understand one day." Before I could ask anything else, she kissed my forehead. I picked up my suitcase and stepped outside. The morning air brushed against my face. I turned around and looked at the house one last time. This was where I'd grown up. Where Grandma had raised me. Where Vivian had spent countless afternoons with me. Where I'd believed my life belonged to me. Now I was leaving it behind. The driver opened the door. I took one final breath and climbed inside. As the vehicle pulled away, I watched my home become smaller through the window. The familiar road stretched behind me, while the unfamiliar one opened ahead. I didn't know what waited for me in Baklava Kingdom. I didn't know what kind of people the four gods were. I didn't know why Grandma had been hiding so much from me. But somewhere inside that old box sitting in my suitcase was a piece of my mother's past. And perhaps, if I was brave enough to uncover it, I would finally understand mine. I rested my head against the window. Baklava Kingdom was waiting. And this time, I wasn't simply travelling toward the unknown. I was traveling towards the truth.