Amelia’s eyes fluttered open, the last sensation before darkness was overwhelming pain—sharp, biting, a force so intense it had torn through her consciousness, leaving her crumpled, broken. She didn’t know how long it had been, but when she came to, the pain was gone. The room was quiet, still. Her chambers, familiar and yet... different.

She turned her head, trying to focus. A dull ache lingered in her limbs as she sat up, a strange lightness in her chest. Glancing towards the mirror across the bed, her stomach turned.

The reflection staring back at her was not her own. The woman in the glass was pale as the moon, her skin smooth and lifeless, almost glowing with an eerie whiteness. Her black eyes seemed hollow, as though they reflected a world beyond her own. And then she saw it—the wings sprouting from her back. Two leathery appendages, rough-skinned and unnatural, seemed to pulse with a life of their own.

“What... What is this?” Her voice cracked, hoarse with fear. It felt wrong, so wrong. She wasn’t human anymore. The claws on her hands scraped against the fabric of her nightgown, nails turned to jagged tips, sharp as daggers. A row of teeth, razor-edged, gleamed in her mouth.

She turned away from the mirror, pacing in a daze, unable to understand. The pain, the change—it was all so sudden.

A voice broke the silence. Smooth, pleasant, but with a sharpness that cut through the air.

“Enjoying the view?”

Amelia froze, her heart leaping into her throat. She turned, only to see the figure of Lady Nyxeria, standing in the doorway. Nyxeria's presence filled the room, commanding and ethereal, her form shimmering with otherworldly power. Despite her beauty, there was a darkness to her—a feeling of something just out of reach, lingering in the air.

“I—” Amelia’s voice faltered. “I can’t say whether I am happy or horrified…”

Nyxeria raised an eyebrow, a slight smile playing on her lips. “Well, humans ought to be used to us so-called immortals meddling. Frankly, I’m pleased you look like you were born directly from my father’s realm itself. Beautiful horror.”

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Amelia swallowed, trying to steady her breath. “I don’t know if I understand, Lady Nyxeria…”

Nyxeria waved her hand, dismissing her concerns with a flick of her fingers. “In due time. For now, go check on your daughters. They’ll need comforting. You are the first four of a new being. It will be... difficult for them.”

Amelia nodded quickly, her stomach twisting. She had to find her daughters—whatever had happened to them, they were in the same turmoil. As she made her way to their chamber, her thoughts swirled in a storm of confusion.

The shrill scream of Gwen broke her out of her reverie. “Get away! Monster!”

She rushed through the door without thinking, her heart pounding in her chest. Her daughters were standing at opposite corners of the room, eyes wide with fear, bedsheets clutched around their bodies.

At the sight of her, both girls froze, their screams turning into shocked silence. Then, as if in unison, they hurled their pillows at her.

Instinct took over. Her newly grown appendages snapped out, catching the pillows mid-air and throwing them aside with a force that startled even her. “Enough! Both of you, sit down.”

Both girls hesitated, eyes darting between each other, before slowly taking their seats.

“Listen,” Amelia said, her voice firm but soft. “Lady Nyxeria has tasked me with calming you both. There’s much we need to talk about.” She paused, her eyes meeting Gwen’s. “Yes, we’ve changed. Yes, we look different. But this is not something to fear.”

Gwen, still trembling, spoke first. “Mother, what happened to us? Why is Sonja turned into a monster? Why are you like this, too?”

“Monster?” Sonja’s voice rang out, sharp with frustration. “Look at yourself first, Gwen.”

Gwen paused, her hands trembling as they moved to touch her face, and then the extra appendages sprouting from her back. She gasped, stepping back.

“Gwen,” Amelia said softly, moving to her daughter’s side. “Listen to me. This is a blessing from Sitar. We’ve been changed, transformed, but we are still us. This is something beyond human, something more.”

“But... but I was supposed to marry Baron Lakard’s son! How can I do that now?” Gwen’s voice cracked, the weight of her fear pouring through.

Amelia’s heart ached for her, but she said, “Don’t worry, Gwen. We’ll speak to Lady Nyxeria. I’m sure she has a plan for everything.”

Sonja, standing tall now, looked at her sister. “You’re still beautiful, Gwen. Even with a few... changes.”

Gwen’s lips trembled as she looked at herself in the mirror. For the first time, she wasn’t sure if Sonja’s words offered comfort, or made her fear her future even more.