Rain pelted the windows as lightning split the night sky. Diana sat alone in her grandmother's attic, surrounded by old books, dusty trunks, and forgotten family relics. She had always been curious about her family's mysterious past, especially the rumors about a "cursed mirror" said to grant glimpses of other worlds.
Her fingers traced the ornate edge of the ancient hand mirror she found in a velvet-lined box. The silver frame shimmered unnaturally as another crack of thunder shook the house. The mirror pulsed in her hand, warm — alive. Before she could react, the glass glowed, and a force unlike anything she'd ever felt pulled her forward.
The world tilted.
The attic vanished.
She fell.
When Diana opened her eyes, she was lying on a stone floor. The scent of burning incense and wildflowers filled the air. Dazed, she sat up and looked around. She was in a grand courtyard — surrounded by sandstone walls, golden drapes, and people dressed in ancient robes.
"Who are you?" a stern voice demanded.
Diana turned to find a tall woman glaring down at her, flanked by two servants. The woman's face was familiar — sharp cheekbones, cold eyes — but now framed by regal attire. Her heart dropped.
"Lady Seraphina?" Diana whispered, stunned. This was her stepmother — or someone who looked exactly like her, but younger, more powerful.
Seraphina narrowed her eyes. "You dare speak my name so freely? Who sent you here?"
"I— I don't know. I'm not from here," Diana stammered.
"A wanderer with no papers?" Seraphina snapped her fingers. "Take her to the servant quarters. I don't want her stinking up my courtyard."
Before Diana could protest, the guards seized her arms.
The servant quarters were a far cry from the warmth of her old home. The stone floors were cold, the beds made of straw. Diana curled up that night trying to piece together what had happened.
I time-traveled, she thought wildly. But why here? Why now?
The days that followed were brutal. Diana was assigned to sweep the floors, clean the laundry, and fetch water from the well. Her hands blistered, her back ached. The other servants whispered about her — the strange girl with odd speech and soft skin.
Only one girl, a kind-hearted maid named Mei, offered her friendship. "You're different," Mei said one evening. "But I don't think you're weak."
Diana smiled through tears. "I used to be a university student… Now I'm washing blood off soldier uniforms."
"Then you're stronger than you think."
One afternoon, while delivering tea to the training grounds, Diana's eyes were drawn to a tall figure commanding the soldiers. He moved with precision, his voice calm but powerful. General Kael.
He looked up — and their eyes met.
Diana turned away quickly, heart pounding. There was something ancient in his gaze, yet something kind.
Later that evening, Mei whispered, "You caught General Kael's eye."
Diana rolled hers. "I probably spilled tea on his boots."
But part of her couldn't forget that look — or the way her heart had fluttered.
A week later, Seraphina summoned her. Diana's pulse quickened as she stepped into the grand hall.
"You've been seen speaking with General Kael," Seraphina said coldly. "I don't need spies in my home."
"I'm not a spy. I don't even know how I got here!"
"Lies," Seraphina hissed. "I should've gotten rid of you the day your father died."
The words struck like daggers. So she remembers… somehow…
Seraphina smirked. "You don't belong here, Diana. And I'll make sure you never rise above dirt."
Diana left the room trembling, but not broken. The fire inside her had been lit.
That night, as she stared at the stars from the servant courtyard, Diana whispered to herself, "If I can survive this, I can survive anything."
In a world that wasn't hers, with enemies who knew her too well, Diana made a vow:
I will fight. I will find out why I'm here. And I will not be crushed by the past — or the future.