Elysium: Desired by the Cold-hearted Princess [GL]
Chapter 131 131: Saved by the princess

Seraphina's POV

My eyes flew open, and the first thing I noticed was the darkness. There was not even a shred of light, not the faintest glow to give me a sense of where I was. It was as if I'd been swallowed by the void itself.

I blinked a few times, hoping my eyes would adjust, but nothing changed. I immediately started to panic, and when I tried to sit up to get a bearing of where I was, the crack of my head against something solid sent a jolt of pain through my skull, forcing me back down.

"Where am I?" I whispered, my voice trembling and muffled, as though the darkness itself was swallowing my words.

I reached out instinctively, my fingers brushing against walls on either side of me. No matter how far I stretched my arms, they couldn't move beyond the confines of what I now realized was a narrow, claustrophobic space. The air felt stale, and I couldn't shake the growing realization that this wasn't a room at all—it was some sort of tunnel.

A tunnel barely big enough to fit me.

I started to panic even more; my breaths came quicker, and I clenched my fists together in an attempt to calm myself. Right now, I needed to think and to figure out how I had ended up here.

The banquet.

I had been at the banquet hall, surrounded by a few too many people, and answering question after question from strangers whose names I couldn't even remember.

They had bombarded me with questions I didn't have the answers to and couldn't deflect fast enough, and apparently, since I was typically very difficult to talk to, a lot of them became rather eager to use their chance and had barely let me breathe.

Feeling overwhelmed, I had excused myself to take a moment alone. I remembered standing off to the side, trying to breathe through the pressure of pretending to be someone I wasn't. That was when a waiter had approached, offering me a drink, and I hadn't thought twice before accepting it.

And then... nothing.

Until now.

"What the hell?" I muttered under my breath, my voice trembling as the pieces began to fall into place.

Had someone drugged me? But why? What was the point of dragging me out of the banquet and leaving me in... wherever this was?

The sound of my own breathing was the only thing I could hear in the confined space, and my hands trembled as I pressed them against the walls, desperately searching for a weak spot, an exit, anything that could free me.

But there was nothing.

"Help!" I tried to scream, but my voice was hoarse, barely more than a rasp that was swallowed by the silence. I tried again, louder this time, forcing every ounce of strength into the plea. "Help me! Someone! Anyone!"

My voice echoed faintly, but no answer came. Memories, unwelcome and vivid, began to flood into my mind. Memories of Gianna locking me in my room as punishment, depriving me of food and water for days on end. The isolation, the hunger, the helplessness—it all came rushing back, merging with my current reality until I could barely tell the two apart.

Tears welled up in my eyes as my breathing quickened, becoming shallow gasps. "I can't do this," I muttered, the words trembling with fear. "I can't die like this."

The darkness started to mess with my mind, so I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to block out the memories.

*Breathe, Seraphina. Just breathe.*

I started taking slow, deliberate breaths, forcing myself to focus on the simple act of inhaling and exhaling. It was the only way I knew to calm the fear that was threatening to consume me. Between each breath, I whispered a prayer, more like a desperate plea for help.

"I don't want to die," I murmured, my voice breaking as tears slipped down my cheeks. "Not like this. Please... someone, anyone, help me."

The silence went on for a while longer, except, of course, for my sobbing, and for a moment, I thought no one would come, but then, faintly, I heard it—a voice.

"Seraphina!"

I froze, my heart skipping a beat. At first, I thought I was imagining it, but then the voice called out again, and this time, it was louder and more frantic.

"Seraphina! Are you in here?"

As soon as I heard the voice again, I immediately recognized it. It was Electra's voice.

Her voice was clearer now, and I could hear the urgency in her tone. "Seraphina! Answer me!"

"I'm here!" I shouted, my voice cracking. "Electra! I'm here!"

For a moment, there was silence, and I got scared that she didn't hear me respond, but then her voice returned, closer this time. "Hold on! I'm coming!"

An instant relief hit me, even though my body was still trembling with fear. I couldn't understand how Electra had found me or why she was even looking for me, but none of that mattered right now. What mattered was that she was here, and she was going to get me out of this nightmare.

I could hear the sound of something heavy being moved, almost like the scraping of stone against stone, and then a sudden light pierced the darkness. I squinted against the brightness, my eyes struggling to adjust, but when I finally could, I saw her.

The moment I saw Electra's face, a flood of emotions overwhelmed me, and I let out a sob so loud it startled even me.

My body trembled uncontrollably, and the tears came pouring out uncontrollably. I didn't even care how I must have looked—I was alive, I was out of the dark, and Electra was here.

I felt her hands on my arms as she carefully pulled me out of the tunnel-like space. The moment I was free, my knees buckled under me, but Electra caught me before I could hit the ground. She pulled me close, wrapping her arms tightly around me, and I clung to her like my life depended on it.

The tears wouldn't stop, and my body shook with each sob, but Electra didn't let go. Instead, she held me tighter, one hand rubbing soothing circles on my back while the other cradled the back of my head.

"It's okay, kid," she murmured, her voice low. "You're safe now. I'm here. It's over."

I buried my face in her shoulder, the fabric of her shirt dampening with my tears, and let myself cry until I could barely breathe.

"You're going to be okay, little dove," she said softly, tilting her head to try to catch my gaze. "You'll be okay. I promise."