Elysium: Desired by the Cold-hearted Princess [GL]
Chapter 84 84: He's... mortal

Third-person Pov

The ride from the Aldoria airport to the Hook mansion felt unbearably long, even though it couldn't have been more than an hour, and Seraphina sat stiffly in the backseat of the black car Gianna had sent to pick her up.

She clutched the handle of her carry-on bag, her knuckles turning white as her mind raced.

She was dreading seeing Gianna again and having to deal with her crazy aunt under the same roof. Her emotions, as they were, were already all over the place, so she wasn't too confident about her self-control.

Sighing, she shook her head, trying to push those thoughts away. She couldn't afford to think about Gianna right now. This was about her father. The man who, despite his faults, was still the only parent she had left, and she didn't want to believe Gianna's claim that he was nearing the end.

She needed to believe her father still had time. He had to.

The car sped along the empty Aldoria streets, the faint glow of streetlights entering through the windows and highlighting her tear-streaked face. As the vehicle passed by familiar landmarks—the old clock tower in the town square, the bakery she and her mother used to visit—her chest tightened.

She had only been gone for about a month and a half, and yet, her kingdom already felt foreign.

Her thoughts drifted to her mother, and the sharp ache of loss she hadn't felt in a while returned in full force. She remembered sitting by her mother's bedside, her small hands clutching her mother's frail ones, praying with all her might to the gods of Aldoria.

"Please, Solindra, Keeper of Life and Light," she had whispered over and over, "don't take her away."

But Solindra hadn't listened. Her mother had slipped away that day, and Seraphina had buried her faith alongside her. She had decided then and there that gods were for other people, not for her, but now, as the car took a sharp turn onto the private road leading to the Hook estate, she felt a desperation that made her turn to prayer once again.

"Solindra," she murmured under her breath, staring out the window at the rising moon, "if you're listening this time, please… Just let me see him alive. Give me a chance to make things right."

The Hook mansion came into view, and when the car rolled to a stop, the driver stepped out to open her door. "We've arrived, my lady."

She stepped out onto the gravel driveway, the crunch under her boots grounding her for a fleeting moment. The mansion's massive double doors were already open, a servant standing stiffly at attention in the doorway, and she barely acknowledged him as she walked inside.

Gianna was waiting in the foyer. Of course she was. She was dressed in an impeccably tailored navy dress, her hair swept into a tight bun, and she looked as poised and unbothered as ever. Her sharp eyes scanned Seraphina from head to toe, and for a moment, neither of them spoke.

"Seraphina," she finally said, her tone devoid of any real warmth. "You're here."

"Yes," Seraphina replied, her voice quieter than she intended. "Where is he?"

Gianna didn't answer immediately. Instead, she gestured toward the staircase. "He's in his room. The doctors are with him now, but you can go up. Just…" Her voice softened slightly, though not enough to hide the condescension beneath it. "…prepare yourself."

Seraphina didn't wait for further instructions. She climbed the staircase, her hand gliding along the banister for support. When she reached the second-floor landing, she turned left, heading down the corridor she knew led to her father's room. The door was slightly ajar, and she could hear the murmur of voices.

She paused, her hand hovering over the doorknob. Her courage faltered for just a moment, but then she pushed the door open.

The room was brightly lit, and her father was lying in his massive four-poster bed that had always seemed too large for one person. His face, which was usually so stern and scary-looking, was now gaunt and pale.

His chest rose and fell in uneven breaths, and two doctors stood by his bedside, their expressions grim as they whispered to one another.

"Dad," Seraphina said softly, stepping into the room.

The doctors turned to her, offering polite nods before excusing themselves. As they passed her, one of them placed a hand on her shoulder, and she subconsciously brushed it off.

She approached the bed slowly, and her knees threatened to give way. Seeing him like this was harder than she had imagined. This wasn't the man who had always glared at her, the same man who had filled every room with his terrifying presence.

This was someone frail, someone… mortal.

"Seraphina," he rasped, his voice barely audible.

She sank into the chair beside his bed, taking his hand in hers. His skin was cold, his fingers trembling slightly as they curled around hers. "I'm here," she said, fighting back tears. "I came as soon as I could."

Seraphina watched her father's body tremble as he tried to speak, his lips quivering with the effort to form words. She couldn't remember ever seeing him like this—so vulnerable, so human.

"Dad," she whispered, her voice trembling. "What happened to you? How... how did it get this bad?"

Her father's trembling hand reached out, his fingers brushing lightly against her cheek. Seraphina froze at the touch, the fragility in his gesture making her chest tighten painfully.

Tears welled up in his eyes, and it felt like the world around her slowed. She had never seen her father cry before—not even when her mother passed.

"I'm sorry, Seraphina," he whispered, his voice barely audible. "I'm so sorry."

Seraphina's breath hitched. "What… what are you apologizing for, Dad?" Her heart raced with fear, confusion, and anger all at once. "Don't do this. You're going to get better, okay? You can't leave me by myself."

Her father let out a dry, rasping laugh, one that sounded more like a cough. His head shook weakly as if disagreeing with her. "I don't have much time left, child," he said painstakingly, each word drawn out like it hurt to speak. "So listen to me carefully, Seraphina, because there are things you need to know. Things I should have told you long ago."