Chương 1: The Beginning
Seraphina
"Take a deep breath, Sera. Don't open your eyes and pretend like she doesn't exist," I kept telling myself, trying not to look up at the mad witch yelling at me.
By mad witch, I was talking about my stepmother, who also happened to be my aunt, Lady Gianna. She was currently complaining about me to my father for the umpteenth time, and because I was so used to her yelling, I've taught myself how to zone out completely whenever she opens her mouth and starts spewing nonsense.
"You see, Koran, that disrespectful brat is not listening to anything I'm saying right now, and it's always like this all the time. She doesn't listen to anything I say, nor does she ever respond. All she does is blame me for her mother's death and accuse me of being jealous of her mother when she knows Hera's death was no one's fault," she blurted.
I hadn't been paying attention to anything else that she said earlier, but as soon as she mentioned my mother, I snapped.
"Stop talking about my mother already, you damn witch!" I hissed, raising my voice at her without considering the consequences.
It wasn't until after I yelled at her and turned to look at my father's face that I realized that she had baited me on purpose, knowing very well that I would react emotionally if she mentioned my mother.
Her goal was to prove her point to my father by having me yell at her in front of him, and like a fool, I fell into her trap.
"Is this really how you treat your mother when I'm not here?" My father, Koran Hook, major general of the kingdom of Aldoria and right-hand man to the king, questioned me in his typical stern voice that never failed to make me shiver in fear.
As much as I was irritated by the fact that he had just referred to Gianna as my mother, I knew better than to react to it.
My father was someone I was very afraid of, not just because he looked quite scary but also because I had witnessed firsthand what he was capable of and didn't want to meet the same fate as my brother.
"Father, it's a misunderstanding. I don't ever treat Gianna disrespectfully, and I always try to mind my tone with her. I just don't like when she talks about my mother," I stuttered in response, hoping that he wasn't going to punish me as usual, even though I could already hear him telling me that I'll be locked up in my room for the next few days, and when I'm locked up, I don't get food.
Funny, right?
Imagine being the daughter of one of the most powerful men in the Kingdom, and yet, there are days when you have to starve like crazy because your father's punishment involves locking you in your room and leaving you with just a jar of water to survive.
"I believe that I have seen enough, Seraphina. It's high time you stopped behaving so childishly, and lashing out on the stepmother whenever your mother is mentioned isn't going to bring her back from the dead," he hissed, and I sucked in a breath to keep myself from making another mistake.
"Now, you already know the rules for disrespecting your mother, Seraphina. I believe I don't have to spell it out to you," he added, and I already knew what he was talking about.
I was going to get locked in my room and left to survive for at least two days without any food. And yes, school wasn't an option whenever I was under punishment.
Even though he was always strict with me and insisting that I needed to make sure that I didn't disappoint him in my academics, he didn't mind keeping me locked up in the house for a few days and making me miss school. And even after doing this, he still expects that I never fail a class.
"I'll be in my room," I muttered in frustration, preparing to leave the living room area and head to my room, until all of a sudden, Gianna would call me back and tell me to hold on.
"I don't think we should keep up with this punishment, Koran. It's about time we do things differently, because it's clear to me that punishing her is no longer working," she suggested.
I frowned. 'What was this crazy woman up to now?' I wondered to myself, not daring to say the words out loud.
"So do you suggest, Gianna?" my father asked, and I just knew by his tone that he was about to accept whatever nonsense she suggested.
For someone who was so powerful and well respected in the Kingdom, it sometimes surprised me how terrible my father was at thinking for himself when it came to his family.
"Let's send her to boarding school," Gianna blurted out, and as soon as the words left her mouth, my eyes widened in horror.
"You wouldn't dare," I voiced out without realizing it, and this time, I didn't regret what I said.
The fact that she was suggesting that I should be sent to a boarding school knowing that I had social anxiety and would struggle to adapt to a new school, much less a boarding school, was absolutely diabolical on her part, and I wasn't about to stay quiet.
She smiled at me, a sick, demented smile that subtly mocked me.
"And why do you think sending her to boarding school is the solution? Don't you think sending her off on her own would make her much worse?" my father questioned, finally saying the right things—or so I hoped.
Instead of responding immediately, Gianna placed her hands on my father's shoulders, a technique I knew all too well. She was about to say anything to convince my father, and the chances of her failing were usually next to zero.
"Seraphina has been shielded all her life, and I think that is one of the reasons why she became spoilt and disrespectful. We can't afford the kingdom to look down on you because you have a weak and bratty child, and I believe the best way to teach her respect, as well as help her come out of her shell, is to send her to a good boarding school where she can build her own character. Don't you agree?" she explained, wearing a look of false concern on her face.
I let out a scoff, staring at her with a look of disbelief on my face. Without hearing from my father, I could already tell by the look on his face that he was seriously considering her opinion.
I sometimes wonder if he was under a spell because there was no other way to explain why he always took everything she said like they were words spoken to him directly from the gods.
"What do you think, Seraphina?" he asked, turning to me for my opinion.
"If I tell you that I don't want to go, would you dismiss the idea?" I responded, wanting to be sure that I wouldn't be wasting my breath if I chose to argue.
"Are you even considering the possible benefits of going? Don't you think it's about time you come out of your shell and learn to be around actual people and not the stuffed animals in your room? You've been at your new school for almost four years now, and you don't have one friend to show for it!" he said.
I mentally rolled my eyes before firing back at him. "Since when is making friends an important part of being in school? Isn't it just a place for learning? My grades are stable, which is what you demanded from me, and it's thanks to your habit of locking me in my room that I learned to make friends with stuffed animals since I couldn't make friends with people."
He seemed shocked at first, but I could tell that he wasn't about to argue since he knew that I had a point.
"Well, it's time for things to change, Seraphina. I know it's going to be difficult for you, but like your mother has suggested, you need to come out of your shell, and if sending you to a boarding school is going to help, then so be it," he responded, much to my disappointment but not so much a surprise.
"Say goodbye to your teachers in your current school tomorrow because from next week, you'll be sent to a new school. My decision on this is final!" he declared.
I clenched my fists in anger, hating how powerless I felt at the moment. The smug look on Gianna's face also wasn't helping, and I wanted nothing more than to slap her hard across the face and turn her smile into a frown.
"I hate you! Both of you!" I yelled at them in my fury before storming past them and heading to my room with every intention to cry my eyes out.
Chương 2: A New World
Seraphina's Pov
The minute my feet hit the ground outside the car, that was when I realized how terribly unfamiliar everything felt. The air in Kingdom Elmeria felt different, and I unconsciously tightened my grip on my bag's handle, feeling a knot tightened in my chest.
I still couldn't believe I was here, in a kingdom that was miles away from home, and it was all thanks to Gianna.
The image of her standing in front of the mansion, looking happy and proud of herself while I was whisked away to another kingdom, was permanently burned into my memory.
I had to give it to her though. She managed to do what I thought was impossible, which was sending me away—and she made sure I was sent very far away.
The memory of my last moments in Aldoria flashed through my mind—the sign at the airport, with its bright letters bidding farewell to those leaving the kingdom, and how it had felt like a final goodbye.
I'd stared at it, feeling a single tear slip down my cheek, before the guard had gently but sternly guided me into the plane. I remembered not wanting to cry and holding back my tears, but the tear had come anyway.
Elmeria was surely different from Aldoria. It was clearly larger, much colder, and more indifferent. It was a kingdom that felt both familiar and foreign, like a storybook place that suddenly became real.
I'd read about the place in history books, heard stories in school, and from my mother when she was still alive, but experiencing it was something entirely different.
According to what I'd read about Elysium, it was a school for the daughters of the nobility, and it accepted students from every and any kingdom, as long as they were from a noble bloodline.
To my understanding, it was nothing but a classist school, who most likely preyed on pitting young daughters of the rich and powerful against each other. And never in a million years had I imagined that I'd end up in a place like this.
The car door shut behind me with a thud, and I turned to look at the driver, a man whose name I hadn't bothered to learn. He nodded at me once, curt and professional, before getting back into the car and driving off without a care in the world.
I was alone now, standing in front of the towering gates of Elysium Girls High. According to Gianna, this was the school she hoped would mold me into someone more sociable and respectful.
I felt the urge to turn back, run after the car, and beg the driver to take me back home, but home wasn't really home anymore, was it? At least not with Gianna there.
I sighed, pushing the thoughts away as I adjusted my bag on my shoulder and took a step forward. The gates of Elysium were tall, feeling like an entrance to another world.
There was something eerie about this place, and the silence made me feel like I was walking into a death trap.
I took a deep breath and stepped through the gates. The courtyard was just as nerve-wracking as the gates, and I noticed a few students loitering around, their expressions cool and indifferent.
They didn't even glance my way as I walked past, and I was thankful for that. The last thing I wanted was to make eye contact with them anyway.
My father had assured me that the principal would be waiting for me, but he hadn't mentioned where I was supposed to go, as if that small detail wasn't worth mentioning.
When I finally reached the entrance to the building, I hesitated, and taking a deep breath, I pushed one open and slipped inside, relieved to be out of the open where eyes might have followed me.
But now I had a new problem: I had no idea where to find the principal's office, and I didn't have the courage to ask anyone for help.
I stood at the entrance clutching my bag as if my life depended on it. I was slowly starting to panic, which was a familiar feeling whenever I felt out of place.
My father always said I needed to be more assertive and more confident, but how was I supposed to do that when I could barely bring myself to speak to anyone?
After what felt like forever, I realized that I couldn't just stand here forever. I had to find someone to ask for directions, and it had to be someone who wouldn't judge me for being lost. I decided to look for a janitor or an older person—someone more approachable and less intimidating than the students.
I started walking until suddenly, I heard someone yell my name. "Seraphina!"
The voice was loud, sharp, and unexpected, causing me to freeze in my tracks. My heart leaped into my throat as I turned around to see who had called me.
A tall woman was walking toward me with an irritated look on her face. She looked to be in her late forties or early fifties, with graying hair pulled back into a tight bun. She wore a perfectly tailored suit, and I had no doubt that she was someone important.
"Why didn't you wait at the gate for someone to pick you up?" she demanded as she reached me, her eyes narrowing as she looked me up and down.
I blink, trying to process her words. "I… I didn't know I was supposed to wait," I stammered, my voice low.
My hands clenched the straps of my bag even tighter, my knuckles turning white as I struggled to keep my composure.
The woman sighed, a sound of exasperation that made me shrink back slightly. "Of course you didn't," she muttered under her breath, more to herself than to me.
"Well, I'm Mrs. Hawthorne, the principal's assistant, and I was expecting you to be at the gate so that I could escort you to her office personally. We have procedures in place for a reason, Seraphina," she chided.
Her words made me feel even smaller than I already did. I wanted to explain that I didn't mean to break any rules or disrupt any procedures, but I couldn't find the words to explain that, so I simply nodded.
Her expression softened slightly, as if she realized that she might have been too harsh. "Come along, then," she said, turning on her heel and starting to walk down the hallway. "I'll take you to the office so we can get you settled in."
I hurried to follow her, my heart still pounding in my chest. I couldn't shake the feeling that I already made a poor impression, which wasn't very unlike me.
We arrived at the principal's office, and Mrs. Hawthorne knocked briefly before pushing the door open and guiding me inside. I barely had time to take in the room before the principal's assistant, a thin woman with sharp eyes, gestured for me to enter.
"Seraphina Hook, I presume," she spoke, her tone serious.
She was seated behind her large desk, with her silver hair pulled into a neat bun at the nape of her neck. She didn't smile. All she did was wave a hand toward the chair in front of her. "Sit."
I obeyed, lowering myself into the chair with a nervous movement, and my fingers gripped the edge of my skirt as I tried to steady my breathing.
"I'm Principal Astor," she introduced herself, her tone curt. "Your father mentioned that you suffer from social anxiety and take medication for it."
She didn't phrase it as a question, and I felt embarrassed by how bluntly she had brought it up.
I nodded, my throat too tight to form words. I hated how exposed I felt and how my struggles had been laid out so plainly in front of this woman who didn't seem to have an ounce of empathy.
She didn't seem to notice—or care—about my discomfort. She leaned forward slightly, her sharp eyes narrowing as she fixed her gaze on me. "Here's an advice, Seraphina," she began. "You better not expect anyone here to carry you along or be kind to you because it just won't happen."
I stared at her, taken aback by how harsh she sounded. It felt somewhat like a slap in the face, reminding me that I was on my own in this place. I felt tears well up in my eyes, but I blinked them back, refusing to show any more weakness in front of this woman.
"So unfortunately , you'll have to learn to manage your anxiety on your own because mommy and daddy aren't here to babysit you," she continued.
I swallowed hard, my mouth dry, while my hands were trembling in my lap. She was basically telling me that I didn't belong here and that I was already a burden even before I started.
"In case you haven't heard," she added, "Elysium has a rather high rate of suicide. So, I suggest you prepare yourself mentally if you don't wish to go down that path."
I felt a cold shiver run down my spine, my mind reeling from what she just said. Suicide.
I had never heard anyone talk about it so bluntly and dismissively. She was basically telling me that this place could break me if I wasn't strong enough.
She reached into a drawer and pulled out a small key, holding it out to me. "This is the key to your locker," she said, her voice devoid of any emotion. "You'll find your schedule and other necessary information inside. My assistant will show you to your dormitory."
Mrs. Hawthorne appeared at my side, her expression neutral as she waited for me to stand. I glanced back at Principal Astor, hoping for some hint that she hadn't meant to be so cruel, but her face was indifferent, as if she had already dismissed me from her thoughts.
"Thank you," I mumbled, even though I wasn't sure what I was thanking her for. All I knew was that my life here was going to be a living hell, and there was no way out for me.
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