Chapter 193: Parting Ways

Seraphina’s eyes fluttered open to the soft glow of candlelight filtering through silk drapes. The ceiling above her was unfamiliar carved oak, gold leaf, the crest of Solaria repeated in patterns she didn’t recognize. For a long moment, she simply stared at it, her mind struggling to piece together where she was and how she had gotten there.

Then the pain hit.

It wasn’t the sharp, immediate agony of a fresh wound. It was deeper, duller—the ache of something missing. Her eyes drifted down, following the lines of white bandages wrapped around her torso, her shoulder, and then—

Nothing.

Where her right arm should have been, there was only empty air. The bandages ended in a neat, careful knot at her shoulder, the fabric stained faintly pink but clean. The arm itself was gone. Completely gone.

’Oh.’

The thought was strangely calm. Detached. As if she were observing someone else’s body, someone else’s loss.

Then a familiar voice broke through the fog.

"Sera! Sera, you’re awake!"

Elise’s face appeared above her, pale and tear-streaked, her white hair falling in tangled curtains around her cheeks. Her eyes that had been crimson with the Lich’s malice were green again.

And they were streaming with tears.

Before Seraphina could respond, Elise had thrown her arms around her, burying her face against Seraphina’s good shoulder. The princess’s body shook with sobs she had clearly been holding back for hours.

"You’re awake," Elise gasped, her voice muffled against the bandages. "Finally, you’re awake. I was so worried—you wouldn’t wake up, and the healers said—they said your injuries were severe, and your arm—"

"Your Highness." Seraphina’s voice came out hoarse, barely a whisper. She lifted her remaining hand—her left, awkward, wrong—and placed it gently on Elise’s back. "Your Highness, are you hurt?"

Elise pulled back, her face a mess of tears and disbelief. "Am I—Sera, you lost your arm! And you’re asking if I’m hurt?!"

Seraphina’s brow furrowed. Her gaze swept over Elise, cataloging, assessing. The white hair was new. The pallor. The dark circles under her eyes. But the black veins were gone. The crimson glow was gone. She looked exhausted, heartbroken, but whole.

"You’re safe," Seraphina breathed. The relief in her voice was so profound it almost swallowed the pain. "The Lich... it’s gone?"

Before Elise could answer, the door opened.

"See? Told you she’d wake up fast."

Adam strode in with Ignis bouncing at his heels, his expression caught somewhere between relief and his usual amusement. His crimson eyes swept over Seraphina’s bandaged form, lingering for a moment on the missing arm, before meeting her gaze directly.

"You’re quick." There was genuine respect in his voice. "Most people don’t bounce back from that kind of fight for days."

Ignis pushed past him, her draconic features still visible around the edges, her flames reduced to a warm, worried glow. "Sera! How are you feeling? Are you in pain? Do you need anything? Should I get the healers again? They were really annoying, but I can go get them if you need—"

Seraphina managed a weak smile. "I’m a mess."

Adam snorted. "A mess is putting it lightly. You look like you went ten rounds with a dungeon lord."

Ignis’s eyes went wide. "But you were so strong! The way you fought that Lich—it was amazing!"

Seraphina’s smile faded. Her eyes dropped to the empty space where her arm should have been. "I didn’t... I couldn’t stop it. It was going to kill us. It was going to take Her Highness, and I couldn’t—"

"Sera." Elise’s voice cut through, sharp and fierce. She grabbed Seraphina’s remaining hand, gripping it tightly. "Don’t. Don’t do that to yourself. You fought. You fought harder than anyone I’ve ever seen. And because of you, I’m here. Because of you, the Lich is gone. You won."

Seraphina stared at her. At the princess’s tear-streaked face, at the fierce determination in her eyes, at the hand clutching hers like a lifeline.

Adam moved to the side of the bed, his presence solid and grounding. His voice, when it came, was quieter than usual. Less sharp.

"Don’t be so hard on yourself, Seraphina. You did your job. You protected her." He met her gaze, his crimson eyes holding something that might have been respect. "You did what you had to do. Be proud of that."

Seraphina’s throat tightened. She looked down at her missing arm, at the bandages, at Elise’s hand still wrapped around hers. The tears she had been holding back finally spilled over.

"I... I tried so hard," she whispered. "I tried to be strong enough. To protect her. But I couldn’t—"

"You did protect me." Elise’s voice was fierce. "You protected me from the moment we met. You gave up everything for me. You lost your arm for me." She squeezed Seraphina’s hand tighter. "I’m not going to let you blame yourself for that."

Seraphina closed her eyes. The tears kept coming, hot and silent, tracking down her cheeks to soak into the pillows beneath her.

After a long moment, she opened her eyes again. They were red-rimmed, exhausted, but clearer than before.

"You’re right," she said quietly. "You’re right."

Adam nodded slowly, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "There. That’s the knight I remember."

Ignis bounced on her heels, her earlier worry giving way to relief. "See? See? I told you she’d be okay! Sera’s tough!"

Seraphina let out a weak laugh. "Tough is... one word for it."

Elise’s eyes dropped to the empty space where Seraphina’s arm should have been. Her voice, when it came, was thick with guilt.

"I’m sorry... about your arm." She swallowed hard, forcing herself to continue. "I asked the high healers to restore it. The best ones in the castle. But they said... they said they couldn’t. The damage from the Lich’s magic was too severe." Her hand found Seraphina’s remaining one, gripping it tightly. "But don’t lose hope. In Melium, there must be healers who can regrow lost limbs. We’ll find someone. I promise."

Seraphina’s response was soft, but certain. "It’s alright, Your Highness. Seeing you safe... that’s enough."

"That’s not enough!" Elise’s voice cracked. "You gave up your arm for me. I won’t just accept that and move on like it’s nothing!"

Adam’s voice cut through the tension, casual but carrying an undercurrent of something more. "Seraphina. If you can’t regrow your arm the normal way, I might be able to help."

Ignis’s head snapped toward him, her eyes wide with curiosity. "Hee? You can do that, Adam?"

Adam’s lips curved into a faint, knowing smile. "I have my ways. But nothing comes for free." His crimson eyes fixed on Seraphina. "I’ll help you—on one condition. You enter into a contract with me."

Elise’s face flushed with alarm. "That’s not fair! Seraphina is my knight! You can’t just—"

Adam’s smile didn’t waver. "It’s Seraphina’s choice. And from what I’ve heard, healers who can regrow lost limbs are incredibly rare." He tilted his head, his gaze flicking between Elise and Seraphina with a hint of challenge. "Or do you want your knight to spend the rest of her life with only one arm, Elise?"

Elise’s mouth opened, then closed. Her fists clenched at her sides. "...That’s cheating."

Seraphina watched the exchange with wide eyes, caught between confusion and something else. Adam’s offer hung in the air, heavy with implications she couldn’t quite grasp.

Adam seemed to notice her bewilderment. His voice softened, losing some of its sharp edge. "Think about it. No pressure. Consider it a last resort." He paused, glancing toward the door. "We’ll be parting ways soon anyway."

Seraphina’s confusion sharpened into alarm. "Parting ways? What do you mean?"

Adam’s expression flickered—something complicated passing through his crimson eyes before it was masked. He didn’t answer immediately, and in the silence, Ignis shifted uncomfortably, her flames dimming.

Elise’s voice was quiet, but steady—the voice of someone who had already done the grieving, who had already accepted what was coming.

"Yes." She looked at Adam, her green eyes holding something complicated. Gratitude. Sorrow. Understanding. "Your task is complete, Adam. You helped me reach the Archivist, but..." She swallowed. "The Archivist is dead."

Seraphina’s head turned sharply, confusion cutting through her exhaustion. "Dead? Then the knowledge we sought—"

"Is lost," Elise finished quietly. "Or at least, buried deeper than we can reach right now. Gill is knowledgeable, but he doesn’t have his master’s secrets. The curse... we’ll have to find another way."

She paused, her hand finding Seraphina’s again, gripping it tightly.

"But there is good news. Adam found answers about Alice. About what attacked her, and how to heal her. And the Lich..." She shivered, a ghost of old fear passing through her eyes. "The Lich is gone. Or as good as gone. What remains is a coma—a hollow echo of what it was. The Crown consumed most of its essence."

Adam nodded slowly, his arms crossed, his expression guarded.

"That’s right. The Lich isn’t dead-dead, but it’s not a threat anymore. Not for a long time. Which means you have breathing room." He met Elise’s gaze directly. "You can focus now. Find the source of the curse. Cut it at the root."

Elise’s jaw tightened. "That’s... easier said than done."

"Probably." Adam’s voice was matter-of-fact. "Which is why I’ll be looking too. And when I find it, I’ll kill it. For you."

The words hung in the air, simple and absolute. A promise from a creature who had just consumed an immortal being like it was nothing.

Seraphina stared at him, her throat tight.

"So," she said, her voice rougher than she intended, "this is goodbye."

Adam didn’t answer immediately. His crimson eyes drifted to the window, to the pale light of morning creeping over the castle walls.

"Yeah." His voice was softer now. "I think it is."