Domain of Power-The Dreamer (Book 3)

Chapter 27: All Falls Down

My knees buckled just when my feet crunched the hard dirt. I stared at our domus set only a few steps from the road. I was finally home. But the walk inside would feel like an eternity. Waiting in the atrium was Apollus, reclining on a marble throne while Cornelia and another female fanned him.

"So, you finally came back to your senses." The words were sharp like knives, made to cut into my emotions. I shifted my gaze to Cornelia, who nearly dropped the fan she was holding.

She handed the fan to Apollus to hold before hurrying towards me with open arms. She flung her arms around my neck and whispered, "We missed you, Troy."

I hugged her back, thanking her under my breath.

Behind her loose ringlets, I could see Apollus' icy glare. I pulled away from her warm embrace only to spot shifty glances from Odydus entering from the study. The only time he opened his mouth was to greet Father, standing behind me.

Apparently, she was the only one in this room who missed me.

"So, how did your little assignment go, Troy? Or is that what we are calling his excursion?" Apollus scoffed.

I left the room. I didn't return for judgment or chastisement. I already heard how much of a disappointment I was from Father less than an hour ago. The only person I wanted to see now was Grandfather. With Cornelia close on my heels, I left the atrium to visit Grandfather in his room. He was in bed, being tended to by a female nurse. She silently bowed in my direction before straightening his head on the pillow. He uttered a quiet groan but kept his eyes closed.

"Grandfather."

He stirred at the sound of my voice. I moved closer to observe the greenish pallor his complexion had taken. From the last time I saw I saw, I swore he aged ten more years.

"It is me, Troy," I began. He turned his head slightly as he heaved a wheezy breath. "I came to see you."

"Troy..." he rasped. His eyes stared up at the burgundy ceiling, but at least he remembered my name. "You came back?"

I nodded.

I reached for his hand, now covered in protruding veins. The moment our hands touched, I flinched. Why were his hands so cold?

"Are you leaving again?"

I shook my head.

His gangly hands closed over mine. "Good. I wanted to see your face before I depart this world."

I frowned. "You need to try to eat something. Maybe we can find another physician who can help you get better!"

Cornelia bit her lip before adding, "Oh, Troy. We tried. But he cannot keep anything in his stomach without vomiting. He even spits up water."

I sighed. "What has the physician tried?"

The nurse beside Cornelia bowed her head before replying, "My lord, he tried everything to cure the effects of the poison. He even tried leeches to draw the bad blood out. Nothing worked."

He shook his head. "I have been fighting this sickness..." He rested to collect his breath. "But I am too weak to fight it."

You mean poisoned! I gripped his hand tighter. "You are not weak, Grandfather. You are the strongest man that I know. You pushed me when I felt like giving up. But now I need you to fight."

He looked at me, and for a brief moment, his thin lips curled into a smile. "You are too kind. But these old bones say otherwise."

I sighed aloud. "I need you to fight this."