Elysium: Desired by the Cold-hearted Princess [GL]-Chapter 367: Intimate relationship

Third-person POV

Electra was already turning back toward her room when she noticed just how crowded the dormitory hallway had become. Doors were open everywhere now. The noise pressed in on her senses, irritating her to the core, and she found herself walking through the numerous people that she kept running into as quickly as possible, eager to return to the one place that at least felt contained.

That was when she saw Seraphina.

Seraphina stood a short distance away, her head turning frantically from side to side, and her hands clenched into fists at her sides. Her hair was slightly disheveled, her breathing uneven, as if she had been walking the halls nonstop without rest. There was a look on her face Electra hadn’t seen before, a different kind of worry, completely stripped of her usual restraint.

The moment Seraphina’s eyes landed on Electra, relief flashed across her face, quickly chased by panic, and she rushed forward without hesitation.

"Electra," she said breathlessly. "Where did you go? Why did you leave your room?"

Electra stopped walking. She blinked once, then tilted her head slightly, studying Seraphina like she was trying to solve a puzzle that had suddenly changed shape.

"I didn’t realize," she replied calmly, "that I needed your permission to step outside."

Seraphina froze, clearly caught off guard by the response. Then she exhaled slowly, rubbing a hand over her face as if trying to ground herself.

"That’s not what I meant," she said, exhaustion seeping into her voice. "You know that’s not what I meant."

Electra raised an eyebrow but said nothing, allowing the silence to stretch.

Seraphina dropped her hand and met Electra’s gaze properly this time. "I was worried," she admitted. "You don’t know the school yet, and you don’t know anyone else besides the girls and me. I just thought you might... end up in an uncomfortable situation, or that someone might provoke you, and you’d lose your temper."

Electra rolled her eyes, the motion sharp and dismissive. "If that’s what you’re worried about," she said coolly, "then you can rest easy. I can assure you that I have no intention of hurting anyone."

Seraphina opened her mouth, then closed it again.

Electra continued, her tone almost bored. "None of the humans I’ve met so far pose any kind of threat to me. So there’s really no reason for me to hurt anyone physically, at least not until further notice. So rest easy, little one."

Seraphina stared at her.

There it was again, that casual way Electra spoke about violence, as if it were an option she could pick up or set down whenever she pleased. It made Seraphina’s stomach twist, even though she knew Electra wasn’t saying it to scare her.

"I wasn’t only worried about other people," Seraphina said carefully. "I was worried about you."

Electra studied her face, something unreadable flickering behind her eyes. For a moment, it looked like she might say something sharp in return. Instead, she turned slightly, angling her body away from the busy hallway.

The noise around them felt distant now, muffled by whatever tension had settled between them.

Seraphina took that as a cue and relaxed just a little. She was about to ask where Electra had gone, whether the walk had helped clear her head, whether she was ready to come to dinner, but she never got the chance.

Electra’s expression shifted. Her eyes narrowed just a fraction, her gaze sharpening with sudden focus.

"According to you," she said slowly, "you and I are in some kind of... intimate relationship. Is that right?"

The question hit Seraphina like a physical blow, and she stared at Electra, her mind scrambling to catch up. "What?"

Electra didn’t repeat herself. She simply waited, her posture calm, her eyes intent, like she was watching a reaction unfold.

Seraphina swallowed. Heat rushed to her face, and her heart started to pound for reasons she didn’t fully understand. After a moment, she nodded stiffly.

"Yes," she said. "That’s what I told you, and you could say you and I were very involved before you lost your memories."

Electra’s lips curved upward slowly as Seraphina finished speaking.

It wasn’t a smile born of warmth or affection. It was sharp around the edges, curious in a way that made Seraphina’s pulse spike. It was the kind of smile that suggested Electra had just reached a conclusion, one Seraphina wasn’t yet privy to.

Seraphina noticed it immediately. "...Why are you looking at me like that?" she asked, visibly wary now. "And why did you even ask me that?"

Electra didn’t answer right away.

Her gaze drifted past Seraphina, down the length of the corridor. The hallway was less chaotic than it had been moments ago, but it was far from empty. She could still tell that there were girls lingering outside their doors, laughter still echoed faintly from a nearby stairwell, and footsteps passed at irregular intervals. There were too many eyes, too many ears, and way too much exposure.

Electra clicked her tongue softly, as if annoyed by the inconvenience, and without warning, she reached out and grabbed Seraphina’s hand.

Seraphina startled. "Electra...what..."

Electra was already moving before Seraphina could complete her question, turning on her heel and pulling Seraphina along with her. Her grip was firm and confident, leaving no room for hesitation.

"Electra," Seraphina said again, stumbling slightly before matching her pace. "What’s going on? Where are you taking me?"

"My room," Electra replied calmly, as though she hadn’t just thrown Seraphina into a spiral.

Seraphina blinked, her confusion deepening. "Your room? Why?"

Electra didn’t slow down.

Seraphina tightened her fingers around Electra’s hand, trying to anchor herself. "Didn’t you say earlier today that I, and Irina, and Roxana, and Penelope were overwhelming you?" she asked carefully. "So why would you want me back in your room after that?"

Electra stopped so abruptly that Seraphina nearly ran into her back.

She turned, her expression flat, unimpressed, one eyebrow lifting slightly. "Are you saying you don’t want to come with me?"

Seraphina felt the question settle in her chest immediately. "No," she said quickly. "That’s not what I’m saying. I just want to understand what’s going on."

Electra studied her face for a long moment, her eyes searching Seraphina’s expression like she was sorting through truths and half-truths alike.

Then, slowly, a mischievous smirk returned.

"You will," Electra said. "Soon."

And with that, she turned back around and resumed walking, tugging Seraphina along behind her.