Elysium: Desired by the Cold-hearted Princess [GL]-Chapter 369: Bad Idea

Third-person POV

Seraphina had never hated her height more than she did in that moment.

Her stupidly short legs pumped as fast as they could carry her, feet slapping against the floor as she chased after the familiar tall figure ahead of her. Electra walked with long, unbothered strides, her back straight, and her pace calm, far too calm for someone who was about to do something incredibly stupid.

"Electra!" Seraphina called, her voice already starting to strain. "Electra, please…slow down!"

The words echoed uselessly down the corridor. Electra didn't even turn her head.

Seraphina clenched her jaw and pushed harder, ignoring the sharp burn in her chest. She knew this path. She knew where Electra was heading, and she knew, deep in her bones, that this was a mistake Electra would hate herself for once her memories came back.

"Electra!" she tried again, louder now, desperation slipping into her tone. "Please stop walking so fast!"

Electra slowed, then stopped altogether.

The sudden halt nearly sent Seraphina crashing into her. She stumbled instead, barely catching herself before bending over, hands on her knees, sucking in air like she had just run a thousand miles instead of a single hallway.

Electra turned around slowly. Her eyes flicked over Seraphina in quick assessment, the shaking shoulders, the uneven breaths, and the faint sheen of sweat at her temples. Her lips pulled downward, her expression twisting into open disgust.

"…You're so weak," she said flatly, shaking her head.

Seraphina straightened with a sharp scoff, ignoring how her lungs screamed in protest. "Oh, shut up," she snapped. "Just so you know, I was in a coma a few days ago."

Electra's expression didn't change.

"And I haven't even had time to focus on recovering," Seraphina continued, the words tumbling out faster than she could filter them, "thanks to the fact that your brain was completely fried when I woke up."

The sentence hung between them, and only after it left her mouth did Seraphina realize how harsh it sounded. Her chest tightened instantly, and she waited for it—for anger, for offense, for that sharp, cutting response Electra used when someone crossed a line.

Nothing came. Electra only stared at her, blank and unmoved, as if Seraphina had commented on the weather instead of her shattered mind.

Seraphina blinked. Relief washed through her so suddenly it made her lightheaded. She let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding, her shoulders loosening. Good. Electra didn't care, or maybe she simply couldn't.

Either way, Seraphina was grateful.

"Anyway," she said, forcing herself back on track, "that's not why I'm here."

Electra tilted her head slightly, waiting.

"Your plan," Seraphina said, straightening despite the ache in her body. "Going to Irina's room and doing whatever it is you think you're going to do."

Electra's lips curved into a slow, knowing smirk.

"That," Seraphina said firmly, "is a terrible idea."

Electra raised a brow. "Is it?"

"Yes," Seraphina said without hesitation. "A really terrible one."

She took a small step closer, lowering her voice even though the corridor was empty. "Unlike me, Irina is not weak. She's not fragile, and she's not someone you can toy with."

Electra's smirk didn't fade.

"She is the farthest thing from being a weak human," Seraphina continued. "And if you try to use her lips for your little… experiment…"

Electra's eyes gleamed with interest.

"...she will punch the living daylight out of you," Seraphina finished bluntly.

For a split second, Seraphina thought she'd finally gotten through to her.

Then Electra smiled wider. "Well," she said, sounding pleased, "now I'm even more excited."

Seraphina stared at her, disbelief written all over her face. "You can't be serious."

Electra turned on her heel and resumed walking as if the conversation had only encouraged her.

Seraphina groaned aloud and hurried after her again, her legs already protesting. "Electra, come on. You can't just…this isn't funny."

"I'm not joking," Electra replied calmly.

"You're treating this like a game!"

Electra glanced over her shoulder. "It is a test. A simple and very practical experiment."

"A test that ends with you getting punched!"

Electra shrugged lightly. "Pain is informative."

Seraphina clenched her fists, her frustration boiling over. "You don't get it. The you from before…"

"The me from before is gone," Electra cut in, stopping once more.

Seraphina halted too, swallowing hard. "She's not gone. She's just… lost, and when she comes back, she's going to regret this. Trust me, you will be mortified."

Electra turned fully toward her now, her eyes sharp and curious. "Why?"

"Because you're crossing lines I can assure you would have never crossed if you were in your right senses," Seraphina said quietly.

Electra studied her face for a long moment. "And you're certain of this?" she asked.

"Yes," Seraphina said without hesitation.

Electra hummed thoughtfully. "Interesting."

"That's all you have to say?"

Electra stepped closer, towering over her. "You keep warning me," she said calmly. "You chase after me, and you tell me what I will feel later."

Her gaze sharpened. "Why do you think I care what you think or what you think the old me is going to think? Shouldn't you know better than to waste your time?"

Seraphina's throat tightened. "I'm just trying to help you avoid an embarrassing situation, Electra. I know you well enough to know you'd hate yourself once this phase is over."

"Well," Electra said. "I don't care."

"Please be sensible. You can't just go around sticking your lips on other people's lips. It's basically sexual assault, which is a very terrible thing."

Electra straightened. "I'm pretty sure Irina will survive," she said decisively. "And if she doesn't react the way I expect, that is still valuable information."

"You're unbelievable," Seraphina muttered.

Electra turned away again. "Then stop following me." 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

Seraphina hesitated only a second before moving after her once more. "Not happening."

Electra paused, glancing back. "Why?"

Seraphina met her gaze, exhaustion and worry written plainly across her face. "Because someone has to stop you from making a complete fool of yourself, and unfortunately, I'm burdened with that responsibility as your damned vessel."

Electra watched her for a long moment, unreadable. Then she turned and continued down the hall.

"Keep up," she said.

Seraphina sighed, already aching, and chased after her, knowing full well that this was only the beginning of a mess neither of them was ready to face.