Elysium: Desired by the Cold-hearted Princess [GL]
Chapter 132 132: Out of the woods

Third-person POV

"Sera dear, I hate to ruin your cry time," Electra said, slowly pulling away from Seraphina, who was still a sobbing mess, "but we can't stay here. I'm not exactly supposed to be in this part of the palace—or any part of the palace, for that matter."

Seraphina's brow furrowed in confusion. "This is the palace?" she asked, her voice still shaky.

Electra nodded briskly. "Yes, but this isn't a part most people know about. Think of it as... a hidden area." She glanced around the small room with the rough stone walls, and her expression immediately turned grim. "I'll explain everything later, but right now, we need to get out of here before the party's over and the guards start patrolling. Once they do, the entrance I used will be blocked."

Seraphina's head was spinning. The revelation that she had been left to rot in some hidden part of the palace was both unsettling and confusing. She wanted answers—how had Electra found her? How did Electra even know about this place? But the seriousness in Electra's voice pushed those questions to the back of her mind.

"Okay," she said, nodding despite her confusion. "Let's go."

Without another word, Electra grabbed Seraphina's hand and started leading her out of the room, while Seraphina clung to her like a lifeline.

The passage went on and on, and Seraphina stumbled more than once, her legs still weak from the ordeal. Thankfully, Electra never let go of her hand, and judging by how quickly Electra moved, Seraphina could tell that she had walked this path a hundred times before.

"How did you find me?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"I'll tell you later," Electra replied curtly, her tone leaving no room for further questions.

Seraphina bit her lip, swallowing her curiosity as they kept on walking.

When they reached the small, nearly hidden gate, Seraphina paused, taking in her surroundings. The bushes around it were overgrown, making the gate barely visible unless you knew exactly where to look.

She could see the tall palace walls rising behind them, and it became clear that this must be some sort of servant or emergency exit rarely used.

Electra crouched by the gate, peeking through the small crack to ensure the coast was clear. Her eyes scanned the area, and after a moment, she turned back to Seraphina, her expression serious.

"There aren't any guards out there," Electra whispered, her voice barely audible. "But we can't take any chances. Once we're out, we'll need to run. Just for a few seconds until we're far enough away from the gate. Think you can manage that?"

Seraphina frowned, her legs already feeling like they might give out beneath her. She took a deep breath, nodded, and tried to push her exhaustion aside.

"Are you kidding?" she said, her voice a little sharper than intended. "My life is in danger, Electra, so of course, I can run."

Electra smirked slightly, her amusement flickering briefly before her serious expression returned. "Good. On my count, then."

Seraphina braced herself as Electra gripped the gate's latch and quietly pushed it open just enough for them to slip through. The hinges creaked slightly, and Seraphina's heart skipped a beat, but no sound of approaching guards followed.

Electra gave one last look over her shoulder, locking eyes with Seraphina. "Three. Two. One. Go."

They darted through the gate and into the open space, and Seraphina focused on Electra's back, following her lead as they ran across the dirt path. Her legs screamed in protest, every step sending sharp jolts of pain through her muscles, but she gritted her teeth and pushed forward.

The thought of being caught and dragged back to whatever nightmare awaited her in the palace was enough to make her even more determined not to get caught.

After what felt like an eternity but was probably only a few seconds, Electra slowed down, glancing back to make sure Seraphina was keeping up. She motioned for Seraphina to follow her as she veered off the path and into the cover of the trees.

"We're far enough now," she said. "Let's catch our breath for now."

Seraphina stumbled to a halt, leaning heavily against a tree as she tried to calm her breathing. Her chest heaved, and her legs felt like they might collapse beneath her at any moment, but she was grateful for the break.

"You... do this often?" she managed to say between gasps.

Electra gave her a wry smile, leaning against a tree of her own. "Not exactly," she said. "But sneaking out of places I'm not supposed to be? Yeah, I've had some practice."

Seraphina let out a breathless laugh, though it quickly turned into a grimace as her ribs protested the movement. "Of course, you have."

Before she could stop herself, she turned to Electra, and without a second thought, she threw her arms around Electra in a tight hug. Electra stiffened immediately, startled by the sudden contact.

"What the—" Electra started, her hands awkwardly hovering in the air as if unsure where to place them. "Are you crying again? Because my shirt is still damp from the last time, and I'd really appreciate it if you didn't add any more tears to the mix."

Seraphina pulled back just enough to look up at Electra, a small chuckle escaping her lips. Her eyes, still red from earlier, crinkled with amusement.

"Relax," she said softly, her voice carrying a warmth that surprised even herself. "No more crying, I promise."

Electra exhaled in mock relief, finally letting her hands drop to her sides. "Good," she muttered, rolling her eyes as she shifted uncomfortably. "You're lucky I'm even tolerating this."

Seraphina laughed lightly and stepped back, releasing Electra from the hug. "Thank you," she said earnestly. "For coming to find me. I don't even want to imagine what would have happened if you hadn't."

Electra shrugged, trying to downplay the sentiment. "Don't mention it," she said casually. "Just don't make a habit of getting yourself drugged and stuffed into tunnels, kid. I'm not planning on making a career out of rescuing you."

Seraphina smiled, but her gaze dropped for a moment as she added, "I'm sorry about ruining your shirt earlier. You know, with the tears and... everything else."

Electra let out a small scoff, waving her hand dismissively. "Yeah, well, I've certainly been through worse," she replied with a playful smirk. "But if you really want to thank me, you can wait until we're out of here entirely. Let's save the heartfelt gratitude and whatever speech you have prepared for when we're back in the dormitory and no longer at risk of getting caught."

Seraphina nodded, her expression turning more serious. "You're right. We're not out of the woods yet."

"Literally," Electra added dryly, gesturing to the dense trees surrounding them.