Elysium: Desired by the Cold-hearted Princess [GL]
Chapter 156 156: She's hiding something

Seraphina's POV

I was leaning against the nearest post, pretending to inspect the bows lined up neatly on the rack. My eyes, however, kept straying to Irina and Roxana as they practiced their enchanted archery.

The way their arrows had this weird sparkle mid-flight, and the closer it got to the target, the more the arrow glowed faintly with enchanted energy before striking the bullseye, and to say it was mesmerizing felt like an understatement.

I'd never seen a real show of enchanted archery before—not in person. Whatever Electra had showed me that one time was definitely a memory I'd rather forget, and now, I had the opportunity to witness the real deal.

I crossed my arms over my chest, forcing my expression into one of nonchalance. I was very much fascinated by the sport, but I reminded myself that I couldn't afford to let it show. As far as everyone here was concerned, I was the leader of the archery team.

I was supposed to be the expert, the prodigy, so letting them see my awe—or worse, my ignorance—wasn't an option.

"Nice shot," I muttered half-heartedly when Roxana's arrow split one of Irina's in half.

The girls exchanged a smug grin, clearly used to showing off, and I turned my gaze elsewhere, feigning boredom.

That was when I noticed her.

Deena was seated on a bench in the far corner, her bow resting across her lap. Her posture was unusually stiff, her shoulders tense as though carrying the entire world on them. She wasn't even watching the others; her gaze was fixed on the ground, while her expression remained unreadable.

Something about the sight unsettled me, and it wasn't just her isolation. It was mostly the memory of what I'd overheard a few days before the switch and how she had been instructed by whoever she was working for to kill Electra.

I, unfortunately, still haven't told Electra about what I overheard even though she deserved to know. I'd told myself that I'd bring it up soon, and yet I still hadn't brought it up.

Part of it was timing. I missed my timing, and now, Electra has become busy with her newfound interest in that other girl. Another part of it, if I were being honest with myself, was hesitation. I was hesitant because there was still a very high chance that she wasn't going to believe me, and I didn't want to seem like I was trying to badmouth her friend.

Still, I'd have to tell her about it whether I liked it or not, even though we haven't been on the best terms lately, and I wasn't eager to invite more tension between us. Still, I made a mental note to bring it up the next time we spoke.

But right now, I was curious about why Deena was sitting there, lost in thought. Pushing off the post, I strolled toward her. When I was close enough, I called out her name. "Deena."

Her head jerked up, and for a split second, something like fear flashed across her face. It was gone almost as quickly as it appeared, replaced by a neutral expression. "Seraphina," she said, her tone even. "What is it?"

I raised an eyebrow, gesturing to the untouched bow in her lap. "You tell me. You're supposed to be practicing, but instead, you're sitting here looking like you've seen a ghost. What's going on?"

She hesitated, her fingers tightening around the bow. She looked away, her gaze drifting back to the ground. "It's nothing," she muttered. "Just… thinking."

"Thinking?" I echoed, crossing my arms. "About what?"

She didn't answer right away, and I could tell she was debating whether or not to tell me. I crouched slightly, lowering my voice. "Look, if there's something bothering you, it's better to talk about it than let it eat you alive. You're not exactly subtle, Deena. Whatever's on your mind, it's written all over your face."

Her lips curled upward, but the smile didn't quite reach her eyes, and something about her just seemed really off, though she was doing a good job of pretending otherwise.

"Nothing serious is going on, Sera," she said lightly, brushing nonexistent dust off her lap. "I'm just having random thoughts. Not really in the mood to practice today, that's all."

I narrowed my eyes slightly, not buying her explanation for a second. "Really? That's the best you've got?"

Her expression didn't falter, but her silence spoke volumes. She was holding something back, and I was curious. Before I could press further, she surprised me by abruptly changing the subject.

"What kind of relationship do you have with your mother?" she asked, her tone almost too casual.

Her question caught me completely off guard. I blinked at her, momentarily stunned. "What?"

The word came out more sharply than I intended, but I couldn't help it. Why was she asking about my mother?

She shrugged, her expression unreadable. "I was just wondering. You never really talk about her, you know? And… well, I guess I'm curious. That's all."

I leaned back slightly, folding my arms over my chest as I studied her. She looked so calm, so composed, but something about her question felt deliberate. I couldn't tell if it was just paranoia on my part because of what I already knew or if Deena truly had an ulterior motive.

Regardless, I wasn't about to let my guard down. "I don't believe you," I said bluntly.

Her mouth twitched, and for a moment, I thought I saw a flicker of something—annoyance? Frustration? She quickly masked it, though, giving another one of her nonchalant shrugs. "It's just a question, Seraphina. No need to overthink it."

Sure, I thought sarcastically. Because randomly bringing up my mother is completely normal.

But I couldn't let her see how suspicious I was. Forcing myself to relax, I tilted my head slightly, feigning curiosity. "Are you having problems with your mother or something?" I asked, watching her closely. "Is that why you're suddenly interested in my relationship with mine?"

She hesitated, her fingers fidgeting slightly. Then, finally, she nodded, almost as though she was satisfied that I had given her the perfect excuse. "Yeah," she responded. "I guess I am. That's why I brought it up. I thought maybe… hearing about your relationship with the Queen might help."

Her answer threw me off, and I almost rolled my eyes at her, but I stopped myself. Since I couldn't outrightly accuse her of lying, I had to force myself to stay composed. "Well," I began slowly, "it's complicated."

Deena raised an eyebrow, prompting me to continue.

I hesitated, debating how much to say. My relationship with Queen Jella was nonexistent since she wasn't my mother, but I had to say something.

Thinking on my feet, I decided to lean into ambiguity. "Well," I said slowly, keeping my tone casual, "Queen Jella and I aren't exactly what you'd call mother and daughter." I forced a small shrug, hoping it looked natural. "We don't have the best relationship."

The words left my mouth before I could second-guess them, and for a moment, I wondered if I'd said too much—or too little, but before Deena could respond or press me further, I quickly redirected the conversation.

"Have you ever met my mother by any chance?" I asked, tilting my head slightly as if the question were a harmless afterthought.

I suddenly felt the urge to ask to gauge her reaction, and the effect was immediate and almost startling. Deena's entire face drained of color, and her expression shifted to something closer to panic that made me think that definitely, she had met Queen Jella.

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