Elysium: Desired by the Cold-hearted Princess [GL]
Chapter 165 165: Anything for her

Third-person POV

The sound of Seraphina's giggle grated against Electra's nerves as she leaned Seraphina against the wall of the empty classroom.

Seraphina was barely able to stand upright, her body moving left and right as if she were caught in a storm, and Electra felt her patience growing thin. She hadn't signed up for this. Babysitting a drugged and overly flirtatious version of Seraphina was not how she'd planned her evening, even though Seraphina was the reason she was here in the first place.

"Stay here," she ordered firmly, trying to inject authority into her voice.

She was about to step out, but Seraphina grabbed her arm with a grip stronger than Electra expected.

"Don't leave me," Seraphina whined, her voice laced with a drunken slur. She pouted, her eyes glassy and unfocused, as she tugged at Electra's sleeve.

Electra closed her eyes and took a deep breath, willing herself not to snap. "I'm not leaving you. I'm getting water or ice or something to cool you down. You're burning up, Seraphina."

Seraphina tilted her head, a dazed grin spreading across her lips. "You think I'm hot," she teased, her voice sultry and playful.

Electra groaned internally. This is going to be a long night.

"Yes, sure, whatever," she replied dryly, trying to pry Seraphina's fingers off her arm. "You're hot. Now stay put like a good girl."

Seraphina giggled again, slumping back against the wall as Electra finally managed to free herself. "I'll be a good girl," she purred, her voice dropping suggestively.

Electra froze, her hand gripping the doorknob as she turned back to give Seraphina a stern glare. "Not like that, Seraphina. Just… stay. Here. Got it?"

Seraphina gave her a sloppy salute, her giggles bubbling up again. Electra sighed, shaking her head as she slipped out of the room and into the hallway.

The corridor outside was quieter than the party, but the muffled bass of the music still pulsed through the walls, giving Electra a headache. Her frustration kept growing from bad to worse as she made her way toward the main party area, searching for anything—water, ice, even a damp towel—that might help bring Seraphina back to her senses.

The thought of leaving Seraphina alone nagged at her, but she couldn't exactly carry her around all night. She spotted a small table near the bar stacked with cups and bottles.

Pushing her way through the crowd, she grabbed a bottle of water and stuffed a few napkins in her pocket before making her way back to the classroom.

When Electra opened the door, she froze, her eyes narrowing in irritation at the sight in front of her.

Seraphina was no longer standing against the wall like she had when she left. She had moved to the teacher's desk and was sprawled across it like she owned the place.

One strap of her dress had slipped off her shoulder, and she was humming a tune to herself, twirling a strand of her hair with one hand while the other lazily traced patterns on the desk.

"Seraphina!" Electra snapped, marching into the room and slamming the door shut behind her.

Seraphina looked up, her eyes lighting up when she saw Electra. "You're back!" she exclaimed, her voice overly enthusiastic.

She pushed herself up on the desk, her movements clumsy and uncoordinated.

"Yes, I'm back," Electra said through gritted teeth, holding up the water bottle. "And I told you to stay put."

Seraphina pouted, crossing her arms like a scolded child. "I did stay! I'm still here, aren't I?"

Electra pinched the bridge of her nose, muttering a string of curses under her breath. "You were supposed to stay against the wall, not climb on the desk and… whatever this is."

Ignoring Seraphina's pout, Electra unscrewed the cap of the water bottle and handed it to her. "Drink this."

Seraphina took the bottle, her fingers brushing against Electra's as she did. The contact made her giggle again, and Electra resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

Instead of drinking, Seraphina held the bottle up to her face, pressing it against her cheek with a satisfied sigh. "Cold," she murmured, closing her eyes as she enjoyed the cool sensation.

"Yes, it's cold," Electra said impatiently. "Now drink it. You need to hydrate."

Seraphina finally complied, taking a few sips before handing the bottle back. "You're bossy," she said with a smirk.

Electra ignored the comment, pulling the napkins from her pocket and wetting them with some of the water. She moved closer to Seraphina, gently dabbing the damp napkin against her flushed cheeks and forehead.

Seraphina tilted her head back, letting out a content sigh as Electra worked. "You're sweet," she murmured, her voice softer now.

"Don't get used to it," Electra muttered, focusing on her task.

As the cool napkin seemed to calm Seraphina down, her giggles subsided, and her breathing steadied. For a moment, the room was quiet, except for the muffled music in the distance.

"Electra," Seraphina said after a long silence, her voice small and unsure.

"What?" Electra asked, not looking up from her work.

"Why are you helping me?"

The question caught Electra off guard, and she paused, her hand hovering midair. She met Seraphina's gaze, her dull blue eyes now filled with a vulnerability that wasn't there before.

Electra swallowed, unsure how to respond. "Because someone has to," she said finally, her voice softer than she intended. "There was just no way I'd leave you in that place to survive on your own. You're living as me, Seraphina, and a Vale is not allowed to be embarrassing."

Seraphina's lips curved into a faint smile, but she didn't say anything else.

"Better?" Electra asked, sitting back on her heels now that she was done.

Seraphina nodded slowly, her gaze meeting Electra's with something that almost resembled gratitude. "Yeah," she said softly. "Thank you."

Electra didn't respond right away, her eyes scanning Seraphina's face for any lingering signs of distress. When she was satisfied that the worst of it had passed, she finally allowed herself to relax.

"Don't thank me yet," she said, her tone still laced with irritation. "We're not out of the woods. You still look like a mess, and you're lucky I'm here to clean it up."

Seraphina chuckled weakly, leaning her head back against the wall. "I guess I owe you one," she said, her voice quieter now, almost shy.

Electra snorted, shaking her head. "You owe me a lot more than one, Seraphina. Trust me."