Elysium: Desired by the Cold-hearted Princess [GL]
Chapter 237 237: Overheated

Seraphina's POV

I stood in the hallway, arms crossed, foot tapping against the floor as I waited—impatiently—for Electra to emerge from that office. Every passing second only made my nerves worse.

It wasn't fear for Electra's safety that unsettled me. I knew no one in there would dare lay a hand on her. If anything, I was more worried about what she might do to them.

There was something off about her—something that had been gnawing at my mind ever since last night. I hadn't said anything, partly because I didn't want to start a conversation that would get Electra defensive and lead to an argument and partly because I wasn't sure if she even noticed, but something had happened while we were asleep.

I remembered the exact moment I woke up in the middle of the night, pressed against her side, my body immediately registering a strange heat. It had been subtle at first, like the warmth of being under a bunch of very thick blankets, but then it grew—so intense that it felt like my skin might melt from just being near her.

I'd panicked, thinking my bed would catch fire at any moment.

But nothing burned.

Nothing caught fire.

It was just her.

She hadn't even stirred, hadn't even noticed how much heat she was radiating. It had felt unnatural. It made me wonder—was that a normal part of her other side? Was that why she had always said she didn't like sleeping next to anyone? Had she been hiding this?

I had so many questions, but no answers, and now, here I was, waiting in an unfamiliar house in Valternor, trying to ignore the unsettling feeling in my gut.

Then, the office door slammed open.

Electra walked out, head held high, that signature smirk on her lips—but her eyes? They were practically glowing with a completely different color.

I sucked in a sharp breath.

That was not normal.

Her steps were measured, like she had just won some private battle inside that office, but as she approached me, I couldn't help but notice the way her hands twitched at her sides—like she was barely holding something in.

I frowned. "Are you okay?"

Electra's smirk didn't falter. "I'm great."

I didn't buy that for a second.

"What happened in there?" I asked, stepping closer and lowering my voice.

Electra rolled her eyes. "Nothing worth worrying about. I just had a lovely little chat with dear old Uncle Hunter."

I crossed my arms. "Electra…"

She sighed, running a hand through her hair. "Look, Sera, I'm fine. I didn't kill him, if that's what you're worried about."

That wasn't exactly comforting.

I studied her carefully, my eyes trailing over the slight tension in her shoulders, the way she was too composed, as if she was actively forcing herself to be, and then I noticed something else—her skin.

It was warmer than usual.

Not like last night, but close.

I narrowed my eyes. "Your temperature is high."

Electra blinked. "Excuse me?"

"Your body heat, Electra. It's higher than usual." I reached out, placing the back of my hand against her arm. The second I made contact, I felt it—that heat. Not normal warmth. Not fever warmth. Something else.

Electra instantly pulled away. "Don't start acting like a doctor, Sera."

I glared. "Don't start acting like nothing is wrong."

She huffed, looking away, clearly annoyed. "It's not a big deal."

"You always say that."

"Because it isn't!"

I clenched my jaw. "Electra, last night, while we were sleeping—something happened to you."

Electra stiffened, and for the first time since she walked out of that office, I saw a crack in her demeanor.

I continued, my voice lower now. "I woke up in the middle of the night because of the heat. You were—" I hesitated, trying to find the right words. "You were burning up. Not like a fever. Not like a normal person. It was intense—like your body was generating actual fire."

Electra didn't say anything.

She just stared at me.

I swallowed. "Did you even notice? Or does this happen all the time?"

Silence.

Electra's jaw ticked. I could see the battle in her eyes—see the way she was debating whether to lie or actually tell me the truth.

Finally, after what felt like forever, she let out a sharp exhale.

"I… know," she admitted, her voice quieter now. "It's been happening more often."

I frowned. "More often?"

Electra nodded. "It used to only happen when I got angry, like really angry, but lately, it's been… random." She looked down at her hands, flexing her fingers like she was expecting them to ignite at any second. "It's like something inside me is getting stronger, but I don't know why."

My stomach twisted.

That thing—that voice that made us switch lives—it said she was running out of time.

Was this connected?

I grabbed her wrist gently. "Electra… this isn't normal."

She let out a dry chuckle. "Tell me something I don't know."

"I'm serious," I said firmly. "What if this is a sign? What if—" I hesitated before saying it out loud. "What if you're losing control?"

Electra's expression darkened. "I'm not losing control."

I looked at her, unconvinced. "Are you sure about that? Something happened in that office, right? You keep looking back at it, and you're shaking, Electra."

Electra let out a heavy, frustrated sigh, pinching the bridge of her nose as if trying to contain whatever emotion was clawing its way up.

I watched her carefully, waiting for her to say something, my heart already hammering in my chest from the way her whole demeanor had shifted the moment I asked why she was shaking.

"At some point, I realized there was a camera watching me," she finally said, her voice quieter. "It was my mother."

My brows furrowed in confusion. That didn't make sense. Her mother?

Before I could think twice, the words shot out of my mouth, louder than I intended. "Your mother's here?"

Electra's eyes snapped to mine in warning. "Keep your voice down," she hissed, glancing around us as if expecting Jella to appear out of thin air. "I don't know for sure, but she's probably somewhere in this house."

My stomach churned uneasily. If Queen Jella really was here, watching everything… then this entire trip was more dangerous than I had initially thought.

"But that's not what's important," Electra continued, her voice suddenly quieter—almost shaky. She let out a shaky breath, something I had rarely seen her do.

Then, with eyes that held something I could only describe as fear, she whispered, "Sera… I was this close to killing Hunter, and I barely stopped myself."

For a moment, all I could do was stare at her in shock.

"What do you mean?" My voice was softer now, laced with concern, but Electra wouldn't meet my eyes.

She ran a hand through her hair, her controlled exterior cracking in a way that sent alarm bells ringing in my mind. "I mean that something inside me—something new—almost took over. It wasn't just anger, Sera. It was more than that. It felt like I… like I needed to do it."

Her voice dropped even lower, and when she finally looked at me again, there was pure panic in her expression. "And the worst part? I actually wanted to kill him."