Elysium: Desired by the Cold-hearted Princess [GL]
Chapter 74 74: My life is precious

Seraphina's Pov

I tried to keep my breathing steady as I turned to face Deena, forcing myself to look confused rather than scared. My heart was racing, and my palms were sweaty, but I couldn't let any of that show.

"Why did you ask me to hold on?" I asked, my tone as casual as I could manage.

Deena's eyes narrowed slightly, and for a moment, I thought I might have been too calm and too collected. She crossed her arms over her chest, moving a little closer, and leaning slightly against the wall. "What are you doing here, Seraphina? It's a Sunday afternoon. Shouldn't you be in the dormitory, maybe resting in your room and preparing for class tomorrow?"

Her question felt like a test, like she was setting a trap and throwing a bait to see if I'd bite it, but I couldn't let her see through me.

I tilted my head slightly, feigning confusion. "I could ask you the same thing, Deena," I said, trying to inject just the right amount of curiosity into my voice. "What are you doing here in the classroom hallways on a Sunday afternoon? Shouldn't you be in the dormitory as well? I may not know you, but class on a Sunday doesn't seem very much like it'd be your style."

Deena's gaze hardened slightly, and I felt my stomach churn. Was I pushing my luck? I couldn't back down now. Showing fear wasn't an option, and she especially couldn't know that I'd overheard her conversation on the rooftop.

I had a feeling that she was looking to see if I was the one she was looking for, and I couldn't let her suspect that I knew about her plotting against Electra.

Her lips curled into a small, mocking smile. "You've grown a bit bold, haven't you?" she said, stepping closer.

I swallowed hard but refused to move back. "I'm just curious, that's all," I replied, my voice steady. "Just like you're curious to know why I'm here, I'm equally curious to know why you're here."

Deena let out a short laugh, the kind that wasn't meant to ease tension but rather to heighten it. "Well, aren't you full of surprises?" she said, her tone laced with mockery. "Fine, but unfortunately for you, I asked first, so spill. Why are you hanging around the classroom area on a Sunday? It's a bit of an odd choice for someone like you, isn't it?"

Her eyes narrowed slightly, and I could feel her scrutinizing me, trying to piece something together. Since I couldn't try to deflect again, my mind raced for an excuse, something that wouldn't raise suspicion but also wouldn't come across as a blatant lie.

I forced myself to stay calm because if I looked rattled, she'd pick up on it immediately.

Taking a steadying breath, I responded, "I don't know if you've heard, but I had a bit of... a disagreement with two of my roommates."

Deena raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued but unconvinced. "A disagreement, huh?"

I nodded, careful to keep my tone light but my explanation plausible. "Yeah. Well, more like a fight." I hesitated, then quickly added, "Not that I'm particularly proud of it."

Deena crossed her arms. "I did hear something about that. Word travels fast in this school, but—" her eyes flicked up and down my figure, clearly unimpressed—"I'm struggling to believe someone like you could be in a fight, let alone hold your own."

I forced a dry laugh, even though the comment stung. "Well, you're not wrong. I'm not exactly cut out for physical confrontations. Which is why I'm here."

Her eyebrows lifted slightly, urging me to continue.

I sighed, pretending to be resigned. "My roommates aren't exactly thrilled with me right now, so I thought it was best to get out of there for a while. I didn't have anywhere else to go, and the classroom area seemed like a good place to find some peace and quiet."

I was hoping with everything that my explanation sounded convincing enough because my nerves were still frayed from the close call on the rooftop, and the last thing I needed was for Deena to start connecting the dots.

She studied me for a long moment, her sharp gaze making my stomach churn. She had a way of looking at people that made you feel like she was peeling back layers to find whatever secrets you were hiding, and I had to resist the urge to squirm under her scrutiny.

Finally, she shrugged, though the suspicion in her eyes didn't entirely fade. "Hiding out, huh? Makes sense, I guess. You don't exactly strike me as the confrontational type."

"Exactly," I said quickly, grateful for the small opening to steer the conversation away from risky territory. "I'm just trying to avoid making things worse. It's already tense enough in the dorm, and I like my peace quite a lot."

Deena smirked, but there was no warmth in it. "Fair enough."

I nodded and waited, hoping she'd get bored and leave. My heart raced every second she lingered, and I couldn't shake the fear that she might somehow see through me.

But Deena didn't leave. Instead, she tilted her head, her smirk fading into something more nerve-wracking. "You weren't up on the rooftop earlier, were you?" she asked suddenly, her tone casual but her eyes anything but.

The question took me by surprise, and I felt my heart skip a beat, but I had to fight to keep my expression neutral. "The rooftop?" I repeated, feigning confusion. "Why would I be on the rooftop?"

Deena's gaze didn't waver. "Just a thought," she said, her tone still light. "It's a popular spot for people who want to get away. I thought maybe you went up there to clear your head."

I shook my head quickly, maybe a little too quickly. "No, I haven't been up there. I'm very afraid of heights, and besides that, I wouldn't even know how to get there."

Her lips curved into a faint smile, but it didn't reach her eyes. "Is that so?"

I nodded, forcing a small laugh. "Yeah. I've never really explored the school like that, so I wouldn't even know where the access door is."

Deena held my gaze for a moment longer, and I couldn't tell if she believed me or not. My palms were slick with sweat, and I had to resist the urge to wipe them on my pants. Finally, she shrugged again, her expression unreadable.

"Well, enjoy your peace and quiet," she said, her tone almost dismissive. "But don't stay out here too long. Loitering around the classroom during the weekends isn't exactly acceptable, and you wouldn't want to get caught breaking the rules, would you?"

I shook my head, trying to match her casual tone. "Of course not."

With that, she turned and walked away, her footsteps echoing down the hallway, but I didn't let myself relax until I was sure she was out of earshot. My hands were still trembling, and my heart was pounding so hard it felt like it might burst out of my chest.

As soon as I was sure that Deena was out of sight and far down the hallway, I leaned heavily against the wall, trying to steady my shaky legs. My breathing was erratic, and I realized I'd been holding my breath the entire time.

Slowly, I let it out, trying to calm my racing heart, and my hand instinctively went to my forehead, checking for sweat. Thank God—it wasn't betraying me, at least not outwardly, but on the inside, I was a mess.

My first instinct had been to run straight to Electra and tell her what I'd overheard, but now? Now that I knew Deena was the one plotting against her? There was no way I was saying anything. No way at all.

Electra would never believe me, and honestly, I wouldn't blame her because why should she? Deena was her friend, someone she'd known for far longer than she'd known me, and she'd probably think I was crazy if I walked up to her and told her that her own friend was trying to kill her.

Even if I could somehow convince Electra to listen, what then? What if Electra confronted Deena? What if Deena found out it was me who had exposed her? What would I do then?

I shuddered at the thought. I hadn't noticed before since I didn't pay any attention to Electra's friends, but after today, I could conclude that Deena seemed even more dangerous—dangerous in a way that even Electra, with all her intimidation and cruelty, wasn't.

If Deena ever suspected me of ratting her out, I knew she wouldn't hesitate to come after me, and I wasn't ready to gamble my life for someone who probably wouldn't believe me in the first place.

No. I decided then and there that I wouldn't say a word to Electra. My conscience screamed at me to tell her, but I pushed the guilt aside as quickly as I could because, at the end of the day, my life was precious to me, more precious than Electra's life could ever be.

Search the lightnovelworld.cc website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.