Elysium: Desired by the Cold-hearted Princess [GL]-Chapter 53: The permanent target

Third-person Pov

Electra watched as Seraphina's wide eyes glistened with tears, her lips trembling as she struggled to process what she had just said to her. The sight stirred something exhilarating in Electra—a feeling of power reclaiming its rightful place.

Seraphina's fear was evident, so evident, and it made Electra's blood hum with satisfaction. She felt herself smiling, a wicked twist of her lips, before she consciously wiped it away, schooling her expression into something more neutral. The last thing she needed was to appear too eager or amused.

This moment was crucial—she had to reassert control after the humiliating episode of Seraphina slapping her. The mere memory of that incident sent anger coursing through her, and that lone tear that had escaped her eyes in front of her friends had been a low point, but she had convinced herself it wasn't weakness.

It had been rage, pure and unfiltered, at Seraphina's audacity, and now, with Seraphina trembling in front of her, Electra felt that balance of power shift back in her favor.

Letting her voice soften into a mockingly sweet tone, she addressed Seraphina. "Wipe that look of your face, Sera dear. You look like you saw a ghost and not an arrow," she said, gesturing casually to the arrow embedded in the target behind her. "Take a deep breath, and stop looking so scared. I'm not going to hurt you just yet, because if I wanted to, I would've aimed for something a little less... missable."

Seraphina flinched at the words, her fingers brushing against her cheek where the arrow had grazed her skin. Electra's sharp eyes didn't miss the small streak of blood there, and she had to resist the urge to smirk. Seeing Seraphina like this—scared and vulnerable—was far too intoxicating.

"You know, besides wanting to mess with you," she began, her tone deceptively casual, "you really need to understand what it feels like to have an arrow fly past your face. That's enchanted archery for you."

Seraphina's eyes widened, her lips parting in shock. Electra fought the urge to laugh at how horrified she looked. Instead, she crossed her arms and tilted her head, savoring the moment.

"Wh-what do you mean?" Seraphina stammered, her voice barely audible.

Electra sighed. "Well, this is what enchanted archery is all about, Seraphina. It's not just about aiming at a target or pulling a string. It's about instincts, survival, and control."

She stepped closer, and Seraphina instinctively took a step back. Electra resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

"You think the game is just about shooting arrows at targets?" Electra continued, her tone almost bored. "Let me enlighten you. During a match, players don't just stand still and fire. The targets move, sometimes aggressively, and they're enchanted—imbued with spells that make them unpredictable, dangerous even."

Seraphina's eyes darted toward the target behind her, as if expecting it to suddenly spring to life. Electra smirked.

"And that's not all," Electra added. "During a high-stakes tournament like the Revernyn, the players themselves become part of the challenge. Spells are allowed to manipulate the field, arrows might explode, and the targets might retaliate. And your opponents?"

She gave a sardonic chuckle. "Let's just say they don't play nice. Arrows flying past your face? That's the least of your worries." fɾeewebnoveℓ.co๓

Seraphina's face drained of color, and for a fleeting moment, Electra wondered if she might faint, but instead, the girl just stood there, frozen, her mouth slightly agape. Electra was tempted to reach out and snap her fingers in front of Seraphina's face, but she decided against it.

"But why…" Seraphina finally managed to croak out, her voice cracking slightly. "Why would you put me on this team if I don't even know how to handle a bow?"

Electra faked a thoughtful expression, tapping her chin with a perfectly manicured finger. "Why, indeed?" she mused.

Then, with a sly smile, she leaned in closer, her voice dropping to a whisper that only Seraphina could hear. "Maybe I wanted to see how you'd fare under pressure, or maybe I just wanted to watch you squirm."

The way Seraphina's breath hitched was almost too delightful, and Electra straightened, brushing imaginary dust off her red uniform, the one that set her apart as the team captain and a member of the royal family.

"Now," Electra said, her voice returning to its usual commanding tone, "get back to your place. We're not done here."

Seraphina hesitated, her gaze flickering between Electra and the target. Electra raised an eyebrow, daring her to disobey, and for a moment, she thought Seraphina might actually say something—push back, maybe even run away.

But then, with a resigned sigh, Seraphina turned and moved back to the front of the target, her shoulders slumped.

Electra walked back to where her friends were, and when her gaze met Irina's, she gave her a subtle nod of instruction. Irina, catching the cue immediately, walked toward Seraphina.

Seraphina hadn't stopped trembling as Electra's words replayed in her mind on a loop: "I'm going to make your life so miserable; you'll have nightmares about me for the rest of your life."

The thought alone was paralyzing.

As Irina approached, Seraphina instinctively backed up a step, her fear intensifying. Irina didn't speak a word; her expression of pure disdain was enough to convey her thoughts.

Without ceremony, Irina held up a strange, circular object and forced it on Seraphina's head. Seraphina flinched but didn't dare resist as Irina adjusted the object to sit securely. It felt like a small, flat disk, balanced carefully on her head.

"Keep your head still," Irina snapped before turning sharply and retreating to Electra's side.

Seraphina's breath hitched as she stared at the disk's shadow on the ground, and panic bubbled in her chest as she pieced together what was happening. Her legs felt weak, her knees trembling as she glanced toward Electra.

Electra had already nocked an arrow and was aiming it straight at her, and the realization hit Seraphina like a brick—Electra was about to shoot at the disk balanced on her head.

"Electra…" Seraphina's voice came out shaky but loud enough to get Electra to hear her. "What are you doing?"

Electra's sly grin widened as she drew the bowstring back, her sharp eyes locking on the target. She didn't answer immediately, savoring the moment. Then, her voice rang out, "Focus, little Seraphina. You wouldn't want me to miss."

The casual threat sent a shiver down Seraphina's spine. Her breathing quickened, and she clenched her fists at her sides, trying to steady herself. Her legs were screaming at her to move, to run, but fear rooted her to the spot.

She squeezed her eyes shut, bracing herself for the inevitable.

Electra released the arrow.

The sound of it slicing through the air was deafening, and then—thunk.

Seraphina felt the force of the arrow vibrate through her body as if it had landed directly on her. Her knees buckled slightly, but she managed to stay upright, her breaths now coming in short, panicked gasps. Her heart pounded so violently against her ribcage that it felt as if it might burst.

Electra lowered her bow, her grin widening as she observed the fear in Seraphina's eyes. "Perfect shot," she said smugly.

Irina clapped slowly, a smirk tugging at her lips, while Roxana and Penelope exchanged amused glances.

They started to talk audibly, but Seraphina didn't hear them. The world around her was spinning, her vision narrowing into a tunnel of confusion and fear. She felt faint, the adrenaline surging through her veins doing little to calm her.

This is too much. I can't do this. I don't belong here with these psychopaths.

Another wave of nausea hit her, and her legs gave way. The ground rushed up to meet her as her knees buckled completely, and before anyone could react, she collapsed in a heap on the field. The last thing she registered before everything went dark was Electra's amused chuckle ringing in her ears, mingled with the distant sound of her friends' laughter.