Seraphina’s POV

I jolted awake the moment Electra’s phone rang, breaking through the peace and quiet in the room. Still groggy, I barely had time to register what was happening before Electra, with a low growl, snatched the phone from the nightstand and answered it.

She didn’t say much—just a few clipped responses, her voice still husky with sleep, but as I lay there, listening to the one-sided conversation, my brain slowly started to catch up with what was going on.

By the time she ended the call and tossed her phone back on the bed, I was fully awake. “Who was that?” I asked, rubbing my eyes before turning to face her.

Electra sighed, stretching lazily. “My bodyguard ,” she muttered, running a hand through her messy hair. “Reminding me about our flight to Valternor.”

My brows furrowed instantly. “Our flight?” I repeated, confused. “Why are you going to Valternor? And why am I just now hearing about this?”

Electra tilted her head, looking almost amused at my irritation. “Relax, Sera,” she said, her voice still groggy but teasing. “I wasn’t planning on dragging you along. You can stay here if you want.”

That didn’t answer my question. “Why are you going in the first place?” I pressed. “Is something important happening there?”

She shook her head, sitting up against the headboard. “Not really. But someone important is there.”

My frown deepened. “Who?”

Electra clapped her hands together dramatically, as if just remembering that she had forgotten to tell me something major. “Oh, right. I haven’t mentioned that yet, have I?” she mused. “Well, remember Hunter Vale? The one who existed in that alternate reality where we switched lives and he was your brother?”

I tensed at the mention of the name, immediately recalling the Hunter Vale from that nightmare of a world. “Yeah,” I said cautiously. “What about him?”

Electra smirked, but there was something dark in her expression. “Well, he exists here too,” she said, voice deceptively light. “Except this time, he’s not my brother—he’s my uncle. And, according to my darling mother and the council of Elmeria, he’s their new favorite person. They want to make him king in my place.”

I stared at her, my mind racing to process what she had just said. “Wait, what?” I sat up straighter. “So, you’re telling me that your uncle—who you didn’t even know existed until recently—is suddenly in line to take your throne?”

“Exactly,” Electra drawled, stretching her arms above her head before letting them drop lazily onto the bed. “And I intend to pay him a little visit.”

I crossed my arms. “That sounds… dangerous.”

Electra scoffed. “Please. I am danger.”

I rolled my eyes at her theatrics but didn’t drop the subject. “Electra, be serious. This guy just showed up out of nowhere, and now the council is backing him? That doesn’t seem suspicious to you?”

“Of course it does,” she said, her smirk fading into something more serious. “That’s why I need to see him for myself. Find out what kind of man he is. If he’s a weak little pawn being used by my mother and the council, then I’ll deal with him accordingly.”

I didn’t like the sound of that. “And by ‘deal with him accordingly,’ you mean…?”

Electra gave me a pointed look. “That depends entirely on him.”

I sighed, already feeling a headache forming. “Electra, you can’t just waltz into Valternor and expect him to what? Confess to some evil plot? What if he’s actually strong enough to take the throne? What if he wants to take it from you?”

Electra’s golden eyes darkened slightly. “Then I’ll make sure he doesn’t.”

Her voice was quiet, but there was an edge to it—something dangerous as if there was something else she had in mind that wasn’t very pleasant. I knew better than to push her when she was like this, but I also knew I couldn’t just let her go into this blind.

I exhaled, trying to steady my thoughts. “I don’t trust this, Electra.”

“You don’t trust anything,” she pointed out.

“That’s because things keep happening to us! To you!” I snapped, frustrated. “Dreams. Visions. That thing messing with our heads, and now, suddenly, your long-lost uncle is appearing out of nowhere, and everyone’s acting like he’s the perfect replacement for you? This isn’t normal. You could be walking into a dangerous situation.”

Electra’s smirk returned, but it was forced. “First things first, nothing about me is normal, Sera. That’s the whole point, and my life is already in danger even if I just sit back and do nothing, so how about I do something crazy for once?”

I crossed my arms over my chest, narrowing my eyes at Electra as she smirked at me. “Since when have you ever not done something crazy?” I shot back. “You flew all the way to Aldoria just to mess with my engagement party and reconcile with me. If that’s not crazy, I don’t know what is.”

Electra chuckled, completely unfazed. “Fair point,” she admitted, her eyes gleaming with amusement. “But, to be fair, I’d say you were worth the trip.”

I rolled my eyes, but before I could respond, Electra pulled me into a hug. Her body was warm against mine, and for a second, I let myself relax into it, inhaling the faint scent of something uniquely her.

She rested her chin lightly on my shoulder and murmured, “I get why you’re worried, Sera, but trust me, I’m not dying yet. And Hunter? He’s not a threat to me. His position as a prince isn’t even secure, let alone as heir to the throne. He won’t be able to do anything to me.”

I sighed, my hands gripping the fabric of her shirt lightly before I pulled away, just enough to meet her eyes. “You say that now,” I muttered, “but you’re also the same person who didn’t think she’d wake up at her own damn memorial, and yet, that happened. You don’t know him enough to predict anything about him, Electra. Don’t be a know-it-all.”

Electra’s jaw tensed slightly at my words, but she didn’t argue. She knew I had a point.

I exhaled sharply, pulling out of the hug and putting some distance between us. “Book a flight for me too,” I said, my voice leaving no room for argument.

Electra’s brows shot up in surprise. “Sera—”

“I mean it,” I cut her off. “I’m coming with you to Valternor, and you can’t say no, even if you want to.”

Electra stared at me, her lips parting as if she wanted to argue. I could see the protest forming in her mind—that infuriating I-don’t-need-anyone’s-help mentality of hers, but I wasn’t about to back down.

Her eyes searched mine, scanning my face, and for a moment, neither of us spoke. It was a silent battle of wills, but I knew I had won when her lips curled into a lopsided smirk, her shoulders relaxing just slightly.

“Alright fine,” she muttered. “You can tag along, but whatever I do, don’t try to stop me, okay?”

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