Electra’s POV

I stood in front of the bathroom mirror, my fingers gripping the edge of the sink as I stared at the bright red streaks of blood smeared across my palm.

This was the second time.

The first time had been in Valternor, after my little confrontation with Hunter. Back then, I’d thought it was just a dry cough—something insignificant, maybe from the heat surging through my body after almost setting my dear uncle on fire. I hadn’t given it much thought. Hadn’t wanted to.

But now?

Now I wasn’t so sure.

I let out a sharp breath, turning on the faucet and watching as the cold water rushed over my bloodstained hand. The crimson color swirled down the drain, disappearing like it had never existed.

If only it were that easy.

I glanced up at my reflection. My blue eyes—still mine—stared back at me, but for the first time, I noticed how slightly sunken they looked, how the dark circles beneath them had deepened. I looked… exhausted.

Maybe I was.

But exhaustion was a luxury I couldn’t afford.

Not when the council was still watching my every move, waiting for me to slip. Not when my mother was lurking in the background, already pushing Hunter forward like he was some sort of grand prize. And certainly not when Seraphina—who had, in some way, become the one person who truly saw me—was expecting me to be fine.

I couldn’t be weak.

Weakness wasn’t an option.

I exhaled again, this time slower, and cupped my hands beneath the running water, splashing it onto my face. The cold shocked my skin, grounding me, helping me push away the lingering thoughts of sickness, of death, of the voice that had taunted me about my existence being a mistake.

I wasn’t going to die.

Not yet.

Not as long as I had a say in it.

Straightening, I grabbed a towel, dabbing at my damp face, making sure there was no lingering trace of anything abnormal. If someone saw me like this—saw any hint of weakness—they’d ask questions. And questions led to suspicions, which led to vulnerabilities, and I had no intention of giving anyone the satisfaction of seeing me vulnerable.

I tossed the towel aside and ran a hand through my hair. My body still felt off—like something was stirring under my skin, something I couldn’t quite name—but I ignored it.

I had spent my entire life ignoring things.

What was one more?

Deciding that I looked presentable enough, I stepped out of the bathroom and into my dorm room. The sun was already beginning to set outside, but I didn’t feel like staying in. I needed to get out, distract myself, do something that would remind me I was still alive, still in control.

Before I could overthink it, I grabbed my jacket and headed for the door.

I’d find something—anything—to take my mind off this, and if I had to, I’d force myself to forget.

Slipping out of my room, I moved through the hallways of Elysium with ease, thankful that I wasn’t running into anyone as I left. The place was unusually quiet, and empty, but I couldn’t care less since it made sneaking out easier.

I wasn’t in the mood to be around people. I wasn’t in the mood for anything, really.

Reaching the back gate, I pushed it open just enough to slip through. This specific exit was one of Elysium’s best-kept secrets, a passage known only to those who dared to bend the rules, and only very few people knew about it, so I wasn’t expecting to see anyone.

Which is why the sudden movement near the gate caught my attention immediately.

I froze, my body going tense, my eyes narrowing as I peered through the small opening. There, standing just outside the school grounds, was Deena.

What the hell?

She was fidgeting, glancing around like she was waiting for someone. Her phone was pressed against her ear, her voice too low for me to make out what she was saying. The nervous way she kept shifting on her feet told me that whatever this was, it wasn’t just some casual meetup.

I considered confronting her right then and there. I had more than enough reason to demand answers from her, especially after what I’d learned. I could ask her where she was going

I had barely spoken to her ever since I realized that she was no longer my friend, and now, here she was here, sneaking out of school, and looking guilty as hell.

I stayed where I was, watching.

Then, just as I was debating whether to make a move, a black car pulled up in front of her. On instinct, my eyes immediately went to the plate number, and that’s when I recognized it.

That’s a palace car.

I inhaled sharply, gripping the edge of the gate, my mind racing.

Why would Deena be getting into a palace car?

The driver didn’t step out. Deena, without hesitation, walked up to the car, opened the back door, and slipped inside.

I caught a glimpse of the silhouette of someone sitting in the backseat, but the car’s tinted windows made it impossible to see who it was.

Who the hell is she meeting?

As far as I was concerned, I was supposed to be Deena’s only connection to the royal family, and yet, here she was, climbing into a car that very clearly belonged to someone from the palace.

I took a slow breath, forcing myself to think logically.

If I confronted her now, I’d get nothing. Deena and whoever she was with would lie. She’d play innocent, act as if this was nothing unusual, but if I waited—if I followed—maybe I’d get answers.

My fingers twitched with the urge to act. I wasn’t the patient type, but something about this felt… different. Important.

And so, instead of stepping out and making my presence known, I stepped back into the shadows, keeping my eyes locked on the car as it pulled away from the curb.

I watched as the palace car disappeared into the distance, my fingers tightening inside my jacket as I processed what I had just seen.

Not bothering to waste time, I pulled out my phone from my jacket, quickly scrolled to Irina’s contact and pressed the call button. It barely rang twice before she picked up.

“Where are you?” I asked without preamble.

Irina hummed lazily, sounding half-bored. “In my room. Where else?”

“Good,” I muttered. “I’m on my way.”

I didn’t wait for a response before ending the call.

Turning on my heel, I headed back into school, my mind already racing with the implications of what I had just witnessed.

By the time I reached Irina and Roxana’s dorm room, I didn’t bother knocking lightly. I rapped my knuckles against the door, and within seconds, Roxana pulled it open.

She raised an eyebrow at me, her usual smirk playing on her lips. “Look what the cat dragged in. When did you get back from Valternor?”

I brushed past her into the room. “Earlier.”

“And you didn’t think to tell us?”

“It skipped my mind.”

Roxana scoffed, shutting the door behind me as I made my way further inside.

Irina was by the window, lazily vaping as she turned her head toward me. She studied me for a moment, her eyes narrowing slightly. “Something happened, didn’t it? Was the meeting with your uncle that bad?”

I exhaled sharply. “We’ll talk about Valternor later,” I said, not wanting to get into the disaster that was my meeting with Hunter right now. “Right now, there’s something more important.”

Irina tilted her head, clearly intrigued. “Go on.”

I crossed my arms. “I just saw Deena sneaking out.”

The room fell silent for a moment. Irina removed the vape from her lips, her brows furrowing.

Roxana, sitting on the edge of her bed, crossed one leg over the other. “And?”

“She was picked up by a car. A palace car.”

That got their attention.

Roxana sat up straighter. “A palace car?”

I nodded. “I recognized the plate. It was definitely from the palace. Meaning that like we suspected, someone from the palace is meeting with her, and probably instructing her.”

Irina let out an exasperated sigh, running a hand through her dark hair. “Tell me it’s finally time to confront that stupid bitch. If it’s not, then you really shouldn’t have told me this.”

I looked her straight in the eye. “It’s time.”

A slow grin spread across Irina’s face, and Roxana cracked her knuckles, clearly satisfied with the decision.

“What’s the plan?” Roxana asked, already sounding eager.

I turned toward Irina. “You and Roxana wait until she gets back, and then you’ll lure her to the usual place tonight.”

Roxana grinned. “The usual place” was an abandoned classroom in one of the older buildings of Elysium. It was just another one of the many place where we handled… private matters.

Irina smirked, exhaling a puff of smoke. “This is going to be fun.”

But for me, this wasn’t just about fun.

It was about finding out, or rather, confirming who Deena was working for, and making sure she knew what happened when people thought they could play in my face.

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