Electra’s POV

I watched as Seraphina sat on my bed, her head resting against the headboard, her arms limp at her sides, and an unmistakable dejected look in her eyes. She had barely said a word since she arrived, just sitting there, staring at the ceiling, lost in thought.

I sighed, already growing restless from the silence. “Did you come all the way here just to sulk?” I asked, folding my arms. “You look like you’re in mourning.”

Seraphina turned her head slightly to glare at me, unimpressed, but her expression didn’t hold the usual bite. Her voice came out soft, almost shaky. “Of course, I’m in mourning,” she said. “I’m mourning the death of my first ever friendship—the first person my age who ever spoke to me with a smile.”

Her voice cracked slightly at the end, and I immediately knew she was close to tears.

I pushed off the couch, walking over to the bed and sitting beside her. I let a moment pass before I asked, “How did the conversation with Yuna go?”

She let out a dry, humorless laugh. “Terribly,” she muttered. “She hates me.”

I didn’t respond, waiting for her to continue.

“Because of what you did to Yura and getting her suspended, she doesn’t want to be friends with me anymore,” she said, her voice tight. “She told me that if I planned on staying around you, then there was nothing left between us.”

I tilted my head slightly, processing her words. I wasn’t surprised. Yuna had every reason to hate me, and honestly, I didn’t give a damn about how she felt, but I did care about how Seraphina felt, and right now, she looked like she had been gutted.

“So,” I said carefully, my voice devoid of emotion. “She gave you an ultimatum?”

Seraphina hesitated before nodding.

“And?”

She exhaled sharply, running her hands through her hair. “And what?” she snapped, irritation flickering through her grief. “You already know what I chose. I’m here, aren’t I?”

I smirked slightly at her response, but I could tell she didn’t mean for it to sound like a confession.

I leaned back against the headboard beside her, our shoulders brushing. “So, you chose me over her,” I mused, glancing at her from the corner of my eye.

Seraphina huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. “I didn’t choose anyone. I just…” She trailed off, shaking her head before looking down at her lap. “I couldn’t just abandon you, okay? Not after everything, and not when you need me.”

My smirk faltered slightly. I had expected her to pick me—I never doubted that, but hearing her say it still did something to me.

She sighed again before continuing, “I don’t blame Yuna for how she feels. You did almost drown her twin sister to death, and you, being who you are, got her suspended. She has every reason to hate me for still choosing to be with you despite everything you did to her.”

I rolled my eyes. “I could’ve killed her, you know.”

Seraphina turned to give me a horrified look.

I shrugged. “I’m serious. I could’ve killed her, but I didn’t. That was me not taking it too far, and being nice. She should be thankful.”

Seraphina groaned, rubbing her temples. “Why are you like this?”

I let out a small chuckle, watching as her tense expression finally softened. She was still upset, her fingers nervously fidgeting with the hem of her sleeve, but at least she wasn’t on the verge of breaking down anymore.

I was about to say something—maybe another teasing remark to distract her, maybe something that would make her laugh—but before I could, an awful, familiar pressure built up in my chest.

The pressure came so fast and strong, like something was clawing at my ribs from the inside. My throat tightened, and I clenched my jaw, my nails digging into my palm as I tried to suppress the cough. Not now.

Not in front of Seraphina.

But the burning in my lungs only grew stronger. My vision wavered for a split second, dark spots dotting the corners of my eyes. I knew what was coming. These days, I never coughed without blood coming up with it, and the last thing I needed was for Seraphina to see that.

I forced myself to breathe through my nose, trying to will it away. Just a little longer. Just don’t cough, but my body betrayed me. The cough pushed its way up my throat, sharp and violent.

I shot up from the bed, staggering slightly. Bathroom. Get to the bathroom before she sees—

Too late.

The moment I coughed, I felt the warmth of liquid spilling into my palm. My stomach twisted. Shit.

Seraphina’s eyes widened in horror as she saw the blood dripping through my fingers.

“Electra?” Her voice wavered, filled with alarm.

I didn’t respond. I couldn’t. Another violent cough wracked my body, and I barely managed to keep my balance as I forced myself toward the bathroom.

“Electra, what’s going on?!”

I ignored her.

I slammed the bathroom door shut behind me, twisting the lock with shaky fingers. My body convulsed again, another painful hack tearing through my chest, sending more blood splattering into the sink.

“Electra!” Seraphina’s frantic knocking started immediately. “Open the damn door!”

I gripped the edges of the sink, trying to steady myself. My reflection stared back at me in the mirror—my lips stained with red, my usually sharp blue eyes duller than I’d ever seen them.

“Electra!” Seraphina banged on the door harder. “Open this door right now!”

I clenched my teeth, forcing myself to swallow down the next cough. My entire body ached, my lungs screaming for relief. I turned on the faucet, watching the water swirl pink as I washed the blood off my hands and lips.

“Electra, I swear to god—if you don’t open this door, I’m breaking it down!”

I let out a ragged breath. Of course, she wasn’t going to let this go.

“I’m fine, Seraphina,” I said, but my voice came out weaker than I wanted.

“Bullshit!” she snapped. “You just coughed up blood in front of me, and you expect me to believe you’re fine?!”

I sighed, leaning heavily against the sink. There was no point in lying now. She had already seen it.

After a long moment, I turned and unlocked the door. The second it clicked open, Seraphina pushed her way in, her eyes darting over me, searching for more signs of something being wrong. Her gaze landed on the sink, where faint streaks of red still swirled in the water.

Her expression darkened. “How long has this been happening?” she demanded.

I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand before meeting her gaze. “It’s nothing to worry about.”

Seraphina’s jaw clenched. “Electra.”

I hesitated before sighing. “It started a while ago. The first time was in Valternor.”

Her eyes widened. “You’ve been coughing up blood since then?”

“I thought it was just a dry cough at first,” I admitted. “Nothing serious, but it keeps happening, and… well, now you know.”

Seraphina’s hands balled into fists. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because I knew you’d react exactly like this,” I muttered, avoiding her gaze.

She let out an incredulous laugh, shaking her head. “Of course I’m reacting like this! Electra, this isn’t normal!”

“I already know,” I said quietly.

That made her pause.

I leaned back against the sink, crossing my arms. “I know something’s wrong.”

Her expression wavered, the frustration flickering into something softer—something dangerously close to fear. “So why haven’t you done anything about it? Maybe try going to a hospital to get checked?”

I exhaled, running a hand through my hair. “There isn’t a single doctor in Elmeria who would keep their mouth shut about the Crown Princess coughing up blood, and if my father or the Council finds out, they’ll see it as another reason to replace me.”

Seraphina bit her lip, clearly torn.

“And even if I did see a doctor,” I continued, “what could they even do? We both already know that this isn’t some normal illness, Seraphina. This isn’t something a doctor can fix.”

She swallowed hard. “You don’t know that.”

I let out a dry chuckle. “I have a feeling.”

A heavy silence settled between us.

Seraphina looked like she wanted to argue, to fight me on this, but at the same time, she looked scared, and if there was one thing I hated seeing, it was Seraphina looking scared for me.

I sighed, pushing off the sink. “Look, let’s just forget about it for now, alright?”

Seraphina shot me a glare. “Forget about it? Are you insane?!”

“No, I just don’t want to waste what little time I have left worrying about something I can’t control,” I said bluntly.

Seraphina flinched, and I realized too late what I had just said.

Her lips parted slightly, like she was about to say something—something I wasn’t ready to hear.

So before she could, I forced a smirk and reached out, tilting her chin up so she was looking directly at me. “Don’t give me that look, Sera,” I murmured. “I’m not dying tomorrow.”

Her eyes searched mine, uncertain, before she let out a frustrated sigh. “Have a good night, Electra.”

And with that, she turned, and walked out of the room without looking back.

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