Chapter 307: An unexpected summon

Seraphina’s POV

I was tired. Not in the I-need-a-nap kind of way, but in the I-might-scream-if-I-hear-one-more-giggle-from-Liana kind of way.

For the past three days, I have been trying to study. Just study, but apparently, that was a radical thing to do in a shared dorm room.

Liana had been parading around in loud shoes and laughing like the world owed her attention, and Jolene had somehow managed to turn her side of the room into what looked like a makeup testing lab, with foundation everywhere, lipsticks uncapped, and perfume so strong it made my head spin.

I had lasted until now, but when Jolene decided to start practicing dance steps in the middle of the room, music blasting and all, I gave up.

So here I was, dragging my bag behind me, my boots scuffing the stone hallway, and my mind already drifting to the quiet corner on the second floor of the library. The part of the library where no one ever went because it was cold and smelled slightly of dust, just the way I liked it.

I hadn’t seen Electra all day, which wasn’t surprising. The Revernyn tournament was creeping up fast, and Electra had gone full combat mode. Between enchanted archery drills, swordsmanship practice, and her random bursts of shouting at Irina for pushing her too hard, I figured she had enough on her plate.

I didn’t want to bother her with something as simple as “Hey, I’m losing my mind because of my roommates.” She would’ve probably offered to help in some dramatic way, and honestly, I just needed a little peace, not an explosion.

I reached the library entrance and was about to push one open when I got that weird prickly feeling on the back of my neck. You know, the kind that makes you feel like someone’s watching you.

I paused and glanced sideways, but nobody was there. Shrugging it off, I reached for the door.

Then I heard it.

“Seraphina Hook.”

My entire name. Spoken clearly, not shouted, but not casual either. I froze and slowly turned around, and that’s when I saw her.

She wasn’t a student; that much was obvious, and she stood out like a torch in the dark hallway. Tall, broad-shouldered, and dressed like a guard. She was… different and definitely not someone who belonged in a school like Elysium.

My fingers tightened around the strap of my bag as I took a small step back.

“Who are you?” I asked, trying to keep my voice calm even though my heart had started beating faster.

The woman didn’t blink. “Someone wishes to speak with you,” she said.

I blinked. “Okay… who exactly?”

“That is not for me to say,” she replied, her tone clipped and professional. “But I have been sent to bring you to her, so I suggest you come with me.”

Everything about her—her clothes, her voice, the way she stood—made it clear she wasn’t here for games.

Still, I wasn’t stupid. “And if I don’t?” I asked slowly.

The woman’s expression didn’t change. “You will, but if you need me to convince you, I can.”

Charming.

I bit my lip and looked around, half expecting someone to step out from behind the corner and say, “Gotcha!” But no one did.

“I’m in the middle of something,” I said, motioning to the library door behind me. “I have tests and studying. You know, the kind of thing that goes on in a school.”

“You’ll be returned before curfew,” she said simply, like that was supposed to make me feel better.

I hesitated, my thoughts racing. I could scream, or I could run, but somehow, I got the feeling she’d be faster. Probably stronger too.

I took a deep breath and squared my shoulders.

“Fine,” I said, shifting my bag to the other shoulder. “Lead the way.”

The woman nodded once and turned without another word.

I followed her, trying not to look as nervous as I felt. As we walked deeper into the less-used part of the building, the hallways started to get darker and colder, and I didn’t even know this part of the school existed.

“Where are we going?” I finally asked.

“Somewhere private.”

That was not helpful.

We turned down another corridor and descended a flight of narrow stone steps that I was pretty sure weren’t meant for students. The air got heavier as we moved, and for a second, I wondered if I’d made a horrible mistake following her.

We had been walking for what felt like hours, even though I knew it wasn’t more than ten minutes, and then finally, she stopped.

I halted just behind her as she raised her hand and knocked on the door in front of us. L

“I’ve brought the girl, Your Majesty,” she said, and my heart immediately dropped to my stomach.

Your Majesty? I froze, and a hundred thoughts came rushing through me all at once.

The King of Aldoria?

Was that who had summoned me here? Was there some message from my homeland I hadn’t been told about? Had something happened? But then I remembered she had said ’her’ earlier. So not a king, and maybe a queen.

The door creaked slightly, and then a voice came from inside the room.

“Bring her in.”

It was a woman’s voice, as I expected, and the bodyguard-like woman turned to me, her eyes still unreadable. “Go in,” she said. “And make sure you speak accordingly.”

My hands clenched tighter around the straps of my bag, my palms were damp, and my mind was still racing. I nodded once, swallowing whatever fear was clawing at my throat, and stepped through the door. And there she was.

Queen Jella.

She was sitting in one of the chairs, dressed in a crimson dress. Her posture was perfect, her chin slightly raised, and her hands resting on the armrests like she had no doubt about the power she carried. She looked exactly like the pictures on the internet, only more terrifying in person.

My breath caught in my throat, and I bowed quickly. “Your Majesty.”

“You may rise,” she said, her voice surprisingly calm.

I straightened but kept my gaze just below hers. I didn’t know what she wanted from me, and being alone in a room with someone like Queen Jella? It didn’t exactly fill me with comfort.

“Come sit,” she said, gesturing to the chair across from hers.

I obeyed, quietly making my way to the seat and lowering myself into it, still gripping my bag like it was the only thing anchoring me.

She studied me for a moment, not speaking and just… watching. Her gaze felt sharp, like it could see past my skin, past my words, and straight into the thoughts I hadn’t spoken aloud.

“I imagine you’re wondering why I called you here,” she finally said.

“Yes, Your Majesty,” I replied, keeping my voice steady.

She nodded slowly. “You’re one of Electra’s… companions, aren’t you?”

I didn’t miss the pause before the word “companions.” The way she said it—it was polite on the surface, but just underneath it, there was something colder and dismissive.

“Yes,” I said quietly. “I’m her friend.”

She chuckled at my response, and it wasn’t a warm laugh. It was dry, laced with something cold. Her lips curled upward, but her eyes, those eyes, looked like they could slice me in half.

“Do you think I’m an idiot, Seraphina?” She asked, her tone light, but her gaze sharp.

My stomach twisted. I didn’t know what she meant, but the way she said my name made me feel like I was already guilty of something. So I tried to play dumb.

“I’m sorry, Your Majesty,” I said quickly. “I… I don’t understand what you mean. I would never think that of you.”

She didn’t look impressed. In fact, she rolled her eyes like she’d heard a thousand lies before this one and was bored of them all.

“To your people,” she started, slowly standing from her chair and walking around the room like a lion circling prey, “you’re just the daughter of a dead general. A girl who got lucky enough to catch the interest of Aldoria’s king because of his relationship with your father. You’re engaged to Crown Prince Darius, aren’t you?”

I nodded, even though my palms were starting to sweat.

“Yes, that’s right. I’m currently engaged to him.”

Something about admitting it aloud made it feel strange, like the words carried more weight now than they ever had before. I didn’t like where this conversation was going, but my instincts screamed at me to be careful.

Queen Jella paused near the window, her fingers lightly touching the edge of the curtain before she turned back to me with a small smile.

“Then tell me,” she said smoothly, “how do you think the King of Aldoria would react if he found out that his precious daughter-in-law was a lesbian who was sleeping with another kingdom’s princess? Don’t you think it’d be interesting to find out how your kingdom would react to such a scandal?”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep