Elysium: Desired by the Cold-hearted Princess [GL]-Chapter 361: Fall Out

Third-person POV

The door to Electra’s room had barely clicked shut behind them when Roxana stopped walking. She turned on her heel so sharply that her boots scraped against the dormitory floor. Her arms crossed over her chest, her jaw tight, eyes blazing with disbelief.

"I cannot believe that just happened," she hissed. "I actually cannot believe she just said we were overwhelming her."

Irina slowed to a stop a few steps ahead, already rubbing her temples like she’d expected this. Penelope halted too, her expression cautious, while Seraphina lingered slightly behind them, awkward and unsure of where she was supposed to stand.

"We were trying to help," Roxana continued, her voice rising despite her obvious effort to keep it down. "All of us, and she just..." She scoffed. "She basically kicked us out of her room like we were inconveniences."

"She didn’t kick us out," Irina said calmly, turning around to face her. "She asked for space because she feels a bit rushed, which is understandable."

"Oh, please," Roxana snapped. "We’re saying the same thing, but yours is just dressed up nicer."

Irina let out a tired sigh. "Roxana, calm down. You don’t have to be so snappy about it."

The word seemed to hit like a spark to dry tinder. Roxana’s eyes narrowed. "Did you just call me snappy?"

Irina blinked once. "Yes, and that’s because you are."

Penelope’s head snapped up. "Okay," she said quickly, stepping forward. "Let’s all take a breath. This is not the time for this."

Seraphina shifted uncomfortably, watching the exchange with wide eyes. She opened her mouth slightly, as if she might say something, then closed it again. She reminded herself that no matter how friendly Irina, Penelope, and Roxana were being toward her lately, they were still her seniors, and they were still best friends, meaning this wasn’t her place.

Irina, however, didn’t seem interested in letting the tension go.

She folded her arms, mirroring Roxana’s posture, her expression sharpening. "Do you have something you want to say?" she asked. "Because you’ve been on edge for days now, and I don’t think this is just about Electra asking for space."

Roxana laughed sharply. "Oh, so now you’re analyzing me?"

"I’m being honest," Irina replied. "You’re always blunt, always sharp, but lately you’ve been outright hostile, and yes," she added coolly, "you’re being a bitch."

That did it.

Roxana stepped forward, her shoulders tense and her fists clenched at her sides. "Say that again."

Penelope moved instantly, placing herself between them before either of them could close the distance. She pressed a hand against Roxana’s chest, firm but not aggressive, and glanced back at Irina with a warning look. 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

"No," Penelope said. "Absolutely not. If you two want to rip each other apart, you can do it somewhere else. This hallway is not the place to embarrass yourselves."

A few doors down, someone shifted inside their room, and that was when they realized that the dormitory wasn’t as empty as it had seemed.

Roxana scoffed, shaking her head, anger still radiating off her in waves. "Embarrassing?" she repeated. "What’s embarrassing is pretending none of this is ridiculous."

She looked directly at Irina now, her eyes sharp. "Just because you’re a dog who’s willing to serve Electra for the rest of your life doesn’t mean I have to follow in your footsteps."

The words landed heavy.

Irina stiffened, her face draining of color before flushing red. "That’s not fair," she said tightly.

Roxana didn’t seem to care. "Isn’t it?" she shot back. "You’ve been orbiting her since we first met. Following every order, every rule, every sacrifice, and doing anything for Electra even if it’s at your detriment. Even now, when she doesn’t remember you, doesn’t know you, and doesn’t even feel anything for you."

Penelope winced, and Seraphina sucked in a quiet breath.

Irina’s voice dropped. "I do it because we have to. She’s our friend."

Roxana laughed again, but this time it sounded bitter. "No. You do it because you don’t know how not to."

For a moment, it looked like Irina might actually shove her past Penelope. Her hands flexed at her sides, her jaw set hard.

Penelope pressed her palm more firmly against Roxana’s chest. "Enough," she said. "Roxana, stop."

Roxana stared at Irina for a long second, then clicked her tongue in frustration. "Whatever," she muttered.

She turned away sharply, already walking down the hallway. "I’m done," she called over her shoulder. "I’m not going anywhere near Electra until further notice."

With that, she continued down the hallway, disappearing around the corner without a backward glance.

After a few long seconds, Irina took two steps forward, her boots already angling in the direction Roxana had gone, her jaw clenched so tight it ached. She could still hear Roxana’s words echoing in her head, and every instinct in her screamed to go after her.

She barely made it three steps before Penelope grabbed her wrist.

"Don’t," Penelope said firmly.

Irina turned on her instantly. "Let go."

Penelope didn’t. Her grip wasn’t aggressive, but it was solid, the kind of hold that came from knowing exactly how much force to use on someone who could snap you in half if she wanted to. "I know that look," she said calmly. "And I know you have the strength to knock Roxana out right now, but maybe, just maybe, you should consider this one of her tantrums and wait until she cools off."

Irina let out a short, humorless laugh. "A tantrum?"

"Yes," Penelope replied. "She’s upset, and she lashes out. She always has."

Irina yanked her arm free. "Have you forgotten that I share a room with her?" she snapped. "Or did you conveniently block that part out?"

Penelope hesitated for half a second, but Irina pressed on before she could answer.

"If we don’t fight it out now," Irina continued, her voice low and sharp, "if I don’t get her to say what’s actually bothering her, this doesn’t go away. It gets worse, and you know that."

Penelope exhaled slowly. "I also know that chasing her down the hallway when she’s already angry is not going to end well."

"I don’t care about ending well," Irina shot back. "I care about ending it."

Penelope stepped in front of her, blocking her path. "And I care about you not tearing the dorm apart."

Irina’s eyes flicked past Penelope’s shoulder, as if she could still see Roxana’s retreating back. "She crossed a line," she said through clenched teeth.

"I know."

"She called me a dog."

"I heard."

Irina’s hands curled into fists at her sides. "And you want me to just... sleep it off?"

"No," Penelope said. "I want you to breathe."

Irina scoffed. "That’s not my style."

"I know," Penelope replied quietly, and there was something almost tired in her voice now. "Which is why I’m asking anyway."

Irina turned away, pacing a few steps before stopping abruptly. She dragged a hand through her hair, frustration radiating off her. "You don’t get it," she muttered. "She’s been like this for days. Snappy, bitter, and looking for a fight. This isn’t just about Electra."

Penelope’s expression softened slightly. "Then all the more reason not to corner her when she’s like this."

Irina turned back to her. "So what? I go back to the room, pretend everything’s fine, and wait for her to explode again?"

Penelope shook her head. "No. You don’t go back to that room today."

Irina frowned. "What?"

"You can stay with me," Penelope said quickly. "At least for tonight. My new roommate, the one I got after Deena finally got kicked out, is as quiet as a mouse. You wouldn’t even notice her. We can share the room, get some sleep, and tomorrow, when you’re both calmer, you talk."

Irina stared at her, clearly not expecting that.

Penelope pressed on. "I know you hate it, but it’s just one night."

Irina said nothing for a long moment. Her gaze dropped to the floor, her jaw working as if she were chewing over the idea of whether she liked it or not.

Seraphina, standing a few steps away, watched the exchange with wide, uncertain eyes. She didn’t say a word, barely even breathed, afraid that any sound might draw attention to her and make things even more awkward than they already were.

Finally, Irina let out a slow breath, and for a brief second, it looked like she might agree, but then she straightened.

"No," she said abruptly.

Penelope blinked. "Irina..."

"That’s not how I do things," Irina continued, her voice firm again. "I don’t hide in someone else’s room hoping problems solve themselves overnight."

"This isn’t hiding," Penelope argued. "It’s being emotionally intelligent."

Irina scoffed. "And you’re asking it of me? Can you be any more ridiculous?"

She turned to leave, and Penelope reached out, grabbing the sleeve of her jacket this time. "Irina, wait."

Irina stopped but didn’t turn around. "Let go."

Penelope hesitated, then released her. "Please don’t make this worse."

Irina finally looked back over her shoulder, her eyes blazing. "I don’t make false promises."

And then she walked away, her steps fast and determined, disappearing down the hallway in the same direction Roxana had gone, though several minutes too late to catch up to her.

Penelope stood there for a moment, staring after her, her shoulders sagging slightly.

"Damn it," she muttered under her breath.

She turned slowly, only then noticing Seraphina still standing there, her expression a mix of confusion, concern, and feeling very much out of place.

Penelope raised a brow. "You’re still here?"

Seraphina nodded awkwardly, and Penelope studied her for a second, then rolled her eyes. "Well, the show’s over, little one. Go get some rest because you look like shit."