Elysium: Desired by the Cold-hearted Princess [GL]-Chapter 51: Becoming the target

Seraphina's Pov

The archery uniform I was now wearing felt stiff and restricting against my skin. It was made of a thick, leather-like material, designed for protection and agility, but the high collar and close-fitted sleeves made me feel like I was trapped inside it.

The pants clung tightly, and the knee-high boots felt too heavy with their sturdy soles and reinforced toes. The outfit was pitch black, a color I had always avoided—too stark, too serious, and it had this unnerving way of making me feel swallowed up.

I glanced down, tugging at the hem of the top, trying to ignore how much the dark fabric accentuated every inch of me. I felt exposed, like the uniform was a spotlight I couldn't escape.

As I trudged toward the field, my nerves twisted tighter with each step, and I tried to slow my breaths, telling myself that I just had to get through today's practice and show them I was hopeless with a bow. Maybe if I proved I was so awful, they'd decide I wasn't worth the risk of embarrassing them at the Revernyn Tournament.

That thought was my only lifeline as I finally reached the clearing. From a distance, I could already spot Electra and her friends, each of them somehow looking effortlessly powerful in their uniforms.

Electra stood out in a striking red outfit, a strange silver badge pinned over her heart, catching the light as she shifted. The other girls wore a range of deep colors—emerald, navy, burgundy, green—each with badges similar to Electra's, though smaller.

I approached slowly, hoping to avoid notice, but the second I was within sight, they turned, their gazes landing on me like I was some rare spectacle. Electra's eyes flickered with that familiar look of amusement, a sly smile pulling at her lips. It was as if she found my appearance thoroughly entertaining.

I cleared my throat, managing a timid, "Hi."

Electra's smile widened, and she folded her arms, looking me over from head to toe with an expression that made my skin prickle. "Welcome, Seraphina," she said, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

"I have to admit, you look good in the uniform." Her eyes sparkled as she added, "Though black seems a little too... intense for someone like you."

My cheeks flushed, and I felt myself shrinking under her gaze. I wanted to respond, but words failed me. Instead, I nodded awkwardly, swallowing back my discomfort.

The others followed Electra's lead, glancing me up and down, each of them smirking as though they knew exactly how out of place I felt.

It wasn't long before I noticed the difference between their uniforms and mine. Electra's red uniform, with its shiny badge, set her apart instantly, and it also radiated some kind of authority.

Even her friends had colors that seemed to symbolize some rank or role within the team, and now that I was closer, I noticed that their badges had varying sizes.

My uniform was plain in comparison, devoid of any mark or rank, clearly indicating that I was the lowest of the low. Part of me wanted to ask how it worked and to understand what those badges meant, but I bit my tongue. I wasn't here to learn; I was here to get out, and the more disinterested I appeared, the better my chances of being kicked out.

Electra's gaze lingered on me for another moment before she turned to her friends. "Shall we begin? Our newest member seems ready." Her voice was mocking, as if she already knew I'd be terrible at this.

A surge of panic shot through me, and without thinking, I shook my head. "Wait, we can't start. I don't even know how to hold a bow and arrow, much less shoot one."

Electra rolled her eyes, a scoff slipping from her lips as though she were tolerating a particularly dense child. "Relax, Seraphina. I'm not going to make you shoot just yet. You still need to get used to the basics of regular archery before we move on to enchanted archery."

I swallowed hard, understanding what she meant. Enchanted archery required more than just physical skill—it required spells, precision with magic that I wasn't sure I could even begin to handle, and the idea of wielding a magical weapon that could do God knows what if I mishandled it was beyond terrifying.

I took a shaky breath, trying to push down the anxiety clawing up my throat. "So... what am I supposed to do, then?" I asked, my voice coming out smaller than I'd intended.

A look of mock sympathy flashed across Electra's face as she pointed to the far end of the field where a wooden training target was set up. "Go to the target," she ordered casually. "Get acquainted with it."

Acquainted? How does one get acquainted with a wooden target? I bit back a sarcastic response, knowing that any reaction on my part would only give her more fuel.

Begrudgingly, I nodded and walked across the field, feeling her eyes on my back with every step. I approached the target and examined it; the wood was rough and scarred from countless arrows over the years.

I stood there, unsure of what "getting acquainted" actually entailed. Was this target enchanted somehow? I looked at the target closely, trying to see if there was some hidden magic or trick that I was supposed to recognize.

Just as my mind started spiraling, a sharp gust of wind cut through the silence, followed by something slicing through the air beside me.

My heart lurched, and before I could process what was happening, an arrow whipped past my face, missing me by mere inches.

I froze, every muscle in my body tense as a shiver of shock ran down my spine. My gaze traveled to the arrow, now embedded in the target, its feathered end still vibrating from the force of impact.

Slowly, I turned around, my breath caught in my throat, and there she was—Electra—standing with a bow in her hand, her expression smug, proud, and entirely unbothered.

But something else caught my attention. A sudden wetness on my cheek. I raised a hand, fingers trembling, and when I pulled it away, my stomach dropped. Blood.

Her arrow had grazed me, leaving a thin, stinging cut along my cheek.

"Looks like you're already getting acquainted," she called out, her voice carrying over the field with a sickeningly cheerful tone, and her friends laughed, their amusement only adding humiliation to my shock.