The warm, golden illumination of the great chandelier in the dining hall of the Eirian house highlighted the polished mahogany table set for two. There was a sophisticated elegance established by the subtle clinking of cutlery and the far-off hum of classical music. Izora sat straight yet with a tig
She narrowed her eyes. “And yet… he married your niece.” Benedict tried to hold her stare, but it felt like looking into a fire. “I don’t know how it happened,” he lied quietly. “Truly. They met. Something sparked. Maybe he saw something in her. She’s… different.” Celestine tilted her head. “Diff
The only sound challenging the silence was the porcelain clink of a teacup on a saucer. On the brink of an ivory velvet armchair, Celestine Eirian sat with perfect posture. Her gown was a perfect cascade of midnight blue silk glistening under the soft light of the chandelier. With every head turn,
Izora hadn’t moved. She was unable to move, even though the carpet underneath her had become numb to her touch. She continued to lean her back on the nightstand, as though the sturdy wood might support her. She sat with her arms tightly wrapped over her knees and her knees to her chest, curling int
Her body went rigid. She shut her eyes tightly. Please don’t let it hurt. Just let it be fast… But nothing happened. She opened one eye then both. Kaiser walked past her. Just… passed her. His bare feet silent against the floor, his shoulders tense. He didn’t look at her. Didn’t speak. Did
The timepiece on the distant wall ticked beyond midnight. Izora sprang awake, her breath trapped in her throat, her heart racing like a scared bird within her chest. Her hands grasped the silk sheets, soaked with perspiration. The nightmare again. The same one that visited her year after year, ref
Izora's face turned red. Because I liked it when I slept with you. The words echoed in her mind, twisting, curling around her thoughts like smoke. Her breath caught. Slept with me. Did he mean… actually slept? Like when he laid on her back that night? When his arm had draped across her waist lik
The air between them tightened like a stretched cord. “You’ll see worse than that if you stay here,” he said. "And I've finished keeping that from you." She remarked, "I didn't ask you to hide it." "I simply didn't think it would be you." The final syllable made her voice shake. She expected a r
His cheek was plastered in blood, which stuck to his collar and sleeves like battle paint. He had darker eyes than she had ever seen, but they were neither lifeless or cold. Just… unreadable. With a slow, deliberate click, he walked inside and shut the door. Izora didn’t move. She couldn’t. It s