The music swelled around her, the haunting melody stretching and distorting as if the very air was suffocating under its weight. Emery barely heard it over the ragged gasps of the masked man in her arms. His blood—warm, slick—painted her hands in vivid red.“No,” she whispered, shaking him. “No, no, stay with me—”His masked face tilted toward her, but the eyes behind it—those familiar, aching eyes—were already losing their light. His fingers curled weakly around her wrist, gripping as if he had one final thing to tell her.But before he could speak, the world shattered.The ballroom cracked like glass. The chandeliers flickered violently, their golden glow twisting into something cold and unnatural. The guests—laughing, drinking, dancing—froze in place, their bodies flickering like mirages. Reality itself was coming apart at the seams.A sickening déjà vu coiled in Emery’s stomach. She had done this before. She had watched him die before.And every time, the noble had been standing t
The air trembles. Ripples rippled through the ballroom like a stone breaking the surface of placid water. Without wind, the chandeliers wobble, the candlelight extending oddly before snapping back into position.Emery stumbles when he steps. The planet itself seems to be opposing her choice. An unseen, relentless force tugs at her, attempting to pull her back. She doesn't stop, though. She won't. Her fingers move in the direction of the man in the mask—in the direction of the unfathomable familiarity in his gaze. She is wrenched backward by a sudden jerk. The noble's icy fingers lock her in place as his grip tightens around her wrist. "You are not his property." He has a soothing, dangerously low voice. She detects something deeper, though, beneath that flawless exterior. Something breaking. The man in the mask only tilts his head and smirks, as though the noble's rage were merely a funny sight. "That's where you're incorrect." His calm, unflinching voice pierced the dis
The air changes as soon as Emery enters the room. Her stomach lurches with a sudden, nauseating lurch. Under her feet, the solid floor vanishes. She dives into the shadows. The wind whips past her ears, engulfing her in a limitless emptiness. Nothing remains of the world she was familiar with, including the ballroom, the nobility, and the man in the mask. But the voices are still there. whispers. Sound waves. She feels as though pieces of a life she doesn't recall are etched into her very being. "You promised me." "You betrayed me." "You were supposed to remember." The words encircle her, drawing and tugging. accusing. Then... Impact. Her air is taken from her lungs by the power of the impact as she hits solid ground. The cold stone under her stands in sharp contrast to the oppressive emptiness she just left, and her vision swirls as she breathes. She remains still for a moment. Then she lifts herself up as the world settles. and gets frozen. This location... It
Before her, the door looms, its surface glistening like liquid silver and pulsing with an almost... living pulse. Between it and the two guys observing her, Emery remains still. The man in the mask remains silent, his fingers moving at his sides as though he is fighting the impulse to grab her. But the noble— A slow applause. Deliberate and slow, the sound cuts through the tension like a razor. She spins around. He is present. His golden eyes shine with laughter as he emerges from the shadows at the ballroom's edge. He appears as majestic and untouchable as ever, dressed in deep crimson, but a sly smile is visible on his lips. "You always believe you have options." Not because of what he says, but because she has heard it before, his voice makes her shiver. The world flickers before she can say anything. similar like a dwindling candle's flame. As if reality itself were unraveling. She glimpses something, someone, for a split second. Here she was again, standing
Pain.. Emery was startled awake as it burned through her body like lightning. She inhaled sharply, taking in a breath that was too heavy and thick. There was something metallic and harsh in the air, along with the smell of damp stone and earth. Not in the ballroom. Not the manor. She didn't know of any place. With shaky hands on the uneven ground, she forced herself up. stone. The stone is cold, fractured, and wet. She looked up and realized that everything was wrong. She was surrounded by a ruinous courtyard that was engulfed by growing vines. Above, looming stone walls that had been partially defaced by time. The sky was a deep indigo, eternal twilight that swirled like a living creature and was neither night nor day. It shouldn't be here. The mist coiling at her feet dampened her clothing as she trembled and wrapped her arms around herself. Next came— Footsteps. Go slowly. Measured. approaching from behind. Her heart skipped a beat. anticipating the noble, anti
Before she even considered saying it, Emery's mouth came up with the name. It was waiting there, so sure, so familiar. Pain burned through her skull like a blade slicing right through it the instant it emerged in her consciousness. She shook from the sudden pain and gasped, sinking her fingers into the man's arms. The name escaped, barely within grasp. When she touched him, the man tensed. He strengthened his hold on her, as though preparing for the next move. His face was still expressionless, but there was something more in his keen, dark eyes. "Don't think about me." There was something almost regretful in his quiet voice. Emery's breath caught in his throat. "So why do I?" He didn't respond. There was a shudder in the room. The floor beneath them, the lamp, and the walls all wavered and warped like a water-shattered mirror. The tiny light from the carved symbols pulsed in time with the pounding in her head. It was falling apart here. Or perhaps—reforming. Another
Under Emery's fingers, the metal handle pulsed, sending a constant, throbbing beat up her arm. It seemed warm, almost alive, as if it were anticipating something. For her. The man in the mask spoke in a quiet voice that was slightly tinged with dread. "Are you certain that you are prepared for this?" Emery remained silent. as she wasn't certain. However, the noble was. His golden eyes flickered with delight as he leaned against the splintering frame with his arms folded. His lips curled into a lazy smirk as he whispered, "Go ahead." Don't claim I didn't warn you, though. She gripped the handle with her fingers. She turned it after that. The world disappeared. She was pulled forward by a gust of wind that ripped through her. Everything was sucked up by the weightless, limitless darkness. She was falling for a short, horrifying minute, her heart pounding in her ears, her air stuck in her lungs, and then— She landed. The air was heavy with laughter and music, and the aro
The reflection moved first.Emery's breath hitched as the image of herself inside the mirror smirked, lifting a hand as if reaching for her. But the movements weren’t hers. The woman in the reflection... her, yet not her... tilted her head in quiet amusement. The golden glow of the mirror intensified, illuminating the fractures beginning to spread across the glass, fine as spiderwebs.Emery stepped forward, an almost uncontrollable pull dragging her in. She lifted a hesitant hand, fingertips hovering inches from the surface. It felt alive. Pulsing beneath her skin like a heartbeat.Her fingers touched the glass.Pain exploded through her skull.A memory... not a memory. A force shoving itself back into her mind.She staggered, gasping, clutching at her head as images slammed into her one after another.A veil of gold and candlelight.Two men standing at the altar. One in the light. One in the shadows.Her own voice, trembling with hesitation. "I choose..."The sound of screams.The Ma
The reflection moved first.Emery's breath hitched as the image of herself inside the mirror smirked, lifting a hand as if reaching for her. But the movements weren’t hers. The woman in the reflection... her, yet not her... tilted her head in quiet amusement. The golden glow of the mirror intensified, illuminating the fractures beginning to spread across the glass, fine as spiderwebs.Emery stepped forward, an almost uncontrollable pull dragging her in. She lifted a hesitant hand, fingertips hovering inches from the surface. It felt alive. Pulsing beneath her skin like a heartbeat.Her fingers touched the glass.Pain exploded through her skull.A memory... not a memory. A force shoving itself back into her mind.She staggered, gasping, clutching at her head as images slammed into her one after another.A veil of gold and candlelight.Two men standing at the altar. One in the light. One in the shadows.Her own voice, trembling with hesitation. "I choose..."The sound of screams.The Ma
Under Emery's fingers, the metal handle pulsed, sending a constant, throbbing beat up her arm. It seemed warm, almost alive, as if it were anticipating something. For her. The man in the mask spoke in a quiet voice that was slightly tinged with dread. "Are you certain that you are prepared for this?" Emery remained silent. as she wasn't certain. However, the noble was. His golden eyes flickered with delight as he leaned against the splintering frame with his arms folded. His lips curled into a lazy smirk as he whispered, "Go ahead." Don't claim I didn't warn you, though. She gripped the handle with her fingers. She turned it after that. The world disappeared. She was pulled forward by a gust of wind that ripped through her. Everything was sucked up by the weightless, limitless darkness. She was falling for a short, horrifying minute, her heart pounding in her ears, her air stuck in her lungs, and then— She landed. The air was heavy with laughter and music, and the aro
Before she even considered saying it, Emery's mouth came up with the name. It was waiting there, so sure, so familiar. Pain burned through her skull like a blade slicing right through it the instant it emerged in her consciousness. She shook from the sudden pain and gasped, sinking her fingers into the man's arms. The name escaped, barely within grasp. When she touched him, the man tensed. He strengthened his hold on her, as though preparing for the next move. His face was still expressionless, but there was something more in his keen, dark eyes. "Don't think about me." There was something almost regretful in his quiet voice. Emery's breath caught in his throat. "So why do I?" He didn't respond. There was a shudder in the room. The floor beneath them, the lamp, and the walls all wavered and warped like a water-shattered mirror. The tiny light from the carved symbols pulsed in time with the pounding in her head. It was falling apart here. Or perhaps—reforming. Another
Pain.. Emery was startled awake as it burned through her body like lightning. She inhaled sharply, taking in a breath that was too heavy and thick. There was something metallic and harsh in the air, along with the smell of damp stone and earth. Not in the ballroom. Not the manor. She didn't know of any place. With shaky hands on the uneven ground, she forced herself up. stone. The stone is cold, fractured, and wet. She looked up and realized that everything was wrong. She was surrounded by a ruinous courtyard that was engulfed by growing vines. Above, looming stone walls that had been partially defaced by time. The sky was a deep indigo, eternal twilight that swirled like a living creature and was neither night nor day. It shouldn't be here. The mist coiling at her feet dampened her clothing as she trembled and wrapped her arms around herself. Next came— Footsteps. Go slowly. Measured. approaching from behind. Her heart skipped a beat. anticipating the noble, anti
Before her, the door looms, its surface glistening like liquid silver and pulsing with an almost... living pulse. Between it and the two guys observing her, Emery remains still. The man in the mask remains silent, his fingers moving at his sides as though he is fighting the impulse to grab her. But the noble— A slow applause. Deliberate and slow, the sound cuts through the tension like a razor. She spins around. He is present. His golden eyes shine with laughter as he emerges from the shadows at the ballroom's edge. He appears as majestic and untouchable as ever, dressed in deep crimson, but a sly smile is visible on his lips. "You always believe you have options." Not because of what he says, but because she has heard it before, his voice makes her shiver. The world flickers before she can say anything. similar like a dwindling candle's flame. As if reality itself were unraveling. She glimpses something, someone, for a split second. Here she was again, standing
The air changes as soon as Emery enters the room. Her stomach lurches with a sudden, nauseating lurch. Under her feet, the solid floor vanishes. She dives into the shadows. The wind whips past her ears, engulfing her in a limitless emptiness. Nothing remains of the world she was familiar with, including the ballroom, the nobility, and the man in the mask. But the voices are still there. whispers. Sound waves. She feels as though pieces of a life she doesn't recall are etched into her very being. "You promised me." "You betrayed me." "You were supposed to remember." The words encircle her, drawing and tugging. accusing. Then... Impact. Her air is taken from her lungs by the power of the impact as she hits solid ground. The cold stone under her stands in sharp contrast to the oppressive emptiness she just left, and her vision swirls as she breathes. She remains still for a moment. Then she lifts herself up as the world settles. and gets frozen. This location... It
The air trembles. Ripples rippled through the ballroom like a stone breaking the surface of placid water. Without wind, the chandeliers wobble, the candlelight extending oddly before snapping back into position.Emery stumbles when he steps. The planet itself seems to be opposing her choice. An unseen, relentless force tugs at her, attempting to pull her back. She doesn't stop, though. She won't. Her fingers move in the direction of the man in the mask—in the direction of the unfathomable familiarity in his gaze. She is wrenched backward by a sudden jerk. The noble's icy fingers lock her in place as his grip tightens around her wrist. "You are not his property." He has a soothing, dangerously low voice. She detects something deeper, though, beneath that flawless exterior. Something breaking. The man in the mask only tilts his head and smirks, as though the noble's rage were merely a funny sight. "That's where you're incorrect." His calm, unflinching voice pierced the dis
The music swelled around her, the haunting melody stretching and distorting as if the very air was suffocating under its weight. Emery barely heard it over the ragged gasps of the masked man in her arms. His blood—warm, slick—painted her hands in vivid red.“No,” she whispered, shaking him. “No, no, stay with me—”His masked face tilted toward her, but the eyes behind it—those familiar, aching eyes—were already losing their light. His fingers curled weakly around her wrist, gripping as if he had one final thing to tell her.But before he could speak, the world shattered.The ballroom cracked like glass. The chandeliers flickered violently, their golden glow twisting into something cold and unnatural. The guests—laughing, drinking, dancing—froze in place, their bodies flickering like mirages. Reality itself was coming apart at the seams.A sickening déjà vu coiled in Emery’s stomach. She had done this before. She had watched him die before.And every time, the noble had been standing t
Between them, Emery remained still. One man gazed upon her with pride, his assurance unflinching, as though she had always been his. Something deeper—longing, anger, something unsaid but indisputable—was there in the other's eyes as he regarded her. She was unsure if which frightened her more. With effortless ease, the noble reached for her hand and lifted it. His lips lightly but possessively brushed over her knuckles. He whispered, "I'll remind you why you're mine." She couldn't tell if the chill that went through her body was from fear or familiarity. She was yanked away by a powerful pull before she could react. The man in the mask. His hold was dominant but protective, powerful but not harsh. With a stiff stance and a presence that begged to be recognized, he moved between her and the nobility. He replied in a low, sour voice, "She doesn't belong in this time." "And you don't either." The noble's smirk wavered for the first time. Emery's heart was racing. She ough