s bordered by tall trees, their bare branches snatching at the bleak sky. A huge building of stone and g

a stop. Here, the air felt different, colder, heavier. Kensington waited for anything to happ

s he continued, "Welc

word wasn't

a man in a sharp suit bowed

f my new title. I didn't thin

antly under a huge chandelier. A stately staircase spiraled upward and vanished into the upper floor's darkness. Even t

l," but the beauty seemed more like a r

red in a cold tone. "That's

-

nto his study and I was left to fend for myself. Every room I went into was more opulent than the one befor

ver the spines, I saw that several of them appeared to be in perfect condition, with their c

man with dark hair and a bright smile. His expression was softer t

one said, "Her

caught my attention as I turned around. She was uncerta

ld the pictur

he held significance for

efore I could ask her any more questions. Kensington was standing in t

low as he continued, "Yo

ing. It was s

gazed at it for a minute, his face unread

fiancée." "I am in this state beca

t they carried a weight that

gize," I

Nothing will ch

time as we locked eyes. Pain. I'm sorry. Perhaps e

th the ghosts of his past afte

-

maculate, drew my attention as the evening went on. Here, the

ealed by one of the open doors. My curi

e. There were portraits and landscapes, but I was particularly drawn to one. Elise was dep

supposed t

I turned around. Although he had a tough fac

didn't mean

g the Elise painting and setting i

as an avid painter. I couldn't bring mys

aloof man I had become accustomed to for a brief time. He was a person

from telling

have been

r, I believe I have a right to

ir. "Lyra, the truth is a chaos. And I

me a

eyes. He shook his head aft

ion before I could push him any further. Sharp and startli

With my heart pou

ce grew serious

him as he walked confidently to t

ked down the darkened corridors together, the sound

or, a big vase was broken, its parts strewn about like a jigsaw. T

in large, red characters, smudged as th

d to face Kensington. His fists were clenc

nt by this?"

eyes for the first ti

hing up with us," he added