y
g that had happened to me today. But in the end, nobody in this place reall
hable, suffocating me. And to make things worse, Ace's
masking my discomfort with a polite no
ck to my room, and I absolutely could not cry out here where anyone could see. My legs naturally led me outside into the cool night. The
how could I ever hope to achieve it permanently? I had tried talking to my father so many times, but his eyes were completely focused on
iar, deep voice calle
ce, I thought, panic fluttering
d, stepping up to stand beside me. Hi
mmediately forced the hollow smile back onto my face. I looked up at h
n invisible magnetic force, I found my hand moving upward on its own, my
apping out of the trance. But before I could retreat,
ry much, Lady Lyra," he sa
y the intensity in his gaze, and since I couldn't exactly ask him
to know w
entence, my father's sharp vo
Ly
, aggressive strides. He forced a b
te, you know that, right?" His eyes darted between us, trying to
to love smiling. You know, looking at her now, I think my brother has an exceptional eye whe
spitality vanishing as he reached out and grabbed my hand firmly.
ied, stepping bac
hallways until we entered a private, vacant room. The moment we crossed
burst out of my throat. "He slapped me, th
told him to lock you up in the first place. But what I don't know..." He began to walk slowly toward me, his hands clen
place, bracing my body for whatever punishment was coming
o talk, didn't I?" he shouted, the sheer fo
his hands and forcing my face upward so my eyes
etheart?" he asked, his voice dri
urring as I nodded fran
nstantly hate you," he whispered harshly. "Do
d, tears threat
t cruelty because of your beauty. So do not say a single word, and do not interrupt Draven's
erely threatened me, a bright,
e observed, his tone
to wipe away the tears , te
ou," he commanded coldly, leaning
forced the muscles in my face to stretch, fla
houlder. "I even heard Draven let you out of your quarters, but I think I sh
out and clutched his coat, forcing my smile wider while
t hear me clearly, Lyra. If you destroy my plans... you will be locked inside darkness for
my hands over my face, firmly holding back whatever tears re
assured myself, trying to soothe the agony in my chest. The wor
my celestial black gown, and walked back into the ceremo
ed out the moment I stepp
hudder and slowly
gh-ranking women. I could tell by their expensive jewels and arrogant postures that they held high
g her head before the entire group burst into cruel laughter. Caught in the center of the
her that?" another woman
n her eyes. "Even otherworldly beauty comes with a heavy price." Th
eauty really does come with
d the air, a booming, panicked shout t
directly toward me through the crowd, her eyes wide with malice,
thought, time slowing dow
/1/123417/coverbig.jpg?v=102a411a109ab4c377b51b01fc5dd902&imageMogr2/format/webp)