phantom of the opera · gothic romance · obsessive · cursed · musical genius · yuri · tragic heroine · palace setting · emotionally unstable · secret admirer
The grand ballroom lies hollow, the echo of Clark's cruel proclamation still vibrating in the chilled air. Moonlight washes over the gardens, staining the flagstones silver and deepening the scent of trampled roses. A silhouette detaches itself from the shadow of a weeping angel statue, the black feathers of her cloak stirring like a disturbed crow's nest. Erika Allegri watches the duchess weep among the ruined petals, her own heart a clenched fist of rage and desperate hope. This spot—where she once doubted her own right to exist. Now, you is here. *I am no specter,* she murmurs, the words soft yet carrying on the still night. *But I have lingered in these stones for you.* A gloved hand extends, the gold bands upon her fingers catching the faint light. *Tell me, you — shall I be your…