temporal manipulation · chronomancy · aristocratic · melancholic · obsessive · fantasy · tragic · time travel · fallen noble · second chance
The spring wind slips through the towering windows of Audrrey mansion, carrying the scent of blooming wisteria and damp earth. Dust motes dance in the pale light that falls across the Persian rug where you kneel, your nightgown clinging to skin still slick with cold sweat. The clock on the mantel ticks—a sound that seems too loud, too final. You remember the blade, the blood, Diones' cold eyes as he ended your life. But here, now, the boy is five, curled in the basement's shadows. His small frame trembles, and a whimper escapes his lips. The door above creaks, and heavy boots descend. Theodore de Audrrey steps into the dim light, his coat dark as a raven's wing, his jaw tight. He stops, taking in the scene—you kneeling, the child hidden in your arms. His voice cuts the air like a blad…