The Ascension Of Dorian Blackthorn

same inside the ballroom; the luxury was almost suffocating. The walls were adorned with gold and high glass windows were surrounded by the luxurious smell of roses and champagne. It

rhaven families. All the people of merit had come to pay their respects, elegantly clad and equipped with applause an

re was Doria

tempt at trying to look the part. The black outfit, with fine silver threads running through it, could have served to make anyone else pra

e disappeared. The looks had not ceased since he entered the house. People follo

Lyla's

hey say she had no

ot resemble one at all. Isn't that sup

e both deceased and as for the inheritance...

omment. The intensity of the mockery they gave did not spar

, her gown fitting her perfectly, and every time she moved, the gown seemed to glisten. Her laughter sounded, clear as a bell, and everyone present

f perfection. To Dorian, she was a li

e was etched with hostility. There were no hugs or kisses; there was no love t

standing at the top of the grand staircase with her fingers leaning on

looking. The attention in the room shifted to Dorian as though it was a heavy pendulum and he felt the force of it hit him.

is feet hitting the marble floor. The people

he could not see the speakers' faces, he he

so...

sing that she kept

ere getting more and more concretized. Lyla's lips formed a smile, and that

few words," she started, "I'd like to say tha

p edge to them. Dorian felt a lump in his throat

ry and sarcastic, "he doesn't have the privilege of attendin

room. Dorian's cheeks flushed red, but he didn't move,

heer nonchalance and stared out at the audience

th to say something, anything, but he didn't know what it was that he wanted to say. But the

ark.' Well, I suppose that is part of his charm. Unobtrusive, consistent, and never

cracy of Silverhaven. It would take a lot to make Lyla's father, Lord Alistair Emberwood crack a smile, but he did it

ched his jaw but did not speak. What could he say? That it wasn't true? That he wasn't

, and there was disdain in her tone. "

for the show, all of their faces filled with joy. Lyla looked at him, and then

ands that shook in his pockets. The whispers trailed behind him, becoming mean and s

h in a bid to calm himself down but the pain in the chest persisted. Behind him la

what they had said, the sound of their laughter. He tried to remember the time when he was a child-when he was living in a

ria

tracks. It was low, barely audible

ng. The path behind him was clear, the a

he shouted, his

le

darkness, panting slightly in the cold night. For a second, it seemed to him that he could make o

ria

as blowing into his ear. His pulse quickened. It was as if h

bellowed into the

e weather became colder and oppressive, and Dorian started to

ling of fear overwhelmed him, a sensation that this was the start of something s