Phantom’s POV
The chamber door slammed shut behind her, the echo reverberating through my chest like a death knell. The sound lingered, cruel and resonant, as though the palace itself had conspired to remind me of my failure. Silence followed, but silence was never merciful. It pressed against my ears, suffocating, until all I could hear was the brittle edge of her voice. Do not touch me. Don’t you dare come near me.
Her footsteps faded into the corridor, swallowed by distance, yet her words clung to me like a curse. I stood frozen, candlelight flickering across the walls, shadows stretching long and jagged like claws. The air was thick with betrayal, heavy enough to choke. My hands trembled, reaching for a girl who was no longer there. Maryelle’s tears had carved into me deeper than an
