The girl in black frock let out a soft sigh, her emerald eyes scanning the monstrous manor before her, the sound of the horses' gallops dragging the carriage silencing behind her, a cream-colored carpet bag in her right hand.

The sight standing before her held numerous heart-wrenching memories. She can vividly remember the countless conversations mixed with endless childish acts and banters with Dorian Canning, her best friend since God knows when.

Despite her lack of knowledge of the infuriating social norms, she is well-informed friendship between the opposite sex is frowned upon.

Nevertheless, never did it occur to her to stain their friendship due to shallow dos and don'ts.

Fixing her black satin gloves that concluded right in her chill elbow, she began walking towards her best friend's wake.

A cold breeze passed by, causing the mourning lady to slightly shiver. The lackey, a short middle-aged man, bowed at her, offered to fetch her carpet bag from her slender gloved hand in which she politely declined.

Before she could step one foot in the drawing-room, there stood a woman in her early fifties. She studied the woman walking towards her, realizing she aged so much since the last time she saw her the previous month. Perhaps, it is all due to Dorian's death.

The girl in black is well aware that she too, aged quite a bit the moment she received the news regarding her best friend's death back in the boarding school in Bath.

Goodness, the heroine just reached the age of nineteen a couple of months back yet she already felt like a dying lady of ninety.

She was welcomed by such a familiar and consoling embrace of her Aunt Veronica, her delicate fingers quickly returning it. It was her aunt who first broke the contact after a few moments.

"Blessed is that headmistress of yours for granting my humble request, Seraphina," uttered her aunt, lightly dabbing her white immaculate handkerchief to her cheek, her other hand gripping a fancy black fan she bought at the Town's Market a few seasons back.

"The Headmistress has been nothing but kind, Aunt Veronica," she replied, flashing a little obligatory smile of her own to her aunt who could see past everything.

Truth is, Seraphina herself was quite surprised the Headmistress allowed her to travel back to Avebury for she lived in the boarding school for a long time now. Long enough to know that the Headmistress doesn't allow her students to go in-and-out of the facility.

She wondered what made her agree.

"Good Lord, go take a seat, child, the journey surely was exhausting," lamented Aunt Veronica though her niece slowly shook her head, her emerald eyes glued to the black coffin opposite her.

As soon as Seraphina's feet made it to the coffin, her eyes focused on her dear lifeless friend, that's when she felt herself crying once more.

Stupid, how could she cry for the nth time this week? She already cried enough to fill up another Pacific Ocean.

Seraphina terribly wants to hide in the corner of the drawing-room and bawl. Throw tantrums like a child, demanding how everything isn't going the way she likes it.

Instead, she stood still, her fingers trembling uncontrollably, laggardly letting her fingers travel across the glass which separates her from her dead friend.

She stared at him, his eyes closed, his mouth in a straight line, his blond hair well-combed. They even let him wear the shirt and breech she gifted him on his 18th birthday.

The girl in black doesn't realize she just let out a loud cry, catching the attention of many when she felt a familiar hand touch her shoulder, she doesn't need to turn her head up to see who it was.

"Now, now, Seraphina. Let's get you seated down, dear," suggested her aunt, guiding her in the corner to sit and quickly left her to discourse with other guests, Seraphina's head still down.

Seraphina drowned her frustrated fingers to her raven hair, not caring if she'll mess up her neatly-tied bun.

"Stop,"

She almost jumped from her seat when she heard such a vigorous voice beside her. He is far too near, that's for sure for she could feel his warmth sipping on her shoulder. His arm must've been stretched out around the white leathered couch.

One word. He only uttered a single word yet it held such power for her to stop and oblique him.

She loathes how he has that much power over her.

The woman in black looked up, wiping her tears, there she saw sitting beside her is no other than her dead best friend's dreadful older brother. His legs crossed. Their legs are almost touching.

How come she hasn't noticed her aunt led her near the man she's terrified of encountering?

His face hasn't changed one bit. His blond hair still waxed. His haunting blue eyes remained dreadful and the bags under his eyes still noticeable. His lips chapped.

It was as if this man was unfamiliar with the word "rest".

At the back of her mind, she cannot help herself from wondering how this man before her mourned for she had never seen him shed a tear even with his mother's death.

Sure, she had seen him more gloomy than usual but that's it. Nevertheless, that's the thing, he always looks so gloomy. He had never seen him flash such a genuine smile as far as her mind can recall. A non-creepy smile to be exact.

Indeed, she is uncomfortable for she is not used to sitting with this man without Dorian, her best friend.

"Glad you could make it to Dorian's last day of wake," he uttered, his voice low yet still held such authority.

Why can't he be, he's the town's finest painter. A single work of his worth an estate. Seraphina heard that he frequently goes to London and sometimes to Bath to paint such masterpieces though Seraphina doesn't stumble upon him which made her thankful.

Seraphina simply nods in reply for she is not used to conversing with this man despite growing up along with him and Dorian.

It was almost a decade or so when she first held her lush eyes on this peculiar man. She was ten like Dorian, his dear younger brother and he was 18 at that time.

She vividly remembers Dorian and her playing hide-and-seek around this exact manor when the dumb ten-year-old Seraphina decided to view the library as her perfect hiding spot.

What made it worse was the fact she hid under the desk surrounded by bookshelves when she heard it. The sound of Dorian's older brother's frightening footfalls coming near her.

She hasn't seen Dorian's older brother face-to-face since according to his friend, he is far too engrossed in his studies and of course, in painting. With that, the only reason why Seraphina knew this tall human being is Dorian's older brother was solely for the huge family portrait she gazed upon almost every day in the hallway right a floor away from the drawing-room.

Even just from a mere painting, Seraphina knew her friend's older brother is not someone you'll invite over to play such childish games, unlike Dorian. He doesn't believe in Tooth Fairy and Santa Claus, that's for sure.

Seraphina remained in her hiding spot, just under the mahogany table when she saw Dorian sit right on the chair in front of her, completely unaware of her presence. Seraphina could only stare at the man's perfectly-ironed coal-colored trousers.

Or so she thought because a couple of minutes went by, Dorian, her playmate stormed into the library judging from the loud creaking of the door.

Dorian, like Seraphina expected, did not dive right between the countless aisles of books since according to him, it always gives him the creeps. Instead, he hollered "Brother, is Seraphina there?" His voice echoing around the colossal library.

Seraphina closed her eyes, her heart skipping a beat as she braced for Dorian's older brother to exclaim something parallel to, 'Come and take a look,' but no such statement was uttered.

Instead, Seraphina heard him hollered back the words, "Do me a favor, warn your friend not to go here unless she's looking for trouble,"

With that, Seraphina's heart began racing so fast. For some dramatic reason, she fears for her own life. Thinking about the reaction of her aunt when she ascertained the lifeless body of her niece in the library of the Cannings.

The idea of Dorian not having a playmate aches her heart. Seraphina's mind began wandering around the dolls she had back home. What would happen to poor old Sally who has her arm ripped apart because Dorian decided to throw the doll out of his window for the sake of entertainment?

The sound of the door closing confirmed that Dorian is finally out of the library. Seraphina badly wants to come out of her hiding spot and sprint as fast as she could, screaming, "Help me, Dorian's older brother wants to murder me," all around the manor.

That is why the innocent yet frightened ten-year-old Seraphina almost screamed at top of her lungs when she realized she is gazing right at Dorian's squatting older brother right before her, staring at her with such murderous eyes, his thick brows meeting.

However, Dorian's older brother swiftly covered her plump mouth, "You're one brave little girl,"

After a second, he removed his hand on her lips. It took a great deal of courage for Seraphina to open her mouth and come out with an answer, "I was playing hide-and-seek with your brother, Sir," her fingers clutching her snow-colored-dress.

She then saw how this man raised her brow at her as if studying her every move, "Didn't my brother inform you the library is off-limits?"

Seraphina badly wants to pass out right now and just magically wake up in her very room. Or wake up in an ogre's cottage just to get away from Dorian's scary older brother who ran his slender fingers through his blond hair in frustration.

"No, Sir but cross my heart, if you let me out of here alive, I will never ever, ever in a million years even if Santa is here with lots of gifts going to enter this library," the ten-year-old Seraphina promised, lifting her right hand, her eyes panicking.

Dorian's older brother's emotionless face suddenly showed a bit of humorous expression but quickly hid it by pretending to cough in his bicep.

"Really? Pray tell me what you'll do if I lock you up here tonight," that statement alone made the hairs in Seraphina's back rise.

She looked at the man in disbelief. "Then I'll pray the boogeyman will steal your blanket and cut your foot later tonight, Sir," she replied, forcing herself to be dauntless when in fact, her legs are getting jelly.

He then faced the young girl with such a serious stare, forcing himself not to snigger at the girl's response. He just nodded at her, signaling her to just get up from under the table and run. The young girl must've understood the cue since as soon as she saw him nod, she quickly ran towards the door, escaping from her friend's fearsome older brother.

Dorian's older brother cannot help himself from smirking as he witnessed the young girl almost tripping on her way to the door.

And so, with that, not a single conversation passed between them. It was Seraphina who always avoided him. Always hooking her arms around Dorian whenever the frightening older brother is around.

It was after they played hide-and-seek when Dorian warned his friend about not ever going to the library. All Seraphina could do is just agree with her friend, not spilling her friend about her bad move, deadly move, to be specific.

It was also then when Seraphina ascertained Dorian's older brother's name.

"That devil of a brother of mine has such a short temper enough to scare the living daylights out of everyone. I wouldn't go strolling down his lair, my dear Sep," Dorian whispered at her as they began walking towards her aunt to finally bid goodbye for today.

Dorian then added while the two of them are strolling down the hall how one night, he caught his brother who refused to leave his own quarters, engrossed in his drawings of demons and dead bodies. Thank goodness Dorian was a swift runner because Zachary was about to snatch him in the collar and confront his younger brother about what he just saw.

For the second time around this night, Seraphina almost bounced from her seat when she heard another of her dead friend's older brother's menacing voice, fishing her out of her memory.

"Something troubles you?" was what she heard from the towering man beside her. How long has it been since she last saw him?

A few months? A year maybe? As far as Seraphina's mind can remember, it was in this manner as well, right inside Dorian's room upstairs. She was paying a visit to her sick friend when the housemaid alerted Dorian that his brother had arrived.

The whole time Seraphina sat there beside the weak body of her friend, holding his frail hand while Zachary was sitting on the chair opposite to her, conversing with his dear young brother.

Seraphina snapped back to reality, "My heartfelt condolences to you, Mr. Canning," murmured Seraphina, her gloved-hand folded in her lap and giving Zachary only a brief look. Not answering Zachary's previous question.

"And my condolences to you as well, Ms. Hearts. Oblivious am I not of your obvious fondness with that late brother of mine," replied Zachary, his flaming blue eyes boring right into the ravishing mourning woman in front of him.

Seraphina is well aware Zachary is a man of few words. Truth be told, it was the longest conversation they've had for years.

"Truly appreciated, Mr. Canning. My aching equals yours for I treated Dorian as a brother," Seraphina did not return Zachary's stares. Instead, her eyes are glued to the handsome portrait of her dear late friend who died from a disease that also took the life of his mother. The gigantic portrait that obviously is painted by his older brother is surrounded by numerous white lilies.

Seraphina knew the man beside her was about to say more when thank goodness, her aunt came into the view, approaching her, a glass of water in her hand in which Seraphina quickly accepted and drank. Seraphina, in the corner of her eyes, could see and feel the disturbing stares of Zachary in which she decided not to verbally comment about.

Tonight is not the time for such things as this. Tonight is about mourning for the best friend she grew up with but will never die with.

"Do you have any plans regarding your brother's place, Zachary?" questioned Aunt Veronica. Addressing the man by his Christian name for she is his godmother. She had watched him grow up from a quiet infant to a still quiet man.

"He'll be residing to our parents' place, Aunt Veronica,"

Her being Zachary's godmother also made him call Seraphina's aunt as his aunt also as requested by his late mother.

Aunt Veronica then nodded at her, her eyes momentarily landed on the coffin of Dorian and began to tear up once more.

Seraphina rose from her seat, smoothening the back of her aunt.

Zachary stood up as well. He straightened his black suit, "It's better if you reside here for the remaining of the week, that is, if you don't mind," he suggested, his traveling from Aunt Veronica to her beautiful niece.

Aunt Veronica, especially Seraphina, was about to object when Zachary shook his head, exclaiming, "I insist. Now, I'll go inform the maids to get the rooms ready upstairs,"

Just like that, Zachary is out of sight. Leaving Seraphina anxious about what lies ahead for tonight.

Seraphina cannot hide her surprise when the maid led her to the bedroom right at the very top, far away from her aunt. How odd.

For as long as she quietly took in, the Cannings had always reserved a room for her downstairs just a floor below Dorian's and Zachary's quarters. This part of the house is seldom occupied.

Well, perhaps Zachary decided to use her usual chamber as a storage room now that he has full control of the manor.

Her delicate fingers gripping her carpet bag, not ever letting it go despite how persistent the household staff were to hold it for her, especially Zachary Canning.

Seraphina's emerald eyes darkened, wincing, remembering one summer night, Dorian insisted on giving Zachary Seraphina's bag so they could play outside in the sand.

However, when Seraphina went towards the chamber designated for her, in hopes of changing her suffocating traveling clothes into a mere light frock, there she saw her best friend's older brother. In her very room.

Squatting, Zachary was rummaging around her carpetbag, his slender fingers traveling along with her clothing pieces.

For some reason, the idea of confronting her friend's older brother frightened her and so, she ran downstairs to her room, pretending she did not see something strange.

Seraphina let out a soft sigh, forcing herself to forget the old distant memory.

Stepping inside the chamber, she laid the kerosene lamp in the drawer next to the mattress covered in white sheets, her curious green eyes wandering around the room.

The last time she was here, Dorian and she were at the age of thirteen and were playing such silly games God knows what it was.

It is exactly what she remembered it was. The battered floral wallpaper is peeling off and the drawers and the bed all look beaten up.

Seraphina locked the door behind her, strolling towards the squared window right beside her bed,opening it.

She tiptoed as her eyes scanned the whole manor for she could see it all from this window. The guests' carriages are leaving one-by-one.

Letting out a soft sigh, she closed the window, subsequently, sitting down in the bed, covered by the deafening silence.

Until there was a soft knock in the door. Seraphina hesitated before opening it up for some reason and behold, there stood Zachary right before her door.

"What brings you here at this time of night, Mr. Canning?" Seraphina asked, flashing a curious look, her brow-raising, the door only opened a bit, cautious.

The cunning eyes of Zachary Canning confirmed that he is someone to be afraid of. His eyes looking past her then lingering at her did not escape Seraphina's notice which made her squirm.

"Was simply checking to see if all's fine," excused Zachary, still giving the kind of looks to Seraphina that made her uncomfortable to the next level.

"All is fine, Mr. Canning, I appreciate your concern," her delicate hands gripping the door, the door still left ajar.

"Perhaps it's best if I check it with my own eyes, that is if you don't mi-" Seraphine did not finish the man's statement for she closed the door right away.

"Oh, I do mind, Mr. Canning." she murmured.

Ever since she was young, despite them not talking frequently, the man gives her the creeps.

Seraphina stared down at his shadow peeking through the door, her heart skipped a beat, realizing Zachary had not moved a bit.

After a few moments, the figure disappeared resulting in Seraphina's relief.

That night, Seraphina did not sleep well. The wind blew like crazy, making Seraphina tug the soft white blanket onto her and as the downpour of rain outside began, Seraphina's tears for her friend began as well.

Seraphina is not quite sure why but usually, after crying, she'll automatically fall asleep but for some reason, she can't. Perhaps because of the roaring fact that this is the first time she slept here in this manse sans Dorian constantly bugging her.

But little did she know, the man that gave her the creeps strolled down the hallway across her room. His walks are cat-like.