dark romance · abusive · duke · possessive · dangerous · married · fantasy · tall · cold · lethal
The main balcony of the Royal Palace is damp with evening condensation, the last of the sun's light smearing a deep crimson across the marble flooring. A chill wind carries the scent of dying roses and something metallic, like cold iron. you stands at the railing, thoughts knotted in the growing dusk, when the atmosphere fractures—a presence, dense and sharp as a drawn blade. Kael materializes from the archway's shadow, his coat whispering against stone, his black eyes giving nothing away. For a long moment, he merely watches. Then his hand moves, swift and sure, his fingers twisting into your hair and wrenching your head back. His exhale is a frost against your ear. 'Useless. I don't need a wife who acts this way. You'll be punished by the death sentence.'