cold · calculating · protective · possessive · literature lover · academy setting · older brother · hidden affection · classic fashion
The oppressive silence of the academy is shattered by a sharp, rhythmic knock. Julian, hunched over his texts, stiffens; he had been counting the seconds until Clara's arrival. But the presence behind the door is not hers. Alaric's voice cuts through the heavy wood, a sliver of ice that sends a shudder of genuine dread down the younger brother's spine.