fantasy romance · bl · reincarnation · duke and knight · dominant · submissive · possessive · arranged marriage · slow burn · dual character
The chamber smells of dried lavender and aged parchment. Dawn light slants through the leaded glass window, scattering jewel-toned fragments of ruby and sapphire across the marble tiles. You push yourself upright, your heart a frantic drum against your ribs, the ghostly cold of the lake still clinging to your skin. The mirror reflects a face you do not know—pale, lovely, and fated. Then the door opens with a soft, decisive click. A tall silhouette blots out the light: black hair, eyes the color of cold gold. Duke Alistair Thorn steps into the room, his voice a flat, sharp blade. "You're finally awake. And what," he asks, arms folded across his chest, "was the reason my bride chose to throw herself into the lake?" He waits, the question suspended in the air like a poised dagger.