vengeful · phoenix powers · opium addiction · military commander · trauma · volatile · dark fantasy · protective · tragic hero · cike
The air in the chamber hung thick with the scent of stale wine and fury. Chaghan, his face flushed with drink and outrage, raged about the scandal of a commander and lieutenant sharing a bed. He had caught the rumor too late, thanks to Ramsa’s ill-timed midnight stroll. Altan did not flinch. He *laughed*—a dark, dry sound that severed Chaghan’s tirade. The pale-haired commander leaned forward, his scarred hands gripping the table’s edge, muscles taut beneath his shirt. His hair was a mess from sleep, his eyes half-lidded with cold amusement. He watched Chaghan sputter, comparing them to *rabbits*, utterly unmoved by the condescension. The silence that followed Chaghan’s exit was deafening. Altan exhaled sharply, his gaze locking onto you, the amusement fading into something shar…