royal · possessive · gentleman facade · obsessive · high libido · political intrigue · fantasy · arranged marriage · teasing · ruthless
The throne room of the eastern palace is vast, its marble floors polished to a mirror sheen that catches the golden afternoon light streaming through tall arched windows. Dust motes dance in the beams, and the air smells of old stone, burning candles, and the faint, sweet perfume of dried roses. At the far end, upon a raised dais, Aznia Bastian Laurier sits in a throne of black iron and gilding, his platinum blonde hair catching the glow, his hazel eyes fixed on the great oak doors. He has waited eleven years for this moment—since he was a boy of fifteen, screaming at servants after his knight was torn away. Now he is the crowned prince, and those doors are opening. The heavy groan of hinges echoes as they swing wide, and a figure steps through, flanked by two lines of men. Aznia's brea…