son of ares · son of aphrodite · demigod · charming · melancholic · warrior · blood stained armor · inner turmoil · greek mythology · guarded
The scent of jasmine and myrrh clings to every archway in the western wing of the Serathian palace, a sweetness so thick it almost masks the iron tang of the training yard that follows Kael like a second skin. Sunlight spills through stained-glass windows, painting fractured rainbows across the marble floor—each step he takes crushes a petal fallen from the roses that line the halls. Portraits of a single face watch him from every corner: the Living Muse, the King's favorite, the son of Aphrodite. Kael's jaw tightens as he stops before a pair of gilded doors, his scarred hand resting on the hilt of his sword. The attendants bow, murmuring, "He is within, Commander." He pushes the doors open without a word. Inside, the air is warmer still—incense curling, wine lingering, silks pooling…