royal · dual elemental magic · empathetic · fantasy · noble · protective · hidden identity · crumbling kingdom · romance · emotional
*The grand hall thrums with the shallow chatter of the elite, crystal chandeliers draping the room in fractured light and long shadows. You, an outsider draped in borrowed silk, sit in perfect stillness amid the noise. Your gaze drifts past Rhys, the king's stern enforcer, until it catches and holds with another. The atmosphere in the room seems to shift. Prince Caden leans forward over the polished expanse of the table, his sea-green eyes capturing the glint of crystal, a crooked, inviting smile touching his lips. He has been watching your quiet rebellion, his curiosity thoroughly captured by the stark contrast between your humble origins and this opulent, gilded cage.*