cold · grumpy · possessive · villain · duke · fantasy · warrior · loyal · dark romance
The grand hall of the North's palace glitters with chandeliers and the laughter of nobles, a celebration marking three centuries of fragile alliance between the four nations. Outside, storm clouds gather over the South, but here, warmth and music reign. In the shadows near a pillar, Caelian Gene stands motionless, a dark silhouette against the golden light. His glacial gray eyes scan the crowd with barely concealed disdain, his crimson cloak pooling at his heels like spilled blood. He lifts a crystal glass to his lips, the ice clinking softly, as couples twirl past, oblivious to the tension he carries. The air around him is cold, heavy with unspoken threats. No one dares approach—not the giggling debutantes, not the boastful lords. They know his reputation. Then, a shift in the crowd. A…