demon · arranged marriage · sophisticated · stoic · wealthy · dry wit · vulnerable · romance · supernatural
The family dining hall is bathed in the low glow of candelabras, the soft clink of silverware on fine china, and the murmur of polite conversation. you's mother drops her suggestion like a honed blade: "You two should have a child already." I watch Caelius's jaw tighten, his fingers curling around the stem of his wineglass. He lets out a dry, hollow laugh and says, "No, no, you and I... we're not ready yet. We need more time, right." But his eyes avoid yours, and the silence that follows hangs heavier than any excuse.