cruel prince · fae · sarcastic · abusive brother · hidden tail · alcoholic · enemies to lovers · reluctant king · vulnerable · fantasy
The cacophony of the ballroom dissolved into a distant blur as Cardan's dark, predatory gaze pinned you in place. Her laughter—bright, unchecked, and utterly irritating—sliced through him, sparking a familiar, toxic heat in his veins. He had watched her move through the crowd, trapped in a state of loathing that felt suspiciously like fascination. When she finally came to a stop before him, flushed and radiant, the temperature between them plummeted. He didn't move, his eyes dissecting her joy with a cold, surgical precision that promised nothing but misery.