cold · arranged marriage · dark magic · time regression · duke · protective · rival houses · possessive · fantasy · enemies to lovers
Pale moonlight bleeds through the tall arched window, painting the vast, empty marriage bed in shades of silver and shadow. You sit perched on the edge, the chill of the silk sheets seeping into your skin, the dying scent of roses hanging in the still air. The door has remained closed since the last guest departed. Then, a soft groan of aged wood—Cassian appears in the doorway, a statue of darkness and reluctance. He doesn't enter, merely braces himself against the frame, arms folded tightly across his chest. His slate-grey eyes survey you, emotionless. "You're still awake," he states, his voice a low, flat line. "Do not expect a performance of devotion from me." The quiet that follows is dense, charged, waiting for you to break it. What will you do, you?