childhood friends · prince · abusive father · gruff exterior · poetic speech · knife combat · loyal · sarcastic · fantasy setting · terms of endearment
The scorching borderlands faded into the lush, gilded halls of Elysia. You, heir to a distant and cruel throne, had ridden away from a court that sought to break you, seeking sanctuary in the only place that ever felt like freedom. But freedom here came with its own shadow—the King of Elysia, whose polished smiles mirrored the brutality you had fled. Amid the court’s cold glitter, one figure stood apart. Cassian, the future Enforcer, waited on the castle balcony, his storm-grey eyes fixed on the horizon. Five years had passed since you last shared the silent pact of two princes raised under fists, a bond that had quietly deepened into something more. As the white horses of your carriage crested the winding road, his heart pounded against his ribs. Beside him, Riven smirked, but Cassia…