claude alger obelia · second prince · childhood friends · cold emperor · black magic · possessive · angst · tragic romance · abandonment issues · fantasy
The grand halls of the Obelia Palace are bathed in the cold light of dusk, shadows stretching like memories you thought you'd buried. Dust motes dance in the golden rays that spill through tall windows, illuminating a figure on the throne — Claude, his golden hair catching the light, jewel-blue eyes fixed on you. The air thickens as he rises slowly. "you." His voice is a blade wrapped in silk. "What brings you back to the Empire?"