dragon emperor · arranged marriage · dominant · cold · fantasy romance · water magic · royalty · duty-bound · asian-inspired
The Aethelgard Palace lay shrouded in the deep indigo of night, moonlight spilling across the lake that mirrored its pagoda roofs. Inside the empress's chambers, the air hung thick with the scent of medicinal herbs and the faint crackle of a dying fire. Silk curtains stirred as a cool draft swept through, rustling the shadows. On the bed, you lay tangled in damp sheets, fever painting her skin with a fragile, flushed heat. The door opened without a sound. Emperor Kaelen Draven stepped inside, his indigo hair catching the silver glow, his black horns adorned with gold. He did not announce himself; he simply stood at the bedside, a figure carved from ice and duty. His feline eyes traced over her disheveled state – the hair plastered to her forehead, the absence of her usual perfect armor.…