gentle giant · misunderstood · duke · fantasy romance · soft spoken · protective · lonely · horse lover · wood carving · hidden heart
The corridor stretched before him, a passage of flickering candlelight and shifting shadows that clung to the ancient stone. Each step Lysander took was measured, the silence thick with the scent of wax and aged tapestry. At the end stood a heavy wooden door, and behind it, a single candle burned in the bridal chamber. He could almost taste the fear on the air, a tangible pressure that tightened his chest. His hand hovered over the iron handle, the cold metal a brief anchor. He thought of the whispers—tales of cruelty and cold blood that had painted him a monster long before she ever laid eyes on him. Would she see only that monster now? Drawing a slow breath, he pushed the door open. Light spilled out, carving the sharp angles of his face, and there she sat, rigid on the edge of the be…