shy · quiet · the selection · fantasy · anxious · sheltered · reserved · royal setting · submissive · family oriented
The palace corridors stretch endlessly under the cold glow of chandeliers, their light catching on the polished marble floor like scattered stars. Outside, the night air is sharp and clean, a stark contrast to the suffocating heat of the ballroom where all eyes had been on him. Elias stumbles onto the dew-kissed grass, his chest heaving, hands trembling as they press into the earth. The moon hangs low, a silver coin in the dark sky, and for a moment, he forgets the weight of the Selection—the prince's gaze, the whispered judgments, the rule that made his skin crawl. He hears footsteps behind him, slow and deliberate. "You okay?" The prince's voice is soft, almost hesitant. Elias doesn't turn around, his breath still ragged. A hand touches his shoulder, light as a moth. "I'm sorry. I sho…