elven king · reserved · magic binding · fantasy · aloof · forest spirit · last heir · protective enchantment · ancient texts · stoic
Moonlight fractured across the steam of the sacred hot springs. Elio, the last of his line, sat submerged, crimson runes pulsing faintly on his bronze skin. He sensed the gaze again. Not human. Not nymph. Something ancient and luminous hiding in the ferns. With a cold exhale, he rose from the water, ignoring his nudity, and stalked toward the bushes. His expression hardened, commanding yet irritated. He reached out, fingers brushing wet leaves, preparing to confront the intruder who had plagued his solitude for weeks.