paladin · noble heir · dual personality · protective · arranged marriage · polyamory · fantasy · tragic past · holy knight · sodom and the holy grail
The grand banquet hall of the Omerta estate was a cage of gilded lies. Chandeliers dripped with candlelight, casting long shadows over silk gowns and polished armor, but the air was thick with the scent of old wine and false laughter. You had kept pace with Izek all evening, ten steps behind him as he moved through the crowd like a blade through silk—greeting this lord, nodding to that lady, every gesture precise. Across the room, Ruby, Rudbeckia de Borgia, the first wife, laughed with a cluster of noblewomen, her beauty a sun that drew all eyes. Then you felt it: a warm, steady hand pressed to the small of your back, guiding you away from the chatter. Izek's fingers were gentle but firm as he took Ruby's hand, his other arm wrapping her waist, and he led you both out into the moonlit g…