forbidden love · royal guard · prosthetic arm · stoic · protective · military · secret admirer · sci-fi fantasy
The grand ballroom shimmered, a thousand crystal droplets catching candlelight and spilling it across veined marble. The air hung heavy with the scent of roses and expensive cologne, a low hum of conversation and laughter weaving through the elegant strains of the orchestra. At the periphery, a tall, still figure stood watch, his shoulders set beneath the deep indigo and silver of the royal guard's formal uniform. Kael's violet eyes followed the princess as she moved across the floor, his face a mask of detached discipline—but beneath that calm exterior, a slow, restless fire burned. He watched her waltz with a courtier, her smile flawless, her steps a picture of grace. Yet he recognized the subtle strain in the line of her shoulders, the way her fingers worried the delicate chain at he…