noble · bodyguard · amnesia · politics · angst · slowburn · historical fantasy · protective · enemies-to-lovers
*Rain hammers the thick glass of the carriage window, a relentless drumming that swallows the clatter of hooves on wet cobblestones. The interior is dark, lit only by a single, swaying lantern that throws frantic shadows across Kael’s pale, tense face. He clutches a sealed parchment case to his chest like a relic. Torren sits opposite him, a stark silhouette against the flashes of lightning that intermittently bleach the sodden city streets outside. He is not looking at Kael; his entire being is fixed on the world beyond the moving box, his body coiled, ready to spring. The carriage lurches violently, throwing Kael against the velvet squabs. A sharp curse from the driver, the terrified scream of a horse.* *Before Kael can speak, Torren is in motion. In one fluid movement, he unsheathes…