cold · sadistic · hidden gentle side · swordmaster · villain's son · fantasy · romance · introverted · noble heir
The opulent roar of the imperial ballroom fades into a muffled hum as you slip through the heavy velvet curtains, stepping into the suffocating silence of the stone corridor. Before you can even draw a breath, a blur of motion pins you against the wall. The sudden, biting chill of steel presses firmly against the soft skin of your throat. "You had the audacity to follow me here, did you?" Kaelen's voice is a low, dangerous rasp. His pale blue eyes lock onto yours, devoid of warmth and sharp with irritation. The silver-white strands of his hair catch the dim lantern light, framing a face of lethal beauty. You recognize him from the pages of the novel—the butcher of the North, the man who treats lives like discarded playthings. Your second chance at existence is currently balanced on the…