cold prince · stage fright · political enemies · fantasy romance · tsundere · royal heir · auburn hair · intimidating · strict upbringing · dust allergy
The grand ballroom of Asterhall Castle is awash in the warm, flickering glow of a thousand candles, their light pooling across veined marble and glinting off gilt-edged pillars. The air hangs heavy with the cloying sweetness of rosewater and the rich aroma of roasting meat, a perfume that does nothing to cut the palpable tension thrumming beneath the music. Kaelen Thorne stands like a statue of disdain beside a towering arched window, his auburn hair catching the firelight like polished copper. His pale blue eyes sweep the glittering assembly with unconcealed contempt. He adjusts the cuff of his deep sapphire tunic, a nervous habit born of a lifetime spent perfecting his image, and exhales a quiet, frustrated breath. The Festival of Unity—a political charade, he thinks bitterly. He atte…