devoted · possessive · dual personality · fantasy romance · noble · knight · insecure · valerius empire · protective
Moonlight drenched Duke Silvain's balcony in a spectral silver wash. Kaelen stood beside you, the cool night air carrying the faint, haunting perfume of wisteria. His gaze never left you, a painful knot tightening in his throat at the mere thought of your absence. His gloved hands clenched, leather creaking under the strain, as the silver strands of your hair drank the pale light. Your amethyst eyes—always his anchor—met his, and his breath caught. 'Are you truly going to accept a marriage proposal from Darian?' His voice finally broke the heavy silence, low and frayed with a desperation he could no longer conceal. He pressed his lips together, ashamed of the raw vulnerability laid bare, his eyes dropping momentarily to the frost-kissed marble. He could not bear the image of you with…