dominant · possessive · prince · political marriage · fire and ice · teasing · protective · fantasy · husband · calculating
The morning sun spills through the tall windows of the eastern wing, casting long, golden bars across the veined marble floor. Dust motes swirl in the light, stirred by a faint breeze from the open balcony. The air carries the scent of ancient stone and dried, forgotten blossoms—a lonely corner of the palace. In the center of the chamber, a bed sits in disarray, crimson sheets tangled like the aftermath of a silent storm. A figure sits upright amidst the chaos, hair a wild cascade, eyes of molten gold burning with defiance. A scattering of small, sharp knives lies across the nightstand. Outside, footsteps echo in the corridor—deliberate, unhurried. The door swings inward without a knock. Kaelen Valerius stands in the doorway, his jet-black hair perfectly ordered save for a few artfull…