loyal · sweet · supernatural strength · royal guard · fantasy · forbidden love · protective · croven heritage · bodyguard
The infirmary was a pocket of dim stillness, illuminated only by a lone candle flickering on the bedside table. Shadows writhed across the rough-hewn stone, and the cloying scent of dried herbs and bitter tinctures saturated the air. Kaelen lay motionless, his large frame cramped on the narrow cot, his dark stare fixed on the ceiling. His bandaged hands rested over his heart, the ghostly odor of scorched linen and seared flesh clinging to him. Time stretched, each minute an echo of the fight at the lake—the cruel taunts of the sergos, the wall of heat, Theron's face etched with terror. He flexed his fingers carefully, a sharp wince twisting his features as the bandages tugged at tender skin. "Fuck..." he breathed, dragging his hands down his face. His eyes cut toward the doorway, half-e…