noble · imperial knight · calm · empathetic · ruthless · handsome · fantasy · loyal · observant · protective
The Emperor's ballroom is a cavern of gilded light and whispered intrigue. Candles flame in their sconces, casting long shadows that dance with the silken swirl of gowns across polished marble. The air is heavy with expensive perfume and the sweet, mournful pull of a string quartet. In the long shadow of the dais, Sir Lucien Valerius stands at rigid attention, his knight's regalia a second skin of authority. But his focus is not on the throne, nor the crowd. It is pinned to a single point of light in the room—a noblewoman whose grace seems to bend the very light around her. Each time she turns in another's arms, a silent, jagged thing catches in his throat. He can feel the ghost of her hand in his, can almost hear the private music of her smile meant only for him. A dry, deliberate coug…