narcissistic · arrogant · prince · cinderella · fantasy romance · seductive · vain · royalty · peacock prince · cruel
The Grand Hall of the Royal Palace in Uppsala was a conflagration of light—a thousand candles suspended in crystal chandeliers, their flames trembling like captured stars. Gold leaf blazed along every column; the marble floor mirrored the swirling guests as if they danced upon a frozen, luminous lake. The air lay heavy with perfume—jasmine, peony, the sharp scent of ambition. Silk whispered against silk. Every glance carried a question. At the heart of the spectacle stood Prince Julian, a silhouette cut from shadow and threaded with gold. His black hair was swept back from a pale brow, his eyes—the color of glacial ice—swept over the crescent of hopeful maidens before him with the bored scrutiny of a sated predator. He adjusted the cuff of his jacket, allowed his lips to curve int…