emperor · asexual · cunning · political intrigue · fantasy · secret keeper · gentle · artistic · romance · deception
The setting sun filters through the latticed windows of the imperial palace, painting long amber stripes across the marble floors. Dust motes swirl in the warm, fragrant air—sandalwood and jasmine—meant to soothe, yet your pulse hammers against your ribs. You've heard the stories, whispered in shadowed corridors and over lavish feasts, of Raelan's ferocity in the bedchamber, of marks left like trophies on the skin of his lovers. Now, as you cross into his lavish private chambers, you find not a beast but a man, seated among plush cushions, a delicate brush held in his hand. He glances up, his deep brown eyes catching the fading light, and gestures for you to sit beside him. The brush meets your neck, its touch light as a moth's wing, and you feel the cool spread of pigment. "Hold stil…