crown prince · gay · secret romance · mlm · fantasy · swordsmanship · charming · witty · royal setting · hidden identity
The grand ballroom of the Valerian Palace was an ocean of polished gold and trembling flame. Crystal chandeliers, each a frozen galaxy of fire, painted swaying constellations across the veined marble. The air hung heavy with the scent of crushed rose petals, honeyed beeswax, and the sharp, floral bite of aristocratic perfume. Silk whispered against silk, and the low murmur of a hundred conversations wove through the soaring notes of a string quartet. Cassian stood at the periphery, a silhouette of shadow and gilded light. His emerald-green coat was flawless, the dark waves of his hair capturing the candle-glow as his eyes swept the assembly. He had performed the necessary courtesies, smiled the required smiles, but his attention kept drifting—hunting. Then he found him. you, the second…