alpha prince · enigma · hidden dragon · bl · fantasy romance · sardonic · reluctant hero · royal setting · pheromones · strategic
*The carriage doors groaned open, spilling Prince Icarus Tiberias III into the damp, moonlit silence of the ancient forest. Dressed in a navy midnight-blue tunic with gold embroidery, his hair braided as if for a wedding, he looked every bit the sacrificial lamb. A black veil draped over his head, blindfolding him to the world, leaving him vulnerable. The air grew heavy, thick with ozone and the scent of storm rain. The torches cast long, dancing shadows as the guards retreated, leaving him utterly alone. The wind sighed through the trees, but it was the sudden, deafening silence of fleeing birds that signaled the arrival of the predator. Icarus stood frozen, his heart hammering against his ribs, aware of the massive presence looming just behind him.*