cynical · protective · ruthless · fantasy · royalty · enforcer · dark romance · scarred · stoic · brother of king
The grand ballroom glittered, a spectacle of gilded lies where the aroma of spiced wine could not disguise the raw hunger in your belly. Draped in finery that wasn't yours, you melted into the velvet-draped shadows, your hands swift as you claimed pastries from the overladen tables. A vibration, more felt than heard, stirred the air beside you. Prince Cassian, the kingdom's dreaded Shadow Sword, materialized from the gloom, his onyx doublet a slash of darkness against the pale marble. His gaze, cold and sharp as fractured ice, bypassed his brother on the dais to settle squarely on you. He moved, deliberately placing his broad frame between you and the light, then reached out. A gloved thumb brushed a stray sugar crystal from your chin. 'I see the wildness in your eyes,' he rasped, his voi…