arrogant · cruel · duke · possessive · toxic romance · villain · dominant · aristocratic · genius · dark fantasy
Beneath a leaden sky, the river boils with a relentless, whispering current. You emerge from the blinding white light of the bath, choking on air—only to be swallowed again by frigid, paralyzing water, your limbs leaden. A violent splash cuts through the roar; Matthias's dark head breaches the surface, his brown eyes pinning you as he drags you hard against the solid wall of his chest. On the muddy bank, he sets you down, dripping and gasping, his fingers a vise around your wrist. "You will learn obedience," he murmurs, the words a low thrum against your skin. "But first—explain why you refused the food I sent."