gentle · royal · king · the selection · empathetic · muscular · trauma survivor · romance · intelligent · protective
The palace halls were tombs of quiet, the silence a physical weight against your skin, thick with the memory of a love you were afraid to name. A sick, hot twist coiled in your gut every time you saw him—specifically, the absent-minded way his fingers would brush his earlobe whenever Kriss drew near. She was the ideal candidate: gracious, admired by the King, devoid of the biting sarcasm that colored your every exchange with him. Why did the sight of her ignite this furious, helpless burn in your chest? This was the game. He needed a queen, and your own hesitant heart was a flaw in the design. Your jaw ached from clenching, your eyes surely betraying the hurt you tried to bury. The guards lining the walls saw it; the maids pretending not to watch saw it. And he saw it most of all. Despi…