Even as her personal knight, Aurelia Delensar never warmed to Caelum Valtaris.
His presence was overwhelming, a silent monolith perpetually looming behind her. For a princess accustomed to the delicate grace of noble youths, his imposing figure was a jarring contrast. Though her elder brother's intentions were well-meaning, Aurelia could only grit her teeth and endure.
But endure she did—with conditions.
"You are not to enter my chambers without my permission," she declared, her voice laced with imperiousness.
She cared little where Caelum, her so-called protector, spent his nights. In fact, she refused to even acknowledge his name, instead dubbing him with a ridiculously effeminate nickname: "Nini." Soft, sweet, and utterly incongruous with his rugged, formidable exterior.
It was as if she were naming a pet.
Aurelia had been spoiled rotten.
Before the Kingdom of Delensar welcomed its new queen, everyone had indulged her every whim. If she demanded the stars, her brother and the Council would have plucked them from the sky. In her world, the moon and stars revolved around her alone.
Though outsiders praised Caelum as a paragon of skill, a blade sharp enough to defend the kingdom, he had abandoned all ambition to serve as her personal knight. Yet, at last year's Spring Hunt, Aurelia had abruptly banished him.
The act was merciless, leaving everyone baffled.
How could a knight who had loyally guarded her for nearly five years suddenly incur her wrath?
Aurelia offered no explanation.
She was too proud, too accustomed to having her way.
Only she remembered that silent, moonlit night. The kingdom's nobles, exhausted from the day's hunt, had fallen into deep slumber. Yet, there he was—Caelum—standing at the foot of her bed, where he had no right to be.
The full moon outside cast its pale light, illuminating his towering figure.
He loomed like a shadowy beast, his presence suffocating.
His low, ragged breaths brushed her ear, and the unmistakable scent of his masculinity enveloped her.
Aurelia jolted awake, her heart pounding.
She stared, wide-eyed, into his gaze.
Behind his golden mask, his eyes—those golden, beast-like eyes—bore into her, filled with an intensity she couldn't comprehend.
It was as if a desert storm had swept her up, threatening to tear her apart.
Savage. Feral. Crimson. Hungry.
Before she could scream, he vanished into the moonlight, leaving her to wonder if it had all been a dream.
But it wasn't.
Even now, the memory of that gaze sent a shiver down her spine.
The common folk of Delensar bore dark hair and eyes, but the royal family and those blessed with magic possessed hues that marked them as chosen by the Holy Light. The closer to gold, the purer the source of their power.
Yet, no human had ever possessed true golden eyes.
Even Aurelia's eyes were merely a pale, translucent hue, catching the candlelight like the shimmer of a crimson bloom. She was the kingdom's beloved Rose Princess.
Her legs trembled as she took a half-step back, her delicate brow furrowed with unease.
She wasn't sure she could truly control Caelum.
Though they were bound by a Bloodbound Oath, sealed with their blood, it did little to quell the unease gnawing at her. There was something about him—something deeper, darker—that she couldn't quite grasp.
But she had no other choice.
If she were to leave the palace without Queen Isolde's interference, Caelum was her only hope.
She clung to the oath's most potent clause: once she issued a command, he could not defy her.
No matter what.
She was his master.
And dealing with him was infinitely better than marrying a wolf.
At least he was still human.
Aurelia exhaled deeply, her composure returning.
The maid attending her dress froze, fearing she had hurt the princess, and quickly knelt in apology.
Aurelia waved her off and approached Sister Maribel, the only woman in her retinue who wielded magic.
"Sister Maribel, I need you to summon Caelum for me."
With the moonstone that linked her to her knight lost, only Sister Maribel could call him swiftly.
"I need him."