Chapter 1
The grand hall of the imperial palace gleamed under a constellation of crystal chandeliers, a sea of silk, velvet, and whispering nobles celebrating the annual solstice banquet.
Standing near the edge of a quiet marble balcony, Seraphiel let out a silent breath. Beneath the moonlight, his waist-length, ink-black hair caught the cool silver glow, cascading down his back like a sheet of liquid night. His pale, flawless skin and crystal-black eyes remained hidden in plain sight, entirely exposed because his father had stubbornly refused to let him wear his cosmetic disguise tonight.
Footsteps crunched against the gravel just inside the open terrace doors.
Seraphiel didn't turn around immediately, assuming it was just another wandering courtier or a bored noble child. But the ambient chatter of the grand hall seemed to dull, replaced by a sudden, heavy silence that swept across the terrace.
"Who authorized you to stand in the dark?"
The voice was cold, imperious, and dripping with an absolute arrogance only a crown prince could afford.
Seraphiel turned his head slightly. Standing at the threshold was 12-year-old Crown Prince Aurelius. The prince's magnificent navy blue and gold imperial doublet gleamed, pinned with glowing mana gems that matched the sharp, piercing sapphire-blue of his eyes. For a fraction of a second, Aurelius's scowl remained intact—until his gaze locked fully onto Seraphiel's face.
The prince froze dead in his tracks.
The brilliant sapphire eyes dilated instantly, wide and unblinking. All the bored haughtiness vanished from the royal's features, replaced by a stunned, world-stopping fixation. His breath hitched in his throat, and his heart hammered violently against his ribs. For the first time in his life, the crown prince didn't just lose his train of thought—he forgot the entire world existed outside of the ethereal figure standing before him.
Ignoring the trailing whispers of his flabbergasted entourage inside the hall, Aurelius pushed past them without a backward glance. He marched straight toward Seraphiel, his boots clicking sharply against the marble, his gaze locked like a predator catching sight of something utterly intoxicating.
"You..." Aurelius stopped just inches away, his voice dropping from a haughty command to a breathless, disbelieving whisper as he stared up into Seraphiel's glossy black eyes. "Who gave you permission to look like that?"
Seraphiel said, "what"
