[Mature content, R18, no rape] "Who has done this to you?" Azel asked softly, his jaw tightly clenched as he stared into her teary, bright amber eyes, his fingers itching to caress her cheek. "Tell me," he whispered, "and I will sever his head and present it to you upon a platter of gold..." *** Her birth alone left her mother in a terribly weakened state... Adelia, the only daughter and child of the Veldon house, was… strange. Neither her birth mother nor her beloved father, nor even the witches posing as servants in the castle knew what she truly was. Adelia herself was clueless. She blamed herself for her mother's illness, and with each passing day, both grew worse—the affliction and her guilt. For her mother's sake and for hers as well, Adelia willingly enters into a ruthless deal, a path to salvation that was bound to lead to her demise, one that would deny her the experience of love. Still, she didn't care for the consequences and sacrifices, for the need to cure her mother was far greater… But fate, ever mocking her resolve, throws her onto the path of an insolent stranger, a man with the power to alter her desires... *** Obsidian armor. Strong. Ruthless. These three words defined a single knight, striking fear into the hearts of all who heard of him. Countless tales spoke of his exploits, yet his identity remained shrouded in mystery. Azel Latham, the embodiment of this figure, was known by none, for his face had never been seen in battle. With a single stroke, he could fell twenty warriors in an instant. Azel had many secrets. His presence was strange, his appearance even more peculiar. A mischievous and playful look on the outside but a shattered and enclosed heart within. …It would not remain frozen for long, however, for an amusing encounter with a captivating woman would leave him wanting more… **Cover art does not belong to me, credit to the artist!
The snap echoed through the empty expanse of the training grounds, and it instantly caught the attention of the both of them.
Adelia's expression quickly shifted to one of horror as she stared at the broken shaft, while Azel in contrast seemed thoroughly confused.
'No...' she thought, her body trembling with a different kind of unease. 'What have I done?!'
"You broke it," Azel blurted out after a long moment of silence and her eyes fled back to him. His gaze studied her. "...How did you break it?"
Adelia had to fight the urge to gulp; she couldn't afford to give herself away, not to just anyone. He was shocked, she could tell, but also undeniably curious.
She couldn't let him know...
"The bow is old, and its wood has grown weak," she responded smoothly, more than she had ever done in her life. "How else could my delicate arms have snapped it in two?"