After Valerian left his chambers, the doors shut behind him with a quiet finality that echoed faintly down the corridor.
For a brief moment, the world beyond that room seemed to hold its breath. He ran his hands through his blonde hair and exhaled.
Last night had meant a lot to him. It made him come to terms with his feelings for Aurelia, and at the thought of another man's hands on her....his face clouded in anger.
After standing in front of his door for a while, then—He moved.
Valerian strode through the palace halls like a storm given form, his steps measured, unhurried, yet heavy with a force that bent the very air around him.
He was a towering figure, tall and broad-shouldered, his frame built like a warrior carved from steel and tempered in battle.
Every line of his body spoke of strength—of power barely restrained beneath the surface. His presence was not simply noticed.....It was felt.
