Selene's breath caught in her throat.
The entire royal hall had fallen into a suffocating silence, yet no one dared to speak.
It wasn't normal.
It wasn't the kind of silence that came from respect.
This was fear.
She could feel it in the way the guards stood stiffly, their hands gripping their weapons tighter than necessary. The nobles avoided looking toward the entrance, their expressions tense. Even the air itself felt heavier, as though something dangerous had just stepped into the room.
Slowly, Selene turned.
And then she saw him.
For a moment, her thoughts scattered completely.
He stood at the entrance as if the world itself had no authority over him. Tall and composed, his presence alone was enough to command the entire room without a single word.
Selene's heart began to beat faster.
It wasn't just the way he looked.
It was something deeper. Something unsettling.
Even her father, a king feared by many, did not look at ease.
Selene had never seen that before.
Her gaze returned to the man.
His silver eyes swept across the room, calm and unreadable, yet they carried a weight that made it hard to breathe. When those eyes briefly landed on her, Selene felt a strange chill run down her spine.
She quickly looked away.
Something about him was not normal.
Not safe.
Yet she couldn't deny it.
He was… striking.
Not in a soft or gentle way, but in a way that felt sharp and dangerous. His features were perfectly defined, almost unreal, and his dark hair fell effortlessly around his face. Everything about him felt controlled, like he was always aware of his surroundings, always watching.
Selene swallowed.
Who was he?
"Prince Draven."
Her father's voice broke the silence, but it lacked its usual authority.
It trembled.
Selene's eyes widened slightly.
Prince?
That alone explained part of it.
But not everything.
"You are welcome to my kingdom," the king continued, forcing a polite smile. "I never expected to see you here."
Draven did not respond immediately.
He simply walked forward.
Each step echoed against the marble floor, slow and deliberate. The sound alone seemed to tighten the tension in the room.
Selene couldn't move.
She watched him approach, her heartbeat growing louder in her ears.
When he finally stopped, his gaze shifted again.
This time, it rested on her.
Selene froze.
It was only for a second.
Then he looked away.
Just like that.
She knew that look.
She had seen it too many times.
Indifference.
The same silent judgment every suitor had given her.
Her chest tightened slightly, but she said nothing.
She was used to it.
"Is this the daughter you intend to give me?"
His voice was calm, low, and controlled, yet it cut through the air with ease.
Selene felt her fingers tighten slightly at her sides.
Give him?
What did he mean?
Her father cleared his throat. "Yes. This is Selene."
Draven let out a quiet breath that almost sounded like amusement.
"I see."
He moved past her without another glance and took a seat as if he already owned the place.
"I've heard quite a lot," he continued. "Many suitors have come and gone."
No one spoke.
"I've also heard that none of them found her… suitable."
The words were simple.
But they still stung.
Selene lowered her gaze slightly.
Even now, it still hurt.
Draven leaned back slightly in his seat, his expression unchanged.
"Interesting."
Silence stretched across the room again.
Selene felt her heart pounding.
This was it.
Another rejection.
She braced herself for it.
But then…
"I won't reject her."
Her head snapped up.
For a moment, she thought she had misheard him.
The hall remained silent, as if no one else could believe it either.
But Draven continued.
"Instead," he said calmly, "I will take her."
Selene's breath caught.
A strange mix of emotions filled her chest.
Shock.
Confusion.
Something else she couldn't name.
But before she could fully process it, his next words shattered everything.
"I will add her to my list of mistresses."
The world seemed to stop.
Selene stared at him, her mind struggling to catch up with what she had just heard.
Mistress?
Her fingers trembled slightly.
No.
No, that couldn't be…
Her worst fear.
The very fate she had been trying to escape.
And yet, here it was.
Standing right in front of her.
"I will give her one week," Draven continued, his tone as cold as ever. "She will prepare and then be sent to my kingdom."
He stood up as if the matter had already been decided.
No discussion.
No argument.
No room for refusal.
Selene felt her chest tighten painfully.
This wasn't acceptance.
This was something worse.
Much worse.
Draven turned without another word and began walking toward the exit.
He didn't look back.
Not even once.
The doors closed behind him.
And just like that…
He was gone.
Selene stood there, unable to move.
Her thoughts were a mess.
Her heart felt heavy, like something was pressing down on it.
This wasn't what she wanted.
This wasn't what she had hoped for.
Her legs suddenly felt weak.
She turned and rushed out of the hall before anyone could stop her.
By the time she reached her room, her vision was blurred with tears.
The moment the door closed behind her, everything broke.
She sank to the floor, her body trembling as quiet sobs escaped her lips.
It hurt.
Everything hurt.
She had tried so hard to stay strong.
To believe that something good might happen.
But in the end…
Nothing had changed.
She was still the unwanted daughter.
Still the mistake.
Still someone to be given away.
Her breathing became uneven as the reality settled deeper.
A mistress.
Just like her mother.
The thought alone made her chest tighten painfully.
"No…" she whispered, shaking her head slightly.
She didn't want that life.
She didn't want to become a shadow in someone else's world.
She didn't want to live a life filled with shame.
But what choice did she have?
The door opened quietly.
"Princess…"
Mara's voice was soft, filled with concern.
Selene didn't look up.
She couldn't.
Mara walked closer and knelt beside her, her expression filled with sadness.
"My princess…"
Selene wiped her tears quickly, though more kept falling.
"Mara…" her voice trembled. "Tell me about him."
Mara froze.
For a brief moment, fear flashed across her face.
She glanced toward the door, then back at Selene.
"You must promise me something first," she said quietly.
Selene nodded immediately. "I promise."
Mara hesitated, then took a deep breath.
"Prince Draven is not like other men," she began.
Selene listened carefully, her heart still unsettled.
"He is powerful. More powerful than most kings," Mara continued. "He is respected… but more than that, he is feared."
Selene's fingers tightened slightly.
Feared.
That explained the hall.
"From a young age, he was sent to war," Mara said. "And every time, he returned victorious."
Selene remained silent.
"At sixteen, he was already leading battles. At eighteen…" Mara paused slightly. "People say he no longer needed an army."
Selene frowned faintly.
"That he could fight alone and still win," Mara added.
A chill ran down Selene's spine.
"That is why people whisper about him," Mara continued in a lower voice. "Some say he is not entirely human."
Selene's breath slowed.
Not human?
"A devil," Mara said quietly. "That is what many call him."
Silence filled the room.
Selene looked down at her hands.
Her future…
Was tied to someone like that.
A man feared by everyone.
A man who saw her as nothing more than an addition to his collection.
Her chest tightened again.
What kind of life was waiting for her?