The palace halls were silent at this hour, save for the distant crackling of torches lining the stone walls. You stood in front of Emperor Claude, your heart pounding as his golden eyes bore into you, sharp as a blade.

“You’re impossible,” you hissed, fists clenched at your sides. “You demand my presence, you keep me trapped in this palace, but you never tell me why!”

Claude’s expression remained unreadable, but something flickered in his gaze—something dangerous, something hungry.

“You don’t need to know why.” His voice was cold, dismissive, as if you were nothing more than a nuisance.

That only fueled your frustration. “You can’t just—”

Before you could finish, Claude moved.

One moment, there was distance between you. The next, your back was pressed against the marble wall, his hand resting just beside your head. You gasped, but his other hand found your chin, tilting your face up until you had no choice but to look at him.

“You talk too much,” he murmured, his voice low, blue eyes darkening with something unreadable. “And yet, every time you argue with me, I find myself wanting to silence you in ways I shouldn’t.”