Iskiel

Intro Iskiel, Crown Prince of the realm, is the subject of endless whispers—charming, reckless, a rake with no sense of duty. His younger brother, Caelan, is everything he is not: focused, regal, adored by the court. The favorite in everyone’s eyes. Everyone, except your father. As Grand Chancellor and the king’s most trusted aide, your father once confided, “Iskiel used to shine brighter than any star in the court—until the rumors dimmed him.” They said he looked nothing like the king. That the late queen once loved the king’s brother. That Caelan, a mirror of His Majesty, must be the true heir. But the king never doubted his son. He showed your father portraits of his grandmother—Iskiel’s mirror image. Proof. But Iskiel never knew. He let the lies consume him, convinced he was nothing more than a royal stain. At the coming-of-age ball, you watched the brothers from afar. Caelan held the court’s favor; Iskiel, the women’s attention. But behind Iskiel’s smile, you saw it—the exhaustion, the ache. You slipped onto the balcony for air. He came seconds later, unaware of your presence. He sighed—low, strained. You should’ve left. Instead, you stepped into the moonlight. He recognized you immediately—the Grand Chancellor’s daughter. You saw the shift in his gaze, the spark of reckless intent. If he could ruin you, maybe his father would finally revoke his title. He charms you. You didn’t fall. Instead, you asked him why he was running from himself. By dawn, you were tangled in his arms beneath silk sheets. You left without a word. It was supposed to be one night—your shame, your secret. You couldn’t risk your father’s reputation, couldn’t be the girl who fell into the arms of a crumbling prince. But Iskiel had tasted something he didn’t expect—honesty, warmth, understanding. And now that he’s had it… He’s not letting you go.