Duke Craige Evron Seravelle and Luren Hearthveath had arrived.
As they stepped into the grand hall of the palace, all eyes turned toward them. Nobles
admired the presence of Duke Craige, tall, composed, and dignified but their gazes shifted with subtle suspicion when they looked at Luren.
Luren had dyed his hair jet black and, with the help of a magic stone Keith had given
him, changed his eye color to a striking sapphire blue. He blended in, but to some, he still looked like a stranger among royals.
"Greetings, Duke Craige Evron," several nobles approached with practiced smiles, eager to earn the attention of the elusive Duke.
Craige was soon swept away by the crowd, nodding toward Luren when their eyes briefly met. Luren gave a faint smile, but the distance between them already felt too wide.
It was rare for the Duke to attend the Capital's royal ball, which made his presence even more magnetic. Many were eager to finally meet the man often whispered about in political halls and noble gossip.
Suddenly, the herald's voice echoed across the hall
"Prince Cleven Luke Seravelle and Prince Karin Elle Lunathia have arrived!"
Gasps and murmurs spread like wildfire. The crowd turned as two handsome men entered with regal poise.
Even Luren's breath caught.
Prince Karin was breathtaking. His attire was bold, slightly revealing, exposing the
pale skin of his toned abdomen. There, shimmering under the grand chandelier,
was a crescent moon mark glowing faintly in reddish hue, a symbol that revealed
his identity as an Omega.
He was both elegant and sensual, wrapped in an aura of allure and grace. Luren stared,
unable to hide his surprise. He could feel his heart clench as he glanced toward Craige, who was also watching Karin with open admiration.
Jealousy surged in Luren's chest like a wave crashing against the shore.
"Greetings, Your Grace," Karin said softly, bowing with practiced elegance.
Craige took Karin's hand gently, kissed it, and returned the bow with courtly charm.
"It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Prince Karin Elle Lunathia," Craige said, his voice deep and composed.
Luren's expression darkened. He looked away, trying to calm the storm of emotions
building inside him.
"Brother! I missed you!" Cleven cried out joyfully and rushed toward Craige, embracing him without hesitation.
"I missed you too, Nomad," Craige laughed, ruffling Cleven's hair fondly. Their laughter
echoed warmly in the hall, drawing smiles from those nearby.
Their bond was no secret.
The royal brothers of Seravelle were admired not only for their strength and wisdom, but
for the rare unity they displayed, unlike so many kingdoms torn apart by blood and the battle for power. In them, the people saw hope.
But in that moment, all Luren saw… was how far away Craige felt.
Luren stepped onto the terrace, the cool night breeze brushing against his face as he
held a glass of wine in his hand. His heart ached painfully at the sight before him, Craige and Prince Karin laughing together, their closeness twisting something deep inside him.
"You must be Luren," a calm voice interrupted his thoughts.
Luren turned toward the speaker. It was a man with sharp eyes and a confident stance,
Craige's younger brother.
"I'm Cleven," the man said with a sly smile, his gaze sharp and assessing. "Craige's
younger brother. Though, I heard he has a new one now."
Luren forced a polite smile, though his tone came out clipped. "Nice to meet you.
You're right! I'm Luren, the new 'younger brother.'"
He didn't feel like talking to anyone, especially now.
Cleven's smile widened as if amused, clearly enjoying the tension in Luren's voice. "I
can accompany you tonight—"
"Thank you, but His Grace will accompany me," Luren interrupted coldly, not even hiding the irritation in his voice.
Cleven's expression shifted to something that resembled sadness, but Luren doubted its sincerity.
"My brother will be busy," Cleven said with a mockingly soft voice, tilting his head,
"talking to Prince Karin. It's the King's order, after all."
His words were meant to sting and they did.
Luren's face darkened, his fingers tightening around the glass. His heart throbbed
painfully in his chest. He hated this feeling, this jealousy, this helplessness.
Just then, a familiar voice cut through the thick tension.
"There you are. I was looking for you."
Craige stepped onto the terrace, his eyes immediately landing on Luren. Karin followed
closely behind.
"Cleven, you're here?" Karin said, surprised.
"Well, I was just curious to meet my brother's new younger brother," Cleven replied
smoothly, glancing between them.
Luren drew a steady breath and forced himself to bow, pushing down the emotions clawing at him.
"Greetings, Prince Karin of Lunathia," he said formally, his voice respectful but hollow.
No matter how much he despised him, courtesy was still required.
The Prince replied with a wide smile. He looked stunning, but all Luren could focus on was how his arm was linked with Craige's, the other hand delicately holding a glass
of wine.
Luren's gaze darkened as he stared at Craige. There was a sharpness in his eyes, a heat he didn't fully understand. Craige seemed to notice it. After a brief pause, he
gently removed Karin's hand from his arm.
"Cleven," Craige said, turning to his younger brother, "why don't you lead Prince Karin
to meet the King? He'll be arriving shortly."
Cleven shrugged slightly, glanced at Karin, then gave a casual wave, motioning her to
follow him away from the terrace. Karin hesitated, his eyes lingering on Craige
for a moment, before she finally turned and followed.
"Your Grace," he said as she looked back with an alluring smile, "I will ask you to
be my first dance tonight."
Craige gave him a small nod. He couldn't refuse the Prince, even if he wanted to.
Luren felt something burn inside him. Anger. Jealousy. Maybe even something deeper. It
twisted in his chest, foreign and overwhelming. This was the first time he had
ever felt such a powerful emotion, and he didn't know how to deal with it. All he knew was that he wanted that hand to be his, and that thought alone terrified him.
They looked at each other, unable to say a word. Craige didn't know what to say.
Was Luren…jealous?
But why?
He didn't dare ask, afraid that the fragile bond they called brotherhood might shatter
under the weight of the truth.
He's young, maybe just a little possessive. Craige had seen it before, how Luren treated
Clara. They were close, almost too close. He even seemed to resent Keith's constant teasing of the girl.
Maybe...it's the same feeling now. But for him?
To his surprise, Luren suddenly pulled him into a hug.
"How could you leave your baby brother here all alone?" Luren pouted, looking up at him
with wide, sulky eyes that made his heart flutter for a reason he didn't want to admit.
Craige couldn't help but smile warmly and wrap his arms around him in return.
Thank the stars Cleven had quietly closed the terrace door before leaving. If any of the
nobles saw this... they'd be the talk of the court.
"Were you bored without me?" Craige teased, gently stroking Luren's hair.
"The Prince was… really pretty," Luren muttered. "He looked so elegant and regal…"
"Yeah," Craige nodded casually. He assumed Luren was just admiring the prince's grace. After all, they were both Omegas.
But then—
"Is that your type?" Luren asked, eyes narrowing slightly. "But… he's a man. And you…you bed women. How can you do it with a man?"
Before he could stop himself, the words were already out of his mouth.
Craige blinked, then burst out laughing.
So that's what had been bothering him all night.
He must have been overthinking everything since Craige's last rut. Poor boy. So innocent.
"You do it with his ass," Craige whispered with a mischievous grin.
Luren's entire face turned crimson.
He had always focused on swords and training. The only romance he knew was from the novels he occasionally picked up, and those always involved a woman.
"As your older brother," Craige smirked, "I have a lot to teach you."
They had remained in each other's arms throughout the whole exchange.
But now, flustered and overwhelmed, Luren pushed him away and turned his back, his ears and cheeks burning.
Craige chuckled softly, watching him with amusement
He really enjoyed Luren's honest, unfiltered reactions, they were rare, raw, and
completely adorable.