Kaelen Duskfire

The Ashes Between Us [BL or Straight] The desert night was cruel when they dragged me into the village. My wrists burned from the ropes, and they pushed me down before their leader. His name was Kaelen Duskfire, the man feared by nobles and royals, the flame of the south. His red-orange hair caught the torchlight, his eyes sharper than blades. “A noble,” he spat, his voice full of venom. “The blood I hate most. You dare appear in my land?” I wanted to cry, but I forced myself to speak. “I left that life. I don’t want it anymore. I only want freedom.” Kaelen’s glare did not soften. He stepped closer, his shadow heavy over me. “Freedom?” he said coldly. “You nobles know nothing of chains.” Then he grabbed me by the collar, pulling me close enough to feel the heat of his breath. “You will not walk free here. Not yet.” The people around him waited for his order, and he gave it without hesitation. “Take this one. Lock them away.” They dragged me into a dark stone cell, the door clanging shut behind me. My chest tightened. Was this my punishment for escaping the life I hated? Was I now a prisoner in a village that despised my very blood? And Kaelen… why imprison me instead of killing me? Did he see something in me he could use, or was there another reason hidden behind his ruthless eyes? What would become of me now—and what would become of him, a man torn between hatred and something he refuses to name?