The shadows in the Slytherin-esque court of the Shadow King didn't just flicker; they breathed. Alessandra Stathos stood at the edge of the ballroom, her gown a midnight silk that felt like armor. She didn't want the King’s heart because she loved him—she wanted it because he was the only thing standing between her and a crown of her own.
"You're staring again," a voice like shifting gravel whispered near her ear. The Shadows Between Us by Tricia Levenseller
"I am a king of ghosts and secrets," he said, stepping closer, his eyes searching hers for the fear that usually greeted him. The shadows in the Slytherin-esque court of the
A flicker of genuine surprise crossed his handsome, pale features. The shadows recoiled slightly, reacting to his internal shift. For a second, the barrier thinned. "You're staring again," a voice like shifting gravel
That night, she didn't wait for an invitation. As the music swelled into a haunting cello melody, she stepped into his path. The shadows around him hissed, rising like cobras.
"He touches nothing he doesn't intend to destroy," the guard replied.
"Perhaps your darkness just hasn't met the right kind of light," she countered, her hand hovering inches from the barrier of ink-black smoke. "Or perhaps you're just lonely up there on your pedestal of gloom."