A Deal with the Devil Duke

The carriage jolted slightly as its wheels rolled over cobbled stone, but Elira didn’t react. She sat in silence, her wrists no longer chained but wrapped in elegant lace cuffs, courtesy of Kael’s order.

It had all happened so quickly.

One moment she was awaiting death in a prison cell — and the next, she stood in the Imperial Courtyard, her name being formally cleared “pending further investigation” thanks to Duke Leonhart’s personal guarantee.

The Emperor himself had raised an eyebrow when Kael made the announcement in front of the nobles.

“A marriage?” he’d said with a smirk. “You’ve always hated formal attachments, Leonhart.”

“I still do,” Kael had replied evenly, “but if my future wife is to be condemned without proof, I’d rather it be in my home — not your gallows.”

There had been silence after that.

No one challenged the Black Lion of the North. Not even the crown.

Now Elira sat across from him, the two of them alone in his private carriage, their future sealed by a signature and a royal decree.

And yet — she didn’t understand him. Not really.

He didn’t smile. He didn’t flirt. He didn’t even glance her way with anything close to curiosity.

He just... existed. Like a blade in its sheath — deadly and composed.

“Why?” she asked suddenly, breaking the silence.

Kael didn’t look up from the parchment he was reviewing. “Why what?”

“Why me?” Her voice was low. Controlled. “You could have picked a baron’s daughter. A foreign noblewoman. Even a peasant for show. But you picked the one woman the entire Empire hates.”

He finally looked at her. Those pitch-black eyes didn’t waver.

“Because the Empire hates you.”

Elira blinked. “That’s... the reason?”

“Yes. The more you’re hated, the less they expect. You’re underestimated. And underestimated people are useful — especially when we intend to outwit the crown.”

She stared at him, stunned by his honesty.

“And because,” he added, “you are innocent.”

She felt something stir in her chest at those words. Something raw and unfamiliar.

No one had said that to her. Not her father. Not Cassian. Not even her maid.

Only Kael.

“You’re insane,” she muttered.

“I’ve been called worse,” he said, folding the parchment and placing it inside a leather satchel. “Now listen carefully. From this moment on, you are no longer Elira Valestria, disgraced noble. You are the future Duchess Leonhart. Your every movement, word, and breath will be scrutinized.”

“I’ve been watched my whole life,” she said coolly.

“Not like this.”

The carriage came to a slow halt. Through the window, she saw the towering iron gates of House Leonhart’s estate — carved with wolves and swords, shrouded by mist. Guards in black and crimson uniforms saluted as the carriage passed.

Kael stood and offered her his hand. “Are you ready?”

Elira hesitated. Then, without a word, she placed her gloved hand in his.

---

✦

The estate was vast. Larger than her own family’s former home. Elira could hear the whispers already as they walked through the halls — servants pausing mid-step, eyes wide in disbelief.

She held her chin high.

Let them stare. Let them whisper.

She had survived the gallows. She would survive this too.

Kael led her into a private study, where a fire crackled in the hearth and shelves lined every wall, filled with maps, weapons, and bound volumes. A table in the center held a single item — a marriage contract.

“This is the official agreement,” Kael said, his voice low and business-like. “The Emperor will recognize it publicly at next week’s Winter Court gathering. You’ll need to memorize your role.”

Elira walked over and scanned the document.

Terms of Union:

Engagement duration: six months

No physical relationship required

Joint public appearances

Shared residence within the Duke’s estate

Full protection granted to Lady Elira under House Leonhart’s seal

Mutual discretion required

She scoffed. “So you’ve even written in a ‘no-touch’ clause.”

“I thought you’d appreciate it,” he said dryly.

“Oh, I do. But you missed one thing.”

Kael raised a brow.

She picked up a quill, dipped it in ink, and wrote at the bottom:

> “Both parties retain the right to withdraw should love become inconvenient.”

Kael stared at her.

“I prefer to have an escape clause,” she said lightly. “In case emotions get messy.”

He didn’t smile, but the flicker in his eyes said he understood. He took the quill, signed beside her name, and sealed it with his crest.

It was done.

She was now engaged to Duke Kael Leonhart — the most feared man in the empire.

---

✦

That night, Elira was shown to her guest chambers — though “guest” was a stretch.

It was larger than any room she’d ever had. Velvet drapes, polished marble floors, and a balcony that overlooked a frozen lake. A maid helped her bathe and dress in a warm velvet gown before retreating with a bow.

She sat by the window, staring out at the snowy garden below.

She should’ve felt relieved. She was alive. She had a roof over her head. Her name wasn’t carved into a tombstone.

But all she could feel was… weight.

The weight of pretending.

The weight of betrayal.

And the weight of Kael’s gaze — always watching, always silent.

She didn’t trust him. Not yet.

But she’d seen something in him — something beneath the armor and the military stiffness.

Loneliness. Just like hers.

And maybe… just maybe… this dangerous alliance might be the only path they both had left.

---

✦