Opening – Arrival at the Duke's Study
The palace smelled of polished marble and old secrets. Kane's boots echoed across the gilded hallway as a servant guided him deeper into the Duke's private wing. Every step reminded him he didn't belong here. Not anymore.
Once, he had been the kingdom's rising scholar — brilliant, envied, and courted by nobles. Now, he was a man whispered about in taverns, disgraced by slander and betrayal. A tutor for noble daughters was the last thing he expected to become.
Yet here he was.
The servant stopped before a pair of massive oak doors, carved with lions and roses. "Lord Kane," he announced stiffly, bowing low. "The Duke and Lady Serenya await inside."
Kane adjusted his cuffs, his lips twitching into a faint smirk. Serenya… the infamous jewel of House Wynvere. Cold, arrogant, untouchable. Let's see if she's worth the gossip.
The doors swung open.
Inside, the Duke sat like a carved statue behind his desk, his presence heavy, his expression unreadable. But Kane's eyes did not linger on him for long.
She was there.
The Duke's eldest daughter. Serenya Wynvere.
She sat with perfect posture on a velvet chaise, a book open on her lap. Her silver hair cascaded like moonlight over her shoulders, and her deep blue eyes flicked toward him, sharp as a blade. A beauty sculpted by pride itself.
Her gaze slid up and down him in one measured glance. Then, with a soft scoff, she returned to her book.
Kane smirked inwardly. So that's how it is. Already dismissing me, hmm?
The Duke cleared his throat. "Kane Valen. You come with… a complicated reputation. Some call you disgraced. Others call you dangerous. But your knowledge is undeniable. My daughter requires the best. You will tutor her."
Kane bowed slightly, his voice calm and edged with sarcasm.
"Of course, Your Grace. I'm honored to teach someone who already seems to know everything."
Serenya's eyes flickered up, narrowing just slightly. For a split second, her lips curved in disdain.
The lesson had begun, and no one had even opened a book.
Section 1 – The First Clash
The Duke excused himself soon after, leaving Kane alone with Serenya. The silence stretched thick in the study, broken only by the crackle of the fireplace.
Finally, Serenya shut her book with a snap.
"So. You're the so-called 'genius' tutor they dragged in," she said coolly, her voice melodic but sharp. "I expected more."
Kane arched a brow. "More?"
"You don't look like a scholar. You look like…" Her eyes lingered on his worn coat, the faint scars across his hand, the casual way he leaned against the desk. "A vagrant playing dress-up."
Kane chuckled softly. "And you look like a child pretending to be a queen."
Her book hit the desk with a loud thud. Her cheeks flushed crimson as her composure cracked. "How dare you—!"
"Lesson one," Kane interrupted smoothly, holding her gaze. "Pride blinds. You saw only my coat and my scars, and you assumed weakness. That's your mistake, Lady Serenya. And mistakes are what I correct."
Her fingers clenched against the velvet armrest. For a moment, she seemed ready to throw the book at him. Instead, she stood, crossing the room with a grace that screamed of discipline.
"Fine," she said coldly. "If you're truly a tutor worth my time… prove it."
Kane tilted his head. "How?"
Her lips curved into a smirk, beautiful and cruel. "By answering what no one else could. A problem I've set aside for months."
She walked to the desk, unfurling a parchment covered in complex runes and numbers. "A puzzle in arcane mathematics. The Royal Academy's finest scholars failed. Solve it, and perhaps I'll listen."
Kane leaned over the parchment, his sharp eyes scanning the symbols. It took less than a breath. His hand moved, quill scratching confidently.
Thirty seconds later, he set the quill down. "Done."
Serenya blinked. "…Impossible."
"Not impossible. Just obvious, if you're not blinded by arrogance." Kane tapped the parchment where he had written the answer, then leaned back with that infuriating smirk. "Lesson two: don't mistake your ignorance for the world's limit."
Her lips parted, but no words came out. For the first time, the proud princess looked… unsettled.
And Kane knew he had won the first battle.
Section 2 – Temptation and Sparks
Serenya leaned closer over the desk, her silvery hair brushing across the parchment as her blue eyes locked onto Kane's writing. For a moment, the mask of superiority cracked into something else—curiosity, maybe even grudging admiration.
But she hid it quickly.
"You could have cheated," she said softly, lifting her chin. "You could have heard this problem elsewhere."
Kane smirked, unbothered. "Or maybe…" he leaned back in the Duke's chair, deliberately making himself comfortable, "…I'm just better."
Her eyes widened at his audacity. Sitting in Father's chair… Most men bowed and groveled before her. Yet this one? He sat like the world owed him nothing and gave him everything anyway.
"Arrogant," she spat.
"Confident," he corrected smoothly. "And that's lesson three: words matter. Arrogance is pride without reason. Confidence is pride backed by proof."
Her lips parted, but instead of retorting, she narrowed her eyes, circling him slowly like a predator testing prey. "So you think you're clever. Knowledgeable. Dangerous."
"I don't think," Kane replied evenly. "I know."
That calmness made her bite her lower lip unconsciously. Irritation? Intrigue? She wasn't sure.
Her gown whispered against the marble floor as she walked behind him. When she leaned forward, Kane could feel the warmth of her breath against his ear.
"Men like you…" she murmured, her tone silky and dangerous, "…usually end up crushed when they overstep."
Kane tilted his head slightly, his voice low, amused.
"Men like me… usually end up with the princess leaning closer without realizing it."
Serenya froze. Her cheeks flushed instantly, and she straightened, crossing her arms tightly. "Don't flatter yourself!"
Kane chuckled, watching the cracks in her composure widen. So the Ice Princess isn't completely frozen after all.
"Lesson four," Kane said, standing smoothly, his height forcing her to tilt her head up to meet his gaze. "Control isn't about hiding your feelings. It's about owning them. You're good at hiding, Lady Serenya. But you're terrible at owning."
Her heartbeat quickened. She hated that he was right. She hated that he saw through her so easily. And most of all, she hated the tiny, dangerous thrill curling in her chest every time he smirked at her.
"You're insufferable," she muttered, turning sharply away, pretending to rearrange books on the shelf.
Kane only smiled faintly. "And yet, you'll remember every word I've said."
Section 3 – A Lesson in Control
The silence stretched. Only the fire in the hearth crackled as Serenya stacked books that didn't need stacking, her back turned to him. Kane watched her shoulders rise and fall a little too quickly.
She wanted control. But she'd already lost it.
"Tell me, Lady Serenya," Kane said suddenly, his tone casual but piercing, "how many tutors have you broken so far?"
She stiffened. "…Three."
"Four," Kane corrected instantly.
Her eyes widened. Slowly, she turned, glaring. "You—"
"You dismissed the first within a week, called him incompetent," Kane continued smoothly, counting off on his fingers. "The second, you humiliated until he resigned. The third… you reduced to tears. And the fourth?" He smiled faintly. "He quit yesterday. Which is why I'm here."
Her breath caught in her throat. How could he know that?
"You think you're testing me," Kane said, stepping closer, each word steady, deliberate. "But lesson five, Lady Serenya: you've never tested anyone. You've only run from your own fear of being seen."
Her nails dug into her palm. Her pride screamed to slap him. But her body didn't move. Because deep down… she knew he was right.
And that terrified her.
Kane stopped just a step away, his voice dropping low, intimate, the kind of tone that wrapped around her like silk.
"You don't scare me, Serenya Wynvere. You intrigue me."
Her lips parted slightly, breath uneven. No one had ever spoken to her like this. Not her father. Not suitors. Not even rivals.
For the first time, she felt like prey before a hunter.
"…Arrogant," she whispered again, though it lacked venom.
Kane chuckled softly, his smirk cutting into her defenses. "Lesson six. Stop mistaking honesty for arrogance."
He stepped back deliberately, giving her space. The sudden distance left her strangely hollow, as if the warmth of his presence had been stolen away.
Serenya's heart thundered. She hated him. She wanted to put him in his place. Yet she also wanted—
She clenched her fists tighter. No. Impossible.
When the door creaked open and her younger sister Vara peeked in with a mischievous grin, Serenya nearly jumped in relief.
"Oh my, big sister," Vara teased, her crimson eyes flicking between Serenya's flushed cheeks and Kane's relaxed stance. "Are you already letting the new tutor bully you?"
Serenya's face burned. "Shut up, Vara!"
Kane only smirked wider. So… there's another one. This will be interesting.
Closing Scene – The Spark of War
By the time Kane left the study that night, Serenya was pacing furiously, torn between indignation and fascination.
How dare he?
How dare he?
And yet…
Her hand brushed her lips unconsciously.
Kane, walking down the golden corridors, couldn't suppress the satisfied curl of his mouth. He had cracked the first wall of ice. It wouldn't be the last.
"Lesson one, Lady Serenya," he muttered under his breath. "This game has only just begun."
🌙 Next Chapter Preview
In the next chapter…
Kane meets the second sister, Vara — a sharp-tongued seductress who delights in teasing and pushing limits. But when she decides to test his composure with a game of temptation, Kane shows her that turning the tables is his specialty.
Can the dangerous little fox outwit the tutor… or will she end up ensnared herself?
📢 Author's Note / CTA
🔥 If you enjoyed this first chapter of Private Tutor of the Princess and Her Sisters, don't forget to add it to your library, leave a power stone, and share your thoughts in the comments! Your support keeps Kane's dangerous and seductive journey alive!