ana

the marble steps to the burning doorway, the cerulean

the door down, don't

guard guards-warriors who normally rode bone-crusher sharks outside the city bubble to stop abyssal demons from puncturi

a shadowed pillar, I wa

crashed inward, sending up a cloud of black smoke. Caro, her husband Brody

r-current vents sucked the smoke away, the

k quilt over himself and the woman beneath him like a pair of startled volt-rays. The hall fell dead silent save f

Aiyana under there?" Caro's voice trembled as

eyes darting across the crowd. "Moth

before the vows! You have disgraced House Glass!" Brod

irmed for air, revealing light chestnut

g finger. "That isn't Aiyana! That is Minist

proud son was bedding his fiancée's sister

me..." Cristal clutched the quilt to her chest, tear

ged forward and swung her heavy crystal-bracel

o back and shielded Cristal in his arms. "

ered openly. Caro swayed on her feet, while Brody point

under the blue coral lamps. The crowd parted automatically until I stoo

idal chamber is

color. "Aiyana... listen

ching her stomach and wailing. "Aiyana, I didn

id of even a bronze betrothal ring. "Your love is so noble that you ha

my waist-the shabby betrothal gift Gideon had

ing a line of blood. "I, Aiyana Gay, annu

the Outer Shoals, what right do you have to annul an

my cold glare making the First

ouse Gould, while your son is a rutting

e. Ahead lay the estate's most sacred forbidden ground-the Sea Burial Sanctuary of Corbin Glass, the fallen High Lord of Tides. Before his supposed death,

s mourning hall, a far better plan

ing a wedding today, I would gi