ana

vings of ancient leviathans radiated a suffocating pressure. Behind me, the weddi

against the stone and shoved the

white jade altar in the center. There was no corpse on the altar, only a set of shattered

es, Corbin Glass. Three days ago, while blocking an abyssal demon horde at the Norther

Glass, Duke Reginald, and his wife, Duc

d her bloodshot glacial-blue eyes, while Regi

the hall of the dead instead of ma

rts and walked up the white jade steps until

ust got my adopted sister

tened as his face turned iron-gray. "I will settle that score with

ance between House Glass and House Gould.

," Eleanor said wearily.

the altar. "Gideon is unworthy, so I will marry the High Lord of Tides,

d? Corbin has returned to the sea! Marrying his tablet means guarding an empty chamber

liation," I replied, each word crisp and cold. "I would rather

sely. "You want the title of Duchess to cru

Crystal quotas-the deep-sea energy stones that serve as our empire's currency and life force-will be reclaimed by the

ctuary. Reginald and Elea

a cold ring left?" El

here is on

dian-platinum Tide-Oath Ring. Pulling a sharp silver hairpin from my coils, I

nd, yet the moment my blood touched the platinum,

h. "The Deep Mother bears witness

s voice ringing over the hall, "from this hour forth, y

the cool metal steadying my racing pulse. Just as I turned to face