I tilt my head slightly, catching her dark onyx eyes. She looks like she’s holding her breath underwater.
When I turn back, each prince’s gaze locks on mine—cold, unblinking, amber eyes.
No.
One of them has completely white, almost ghostlike eyes. Onyx mentioned Queen Marcella blinded her brother.
That must be him.
Aside from him, theyallhave those same amber eyes.
Except Onyx.
Is that why they named her that?
They look eerily alike. I know that in the first five royal lineages, generations of intermarriage— cousins, sometimes siblings—were used to preserve the “pure” ancient bloodlines. If there were multiple offspring, they might marry one into another royal house or start a new lineage with one parent non-royal.
But for over four generations, no new royal bloodline has been successfully created. Do they keep breeding within their own line?
They’re definitely a very ancient bloodline—but not one of the first five.
Why would they do that?
I don’t know if it’s because I’m half human, because I grew up on land, or simply because I still have a sane mind…ish, but I find itdisgusting.
“I don’t need formalities,” I say coldly, meeting the king’s gaze directly. “And I don’t have time to waste—as you know, we have a problem here.”
“Yes. Of course.”
The king rises from his black stone throne, breaking through the line his sons had formed. They scatter instantly, as if touching him would detonate them.
"Ask Bay why they’re all so terrified of him,"I tell Myko, keeping my expression sharp, unreadable.
Seeing how scared they are of him, I can’t help but wonder if he’s the actual reason the sixth prince is missing.
"I don’t need to ask her,"Myko growls, his tone dark as abyssal water."I’d recognize rune magic anywhere—"
“My son Odin went missing, along with his guard,” the king interrupts, his voice vibrating with unmistakable rage.
Maybe he isn’t the one behind Odin’s disappearance after all.
Rune magic?
They’re using the ancient letters here.
“I know you live mostly on land,” the king continues, drifting closer, a smirk twisting his lips. “Rumors say your father is human.” Mockery bleeds into every word.
“You’d better respect my father,” I hiss, my voice low, lethal.Or I won’t mind erasing your entire bloodline, even if it costs me everything.
Myko’s growl rumbles so deeply in my mind that I’m almost certain everyone else can hear it.
"They don’t touch him because he’s cursed,"Myko seethes."He’s keeping the Beast of the Depth sealed with rune magic. But that magic comes with a price… though I don’t yet know what he paid."
No one dares to mess with rune magic anymore. It’s too dangerous. Too unpredictable. Even my mother always said: the price these runes demand is never worth the power they promise. I don’t think I ever even saw one.
Even speaking our ancient language became forbidden over time, because the letters themselves—the power in each word—carried too much risk.
“I apologize. I didn’t mean to disrespect. I’m just…” He runs a hand over the dark scales that cover his chin, sliding down to his throat. “Curious.”
