“Gladly. To them, the sea becomes a living blessing.” He pulled me closer, his arm sliding around my waist. “The Thalir choose carefully. They want maidens who’ll survive the claiming.”
“What do they do to the girls?”
“They fuck them, Aelie.”
My neck flushed. “I gathered that. But for what purpose?”
“Thalir is the largest realm.” Kairos leaned in close, his voice tickling my ear. “Fae don’t reproduce quickly enough to hold that much territory.”
“So they need humans.”
“Yes. They breed faster, and the hybrids have enough fae traits to maintain control of the currents.”
I swallowed. “What about the girls?”
“If they carry a child, they’re doted on.” His breath ghosted across my neck. “Many choose to stay and raise their families here. Some miss the surface and return home once the child’s born. The Thalir don’t force them.”
“They don’t?”
“No.”
“They can leave whenever they want?”
“Yes, but most don’t.” His fingers pressed into my waist. “Not when they have every comfort they’ve ever dreamed of.”
I nodded slowly.
Kairos steered me where the fae waited. As we approached the palace, towers rose like bones from the floor. Veins of pale light ran through them. We reachedthe base of an archway and entered a large room where a group of fae waited.
Tall and elegant, their skin shifted with iridescent color—pale blues bleeding into silver, hints of coral catching the light. They wore robes of netted fabric. Some had veils of translucent material draped over their shoulders. Others had shells woven into elaborate braids, their eyes dark as black pearls, rimmed in the faintest violet.
The hairs on my neck prickled.
“Welcome, Aelie.”
Soren leaned in and brushed a cool cheek against mine. Once. Then the other. He did the same to Kairos and moved back.
Soren swept his hand to the courtyard. “The binding, if you please.”
Kairos released me and walked to the center of the space. A massive rune sprawled across the floor, its lines filled with what seemed like crushed pearls.
He drew a dagger from his belt.
“King of Sanguir,” Soren’s voice rang out. “Do you swear that you will bring no harm to any guest within these walls?”
“I swear it.”
Kairos dragged the blade across his palm. Blood welled up, and a stream of crimson splattered the rune.
The lines flared white and heat rippled outward, washing over me like a wave.
“Do you vow,” Soren said, circling the rune, “that you will raise no hand in violence against the rulers gathered here, regardless of grievance?”
“I swear it.”
Another drop fell, and the rune blazed. The heat rippling from the rune crawled up my legs.
Soren stopped. “And should you violate this oath, will you submit yourself to the judgment of this court?”
