re

ms had been design

ned the chamber, each wrapped in flowering vines cultivated by the very women displayed within its walls. Go

ins glittered br

d noblemen from across the continent filled th

un. Grey Stormborn sat among th

knuckles ached. Beside him, Marcus remained silent. The old beta understood there was

ld and crimson silk, he looked less like a king and more

ir announced, his voice

immediately. Gr

among the crowd. Instead of ann

tear that smi

ss the finest generatio

g the entire room. Until Valir ra

th the fir

door

na stepped o

ediately

possessed the confidence of someone fully aware of her worth. At twenty-fiv

d his arms

e years old, specia

nce leane

rst from the marble floor. Thousands o

son

camel

oms kissed w

e-colore

ermilion

med into a sea of red. Th

assion. Power.

re the flowers had

e tho

usand five

thou

thou

entire city. A price of an elite army. Riches that

Rona appear

the t

the f

the only Rona capable of outperforming Serena, as a personal collection. The most powerful Rona would not be so

y was crue

their own specialized colors. Each

of yel

lue colors l

his paddle, someone o

er

ng

i

aughable compared to the wea

was dying. If anyone had not noticed it

." Grey lifted his paddle to bid fo

briefly

y dared to chuckle quietly. But along the way, they had gotten more brazen

utbid him completely. The auctioneer didn

his hand. A

ed closer.

aid no

s there

tinued to lose themselves. And the salvation they nee

with every of Grey's failed bid. Eventually he paused the auction.

ong us whose presence

ike where thi

d him as Valir spread

Stor

ly rippled through

mained

ssion

cont

f the once-glori

lau

e wolves can bare

d. Others whispered

Marcus shifted beside

s seemed to say

he

t

." The king's voice carried effortlessly through

le

one w

slowl

ue eyes rem

" He managed

Valir chuckled. "Survive?" He tilted his h

lau

d so hard that his k

nate a few sheep to

lers who had remained neutral

rist beneath the table.

t

he

himself to r

sympathy dripped from every word. "That would re

deafening in the e

, he imagined lunging across the room. Imagined Valir's

ion was all

balcony. Mages stood beside every exit. Valir ha

eezed his

the Beta

at bac

re

ction

y failed bid

came public e

her reminder that hi

as the Rona Grey saw during the guided tour. The girl who quickly hide behind bushe

nlike the others, she wore no jewels. No elaborate gown. No

ne of sight. Something f

sem

reali

i

ike that look

efore we conclude today's auctio

ad through t

l stepped forw

about her felt familia

pe of h

or of h

truck him before

immediate

's dau

at Freya'

e inherited

never s

a

as her

red hearing

's da

e most celebrated

tirred inside him. If she truly po

entlemen." The king gestured dramat

y. Valir's expression beca

't move i

g to her ear. Whatever it was, it made her face lo

aya lifte

wer e

it

rf

uti

ce nodded

later the

tan

darkened. Life vanished from it lik

nce

ute s

n another. Soon the

def

he famous

re jo

enterta

lf. Didn't speak. Didn't explain. She simply s

isbelief crash

o

o

o

ess couldn't

t

dom stood on the

Everlasting T

ousands dep

isn't it? Unlike her legendary mother, May

oined him i

chest t

ted f

ectiv

mute

useless for

ath sentence if Grey brou

"Maya has failed every a

lau

reates withers al

e looked di

oked di

mply look

something

sp

se ev

n n

only Rona he mig

ou can imagine, no one wishe

ers fidgete

had heard every word of

sign sh

not

through him. He knew no living being deserv

vival cr

gdom ca

wa

. "As a slave, howeve

She had round yet small face, dark luminous eyes, small yet sharp nose, and pink lips. She looked malnourished and haggar

stoma

sl

would disappear

lea

nly grinned. "I'v

d. Even Maya lo

hifted. Direct

ding hit

o

ar

rib

o

uldn't p

g smiled. "I believe I've fo

xploded wi

crashed backward. Every soldier in the ro

ly flinche

l trying to hold Gr

!" Grey

m fell

in. He demanded to be let out. To tear ou

ed silver. Fangs th

ooked d

voice shook with fury.

hrugged

wer." The words escaped h

red her g

he strange twi

ona meant

was r

miled. "Which make

l erupt

tep forward.

ounded the stage. Steel f

rabbed G

a

is voice

ge

ey's title if it was t

it,

ng turned ragg

N

rcu

irst." It was Red who whi

uck. Because

'd die. Marcus and Red would die with him. The kingdom wou

fully. Grey

he king had clearly hoped for

e a pr

nct told Gr

ed anyway. "Y

oom q

e y

omach dro

speaking, "One year of marriag

early

ediately became

ll the agreement, I shall provide

om mur

rade Rona,"

le

sta

plac

id

remo

poss

you refuse..." The king shr

all w

uldn't

year later. But if he walked away...

im. Red was sile

d trapped them perfectly.

ger fidgeted. For a brief moment, her brows seemed to

seemed as though she was expecting to be s

h as he hated

repeated. "No repl

nd during that year, you m

. Even the nobles re

mething insi

s people were dying. And that day,

ectiv

ed mar

-year

nced on the ed

could produce a contract in such a short amount of time...

ir was waiting with a leachery smile for

ed at the

at

pale. Fragi

...

ing to her for so long tha

ey wondered whether she ha

rushed th

dn't

d except his ki

y. Grey reached

all w

ery merchant. Witnessing the

yers to Grey. The Sultan from the South. Some merchants who probably had conn

stood up for Gr

arved itself in

ed. Applaus

ard non

s turned white. It felt like the uni

the

he dyi

failing

th

ted f

ctive

rapped in

ling. And wondered if the Moon Goddess had abandoned him. Because standing there beneath t

nly felt

is kingdom to wither just lik