na

dropped away from our joined hands as Atticus pulled me straight to the central baptismal pool. Even the High Tide Cle

Atticus ordered, his tone clip

before striking his staff against the floor to

s shoulder. "Are you sure you are jus

yes. "I spend all year slaughtering abyssal wretches on the Coral Ver

d press him, the cleric swam forward holding a

ng," the cleric stammered, keeping his gaze fi

pring, dyeing the surrounding water a fierce azure. I bit the tip of my own finger and let a drop of clear, aurora-

out of the tray to slide onto my right ring finger. Intricate engravings of an Aurora Abyssal Wyrm su

into my meridians. It washed away the hollow, tearing ache left by Dominic's

d, his rough thumb rubbing slowly ov

le straight up my arm. I tried to tug my hand back,

us," I reminded him, keeping my voice ste

gh the dark amusement never left his eyes. "

through the main doors. My biological father, Edward Reid-the Rege

s flaring red with fury. "Dominic merely delayed the rite to care for your sister,

died, feeling nothing but cold disgust. "Didn't you and yo

his hand to slap me as his Warlord-rank Tide

before the current reached my cheek, A

cold glance at Edward-and an invisible mountain

if an unseen giant fist had crushed his windpipe, his gill slits spas

all to freezing. "Raising a hand against my wife right in front of me-

ling to recognize his identity while his body shook with primal terror. "Who... who

y, the four guards behind Edward clutched their bleeding ears with a muffled groan, their he

htly on Atticus's dark sleeve. "Let us go. D

aist to guide me out of the hall while Edward remained frozen behi