ina

the wooden door of my cramped apartment. I couldn't even afford a proper glow-pearl lamp;

angry red and vibrated with a sharp ultrasonic hum. It was an em

tion of my adoptive father, Harrell Anderson, s

y as he slammed his palm onto his cor

Sending the Perimeter Vanguard to

ls? Your petty jealousy almost ruined our clan's profits!

balling my hands into fists behin

w in a restricted trench.

your engagement to Edmund only happened because Ge

ing on to what rightfully belongs to her? She's Edmund's true sa

rked, cutt

ing the agonizing burn of Cold Iron and the suffocating shock of Freshwater-the two things fatal to our rac

optive mother, Eleanor Anderson, appeared, dabbing h

ffered so much out in the border mines. What

ver me. Three years of weaving top-grade sea-silk until my finger

swallow this filth and hand my fianc

s face d

lords at the Great Table-already pre-approved the betrothal transfer I drafted. It o

ouched my ash-gray Br

ll sn

cut off your monthly Mana-Crystal quota! Without the clan's protection

o gloom. I sagged against the cold stone wall, my che

s looms. Antai Guild had been built by my late father, yet my adoptive father,

. Down on the street, poor workers hurried past for a few

orn peerage directory from a hidden slot. I flipped to the page for House Mc

he commander of the entire empire's forces. Rumor said his Sovereign Tide-Spirit suffered from violent bat

riting down the Antai Guild's secret financia

r. I shoved the parchment und

came the urgent voice of my

rushed in, her bright red h

tard Edmund over to the vang

e tight knot in my chest. I

rell, just called. He gave me three days

lapped t

ved Edmund's life, why should t

pulling the parchment back out from under the mat. "So I'm going to

name under my finger and

all! People say he kills without bl

es, a sharp smile

of High Lady and a two-year contract w