Page 30 of Onyx Realm

“It is done,” Iris declared, her voice carrying across the peninsula. “The consequence is paid.”

Iosif’s eyes met mine, a smirk playing at the corner of his mouth. I wanted to rip his throat out with my bare hands.

“Not quite,” I said, my voice rough but steady. “There’s the matter of the bride price.”

A hush fell over the group. Even Atlas looked surprised.

“The bride price?” Indigo demanded.

I nodded but stopped quickly as the ground tilted. Holding out my hand, I took the leather strap from Korinna, who’d had it last. She handed it over, confusion written on her face. The braided cords ran through my fingers, leaving a trail of blood. We didn’t use a cat o’ nine with beads, which would have been twice as devastating. But the scars on my back were fragile, splitting open easily.

“Serena is under my protection. If someone—” I pointed at Iosif “—wants to take her, they’ll have to come through me.”

Protests rumbled through the group. It was as if a thunderstorm had erupted among them, each individual voice adding to the tumultuous roar that echoed across the peninsula.

“Atlas doesn’t have the right to decree her fate,” I stated, daring them to disagree.

“She has to be silenced,” Iris menaced.

I tipped the whip in her direction. “Be that as it may, we aren’t selling her off. If one of you wants to take that responsibility away from me, be my guest.”

“You’re insane, Black Tide,” Korinna muttered.

A grin spread across my face. “What’s new?”

“Enough,” Atlas barked, forcing order with the tone of his voice. “Are you offering to marry her, Markos?”

The idea of Serena at my mercy was tempting. Her smart mouth mine to plunder. That beautiful little body mine to claim. “I’m saying that she’ll remain under my protection and be myresponsibility until we can fairly decide who she ends up with. You want her, come and get her.”

No one moved.

“I thought as much.” Staggering forward, I tested my legs. They worked—barely. Instead of hurrying to my reward, I forced myself to move backward toward the sea. Once the waves licked my calves, I dropped into the briny embrace.

The lacerations on my back cried in protest.

Salt and sea stung every open wound, but I welcomed the cleansing burn. This was an old ritual—one I cherished. The ocean took the blood, and in return, gave me clarity.

I stayed submerged until my lungs screamed, then surfaced with a gasp. The night air felt cool against my face as I looked back toward shore. They were dispersing now, their dark silhouettes moving away from the peninsula like shadows retreating from dawn. Only one remained, watching me.

Iris.

She stood with her arms crossed, the moonlight catching on the silver bands encircling her wrists. Power incarnate. Even from this distance, I could feel the weight of her scrutiny.

I swam back slowly, letting the gentle current do most of the work. My back was a roadmap of fire, but the cold had numbed the worst of it. By morning, I would be stiff, but functioning. By evening, I’d be able to move without wincing.

As I emerged from the water, Iris tossed me a towel from her tote bag. “You’re a fool, Markos.”

“So I’ve been told.” I pressed the fabric against my chest, not daring to touch my back.

“You think you can protect your little guest? You know nothing about her.” Iris’s voice was soft but carried the weight of prophecy. “There are bound to be people looking after they realized she disappeared. We are at risk from her presence.”

If the harpy had her way, she would have slit Serena’s throat and disposed of the body along with the mercenaries who took her.

Our vicious queen.

I reached for my shirt, wincing as I pulled it over my head. The fabric immediately clung to my wet back, and no doubt blood seeped through. “I’ve handled worse.”

“Not alone.”

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