Sacrificed to the Abyss King, Crowned Queen of the Seven Seas

On her 24th Crown Tide, orphaned Eira is betrayed by Prince Lucien, who abandons her to marry Marina, daughter of Regent Varik. Varik sells Eira to Darius, the feared Abyss King, under the guise of paying a war debt. Cast into the ocean trench in magical chains, Eira’s legs transform into a pearl-silver tail, awakening dormant royal marks. Darius frees her, revealing the chains were meant to forcibly activate her royal blood. He offers a 30-day protective marriage. Eira agrees on her terms: separate rooms, consent for contact, and freedom after 30 days. Eira discovers she is the lost daughter of Seraphine, the murdered Queen of the Seven Seas. Varik only raised her to open the Gate of the Seven Seas. Marina also learns her father plans to sacrifice her for royal power. Meanwhile, Darius suffers from the deep ocean's corruption curse. Eira gathers evidence using echo-silver recordings to expose Varik. At the Gate, Varik attempts to sacrifice Marina, but Eira and Marina strip Varik of authority, destroying the ritual. Rewriting the ancient oath, Eira chooses to share power with Darius as equals. Rejecting tradition, Eira places the crown upon her own head, ascending the throne in her own name.