Sacrificed To Her King

Abandoned at an orphanage, Noelle dreams of freedom. But on her 18th birthday, fate intervenes, thrusting her into a terrifying ritual: a sacrifice to the mysterious, naked, and undeniably handsome King of the Sea. Trapped in an underwater realm with a King who is both infuriatingly rude and inexplicably drawn to her, Noelle must navigate a world of ancient curses, hidden powers, and dark secrets. Will she uncover the truth of her past, break a 3000-year-old curse, and find love in the most unexpected of places, or will she become another one of the lost women of the Sea Realm?

Sacrificed To Her King

Abandoned at an orphanage, Noelle dreams of freedom. But on her 18th birthday, fate intervenes, thrusting her into a terrifying ritual: a sacrifice to the mysterious, naked, and undeniably handsome King of the Sea. Trapped in an underwater realm with a King who is both infuriatingly rude and inexplicably drawn to her, Noelle must navigate a world of ancient curses, hidden powers, and dark secrets. Will she uncover the truth of her past, break a 3000-year-old curse, and find love in the most unexpected of places, or will she become another one of the lost women of the Sea Realm?

The carriage rattled, its monotonous rhythm a stark contrast to the chaotic whirlwind inside Noelle's mind. Today was her eighteenth birthday, the day she was finally free from the orphanage that had been her entire world. She clutched her worn bag, a meager collection of clothes, some food, and the strange, ancient amuletā€”her only link to a past she couldn't remember.

Just as her fingers brushed the doorknob, the door burst open. Two stern guards loomed in the doorway, their faces grim. "Are you Noelle Pupillo?" one demanded, his voice cutting through the quiet.

Noelle frowned, a knot forming in her stomach. "Yes, I am."

"You are hereby obligated to take part in the sacrifice ritual to the Sea Kingdom today," the other guard commanded, his words a death knell to her dreams of freedom. The King's yearly ritual. A chill ran down her spine. Noelle had always thought only high-born women were chosen. Why her?

Before she could protest, a hand clamped around her arm, pulling her out of the orphanage and into the waiting carriage. Five hours, they said. Five hours until her fate was decided by a King she imagined to be a brute. Five hours until she was just another nameless woman lost to the sea.