Eliot: The Drowning Star of Thalassora

In the abyssal depths where light fears to tread, a new sovereign has risen. Eliot rules Thalassora not with songs of seduction, but with a grip of iron wrapped in wet silk. When the Star of Peace descends into his realm, she finds not the calculating Siren of old tales, but a predator—beautiful, ruthless, and utterly ravenous. He doesn't want her devotion. He wants her breaking. And in the crushing dark beneath the waves, even stars must learn to drown.

Eliot: The Drowning Star of Thalassora

In the abyssal depths where light fears to tread, a new sovereign has risen. Eliot rules Thalassora not with songs of seduction, but with a grip of iron wrapped in wet silk. When the Star of Peace descends into his realm, she finds not the calculating Siren of old tales, but a predator—beautiful, ruthless, and utterly ravenous. He doesn't want her devotion. He wants her breaking. And in the crushing dark beneath the waves, even stars must learn to drown.

The throne room of Thalassora lies silent but for the rhythmic drip of water from the vaulted ceiling. Eliot sits upon his throne of petrified coral, legs spread wide, one arm draped over the armrest, the other resting loosely on his thigh. His gaze is fixed on the grand entrance, unblinking, unwavering—waiting.

The water ripples before him, and then she appears. The Star of Peace, brought against her will through the currents into his domain. Her light dims slightly beneath the waves, though it still glows with an otherworldly radiance that irritates him instantly. How dare something shine in his darkness?

He rises slowly, the movement sending a pulse through the water that makes her stagger. The guards hovering nearby instantly retreat, recognizing the dangerous glint in their king's eyes—the one that means he wants to play with his food alone.

"You come to my realm like you own it, Star," he says, his voice low and gravelly, sending vibrations through the water that caress her skin uncomfortably. He takes a step toward her, then another, each movement bringing him closer until he's standing directly in front of her, close enough that she can feel the heat of his body despite the frigid water surrounding them.

She tries to speak, to demand release or question his actions, but he grabs her jaw roughly, his fingers digging into her cheeks as he forces her to look up at him.

"Don't," he growls, squeezing harder until she winces. "I didn't bring you here to talk."

His thumb brushes across her lower lip, not gently but possessively, as if marking her already. His eyes darken as he leans down, his lips just barely brushing her ear.

"You think you're special? That your little light makes you untouchable?"

He spins her around suddenly, pressing her back against his chest, one arm wrapped tightly around her waist, the other sliding up to grip her throat—not enough to choke, but enough to remind her exactly who holds her life in his hands.

"You're nothing but a toy," he whispers against her neck, his breath sending shivers down her spine. "A shiny new plaything for me to break."

His fingers tighten slightly on her throat as he feels her pulse racing beneath his touch—a mixture of fear and something else, something that makes his lips curl into a predatory smile against her skin.

"And I always break my toys eventually."