1Callia
“Callianeira of House Velthon.”
The High Priestess’s voice rang through the Temple of Salt, echoing off marble and mother-of-pearl.
At first, I didn’t move. Surely someone behind me had the same name. Or perhaps it was a mistake. A slip of tongue that she would quickly correct. But then I felt the eyes, dozens of them, from noblemen, priestesses, acolytes, and city guards. They turned, they’re eyes landing on my family and I.
My mother gasped but my father didn’t speak at all.
It wasn’t a mistake.
I had been chosen for the offering. My heart dropped.
The Offering happened once every century. A daughter of Thalassara, draped in white and pearls, was given to the sea god to ensure calm waters, fat fish, and safe harbors. A girl whose name would never be spoken again because sh
