CHAPTER 43: LEVIATHAN CLAN

"Woah..." I turned around, staring wide-eyed at the massive structure before me. The soft shimmer of light reflected across the glass dome that stretched high above, bending the ocean’s glow around us. Schools of bright fish darted overhead, their colors scattering across the marble floor like living rainbows. "Did you just say this is a mall?"

Lucian nodded calmly, though I could tell he was trying not to smile at my reaction. "Hmm. And it’s owned by Veyra."

"Veyra?" I tilted my head, trying to recall where I’d heard that name before. "It sounds familiar..."

"Thalor’s family," he explained. "The Leviathan clan."

"Ah—yes!" I clapped my hands when it finally clicked. "The ocean lords who built an entire city underwater! I read about them—wait." I paused, frowning slightly. "Don’t tell me this mall is—"

"Underwater?" Lucian finished for me, amusement flashing in his eyes. "It is."

My mouth dropped open as I looked around again, watching a massive whale glide past the transparent wall on the far side. The creature’s movement was slow, majestic, and impossibly close. "You’re kidding... but just now, we entered from land. How—how are we suddenly underwater?"

Lucian smiled faintly, clearly entertained by my confusion. "That’s the door you saw earlier," he explained, gesturing toward the large, arched entry behind us. "It’s a phase gate... a part of the Leviathan clan’s enchantment. The moment you step through, it shifts you across the barrier and stabilizes the pressure. You wouldn’t even notice the transition unless you were watching for it."

"So..." I blinked, glancing back toward the entrance where faint ripples of light shimmered across the floor. "We literally walked through a wall and ended up at the bottom of the ocean?"

"Essentially," he replied, as if it were the most ordinary thing in the world.

I stared at him, utterly baffled. "And you’re just okay with that?"

Lucian’s lips curved slightly. "It’s not my first visit. The Thalors built these phase gates centuries ago to connect the sea realm with the surface. Dragons use them for trade and for leisure."

"Leisure," I repeated flatly, my gaze following a group of manta-like creatures gliding gracefully above the dome. "Of course. Because who doesn’t casually go shopping under the ocean."

He chuckled softly, the sound echoing faintly in the enclosed space. "You’ll get used to it," he said, his tone teasing. "Just don’t press your face too close to the glass. Some of the sea guardians don’t like being stared at."

I quickly took a step back. "You could’ve mentioned that before we came in."

"I did," he said, that faint smirk tugging at his lips again. "You just weren’t listening."

"When?!" I furrowed my brows, thoroughly unsatisfied. "I’ve been listening to everything you said since we left the manor!"

Lucian’s eyes gleamed with amusement. "Exactly," he replied smoothly. "You were listening to me, not what I was saying."

I blinked. "That’s the same thing!"

"Not quite." He tilted his head slightly, his smirk deepening. "You were too busy being distracted by my voice to notice the details."

My jaw dropped. "Excuse me?"

He leaned closer, lowering his voice just enough for it to brush against my ear. "I know... even my voice is charming."

"Huh?" I blinked, staring at him in disbelief. "What confidence you have there..."

"Welcome, newlyweds!"

The sudden voice came from our right. I turned toward it, instantly recognizing the man approaching us. His sea-green hair shimmered faintly under the lights, and his smile carried that same effortless charm I remembered all too well.

"Thalor Veyra..." I said, my brows lifting slightly.

"Nice to meet you again, Lady Celeste!" he said warmly, walking toward us with open arms. "Ah, you looked beautiful as I remembered you."

He was definitely heading for a hug but before he could reach me, Lucian’s arm shot out, stopping him cold. The movement was smooth but firm, his hand pressed flat against Thalor’s chest.

"Mind your manners, sneaky eel," Lucian said evenly, his tone low but sharp enough to slice through the calm air.

Thalor blinked in surprise, then laughed, the sound deep and unbothered. "Still territorial, I see," he said with a grin. "Relax, Drake. I was only greeting my friend’s wife."

Lucian’s eyes narrowed slightly, the faint frost in his aura making the nearby air prickle. "You greet with words, not with hands."

Thalor raised both palms in mock surrender, still smirking. "Ah, dragons and their possessiveness. You haven’t changed."

Then his gaze shifted to me, the gleam in his sea-green eyes softening with interest. "So... what would you like for a present?"

"Ah..." I blinked, startled by the sudden question and instinctively glanced at Lucian for help.

Thalor chuckled at my hesitation. "Never mind," he said smoothly. "Take anything you like today... it’s on me. After all, it’s not every thousand years a phoenix marries a dragon."

My eyes widened slightly. "That rare?"

"Rarer," he said with a playful grin. "Most of the time, it ends before it even begins."

Lucian’s expression darkened almost imperceptibly, the air around him cooling just enough for me to notice.

Thalor only laughed, waving a hand dismissively. "Relax, my frosty friend. I’m just paying respect to history."

Lucian’s tone was even, but sharp. "You always did have an odd way of showing respect."

Thalor smirked again, clearly amused by the tension. "And you always did hate reminders of how fragile balance can be."

I stepped between them quickly before it escalated, forcing a smile. "Thank you, Thalor. That’s very kind of you but really, we’re just here to look around."

"Then look, and really... just take anything if you want," he said, his grin returning as his eyes flicked briefly toward Lucian. "Enjoy your time, Mrs. Drake. You’ll find the ocean remembers everything... even promises made beneath the waves."

And with that, he walked off his reflection rippling faintly across the glass walls as if the sea itself moved with him.

Lucian didn’t say anything for a while.

Finally, he muttered under his breath, "And not in a thousand years would a Leviathan keep his mouth shut."