Selene could still feel the echoes of the battle in her bones.
The wind howled through the broken ruins, carrying the scent of scorched earth and fading magic. Darkness still lingered where the Herald had stood, a reminder that the Abyss was far from finished with them.
But right now—her focus was on Lucian.
He was still kneeling, his breath coming in short, uneven gasps. His silver eyes, once so full of fire, now held something else—something darker.
Selene placed a hand on his shoulder, feeling the tense, coiled energy beneath his skin. "Lucian—talk to me."
For a long moment, he didn't respond.
Then, in a voice that sent a shiver down her spine, he whispered—
"I can still hear them."
Selene's fingers tightened. "Who?"
Lucian exhaled sharply, gripping his head as if trying to silence voices only he could hear.
"The Abyss." His jaw clenched. "It's… whispering to me."
Selene froze.
She had felt the power he unleashed in that fight—the raw force, the unnatural speed, the way his eyes had darkened. He had let something in.
Or worse—something had never left.
"Lucian." She leaned closer, her fire glowing softly in her palms. "Let me help—"
But the moment her flames brushed against his skin—
Lucian flinched back violently.
His reaction was instant—instinctive.
Like a man burning alive.
Selene's chest tightened. He had never reacted to her fire like that before.
Lucian stared at his hands, his breathing ragged. His fingers trembled—but not from pain.
From fear.
"Something is wrong with me."
The Abyss Marks Its Prey
The truth settled in Selene's stomach like a stone.
The Abyss didn't just test them. It didn't just send a warning.
It had touched Lucian.
And now—it was still inside him.
Selene took a slow, controlled breath, trying to think past the fear. "Lucian, listen to me. Whatever the Abyss did to you, we can fix it. We just need time—"
"Time?" Lucian let out a bitter laugh, but there was no humor in it. "Selene, do you feel it? It's already changing me."
He stood abruptly, turning away from her. His posture was tense, as if he was afraid to even face her.
Selene pushed forward. "Lucian—"
"Look at me!" His voice broke as he spun around, his silver eyes flashing with shadows that hadn't been there before.
For just a fraction of a second—his reflection in her gaze wasn't his own.
Selene stilled.
The darkness was creeping in, corrupting him.
Lucian saw the flicker of hesitation in her eyes. And in that moment—he knew.
He wasn't afraid of what was happening to him.
He was afraid of what it would make her do.
"I won't let this happen," Selene said, stepping closer. "We'll find a way to stop it."
Lucian exhaled sharply, running a hand through his dark hair. "You don't understand. The Abyss—it's not just some force that you fight and walk away from."
His voice lowered, almost haunted.
"Once it touches you… it never truly lets go."
Selene's fingers curled into fists.
"Then we fight harder."
Lucian let out a rough, humorless chuckle. "That sounds like something I'd say."
She crossed her arms. "It's because I learned from the best."
Lucian finally looked at her, the shadow in his gaze wavering. The corner of his lips twitched, but the exhaustion on his face didn't fade.
Selene reached out, taking his hand in hers. His skin was colder than usual—but he was still here.
Still hers.
"We're in this together," she said, her grip tightening. "And I'm not letting you go."
Lucian studied her for a long moment—then sighed, squeezing her fingers. "Stubborn as ever."
Selene smiled. "You love it."
Lucian arched a brow. "I tolerate it."
She elbowed him lightly, and for the first time since the battle, his shoulders relaxed.
But beneath the quiet moment—the danger was still real.
Lucian wasn't just marked by the Abyss.
It was inside him. Growing.
And they had no idea how much time they had left before it consumed him completely.
The Path to Salvation
A sudden voice cut through the night.
"You don't have much time."
Both Selene and Lucian whirled around, their weapons drawn instantly.
A figure stood in the shadows. Tall. Cloaked. Unfamiliar.
But as they stepped forward, the moonlight revealed their face—
And Selene's heart stopped.
"You," she whispered.
Lucian narrowed his eyes, his blade not lowering an inch. "Who the hell are you?"
The stranger met his gaze without hesitation. "The only one who can save you."
Their voice was calm, but their eyes—a piercing shade of violet—burned with something deadly.
Lucian tensed, shadows flickering at his fingertips. "You know what's happening to me?"
The stranger nodded. "I do. And I know how to stop it."
Selene's chest tightened with cautious hope. "Who are you?"
The stranger smiled—a slow, knowing smirk.
"You can call me Ash."
Selene and Lucian exchanged a brief glance. The name meant nothing to them.
But something in Ash's presence felt… different.
Not entirely safe.
But not entirely dangerous, either.
And right now—they needed answers.
Selene took a slow breath, her gaze steady. "What do you know?"
Ash's smirk faded slightly.
"I know that if you don't act fast, the Abyss won't have to come for Lucian."
They took a step closer.
"Because he'll already belong to it."
End of Chapter Forty-Six