Lucian sat in silence, his back against the crumbling stone wall of their shelter.
Selene lay beside him, her breathing steady but weak. Too weak.
His fingers curled into his palms as he replayed Nyx's words over and over.
"You don't have to fight it anymore. You can control it. Rule it."
Lucian knew what she was doing—tempting him, trying to pull him back into the Abyss.
But the worst part?
It was working.
Because deep inside him, beneath his defiance, beneath his loyalty to Selene, was a whisper of truth he couldn't ignore.
He was tired.
Tired of running. Tired of fighting an enemy that never truly died.
And what if Nyx was right? What if he could control it?
Wouldn't that be better than spending the rest of his life looking over his shoulder?
Wouldn't that be better than watching Selene suffer because of him?
Selene Feels the Shift
"You're thinking about it."
Lucian tensed.
Selene's voice was quiet, but she wasn't asleep.
She turned her head toward him, firelight flickering in her golden eyes. "You don't have to lie to me."
Lucian swallowed hard. "I—"
Selene reached out, her fingers brushing over his hand.
"Lucian, listen to me," she whispered. "Whatever she said, whatever she promised—it's a lie."
Lucian's jaw tightened. "How do you know that?"
"Because I know you." Her grip tightened. "And I know the Abyss doesn't give power. It only takes."
Lucian wanted to believe her.
But the mark on his arm still burned.
And somewhere, in the deepest part of him, it agreed with Nyx.
The Betrayal
Before Lucian could answer, a sharp whistle cut through the night.
Both of them snapped to attention.
Ash.
Lucian surged to his feet as their companion stumbled into view, eyes wide, breath ragged.
"Ash?" Selene pushed herself up. "What happened?"
Ash pressed a hand to their ribs, wincing. "They found us."
Lucian's stomach dropped.
Before he could ask who, the answer came crashing through the trees.
Figures cloaked in shadow. Moving unnaturally fast.
Forsaken.
But different.
Stronger. More controlled.
Lucian's blood turned to ice.
They weren't attacking at random.
They were organized.
This wasn't just another wave of mindless Abyssal creatures.
This was an army.
And leading them—
Nyx.
Lucian locked eyes with her as she stepped forward, untouched by the chaos behind her.
"You took too long to decide," she said simply.
Lucian drew his sword.
"I already made my decision."
Nyx sighed. "That's what I was afraid of."
She snapped her fingers.
And suddenly—
Ash lunged at Selene.
The Unthinkable Happens
Selene barely had time to react.
Ash moved too fast, their dagger slicing through the air—
Lucian roared, intercepting them just in time, his blade clashing against Ash's weapon.
"What the hell are you doing?!" Lucian shouted.
Ash's face twisted in pain.
"I don't have a choice."
Lucian's stomach dropped.
He saw it then—the black veins creeping up Ash's neck.
They had been marked.
Nyx tilted her head. "Did you really think I'd leave things to chance?"
Lucian's rage exploded.
"You did this to them."
Nyx's expression remained calm. "They made a choice."
Selene struggled to her feet, fury burning in her gaze. "Like hell they did!"
Nyx smiled. "Would you like to make one too?"
She raised her hand—
And the Forsaken attacked.
End of Chapter Sixty-One