Endless Abyss

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Eris knew that if her father died, freedom wouldn’t be waiting for her, as she once foolishly believed. Rayne, her stepbrother, would surely sell her to the slave traders. In their empire, slavery was a grim reality, especially for commoners who couldn’t pay their taxes. They were handed over to the slave traders, sold off to serve the nobility. Rayne had told her, more than once, that he would sell her off the moment their father was gone. And Eris knew he meant it. She was the illegitimate child, born from a mother who had been nothing more than a commoner, an entertainer in the red district. Her mother met the duke, Eris's father, while his first wife was pregnant with their second child, Aeris—the real lady of the Levana house. After the divorce, Aeris became the only true lady of the dukedom.

Though her father beat her often, Eris understood why. Her mother had died giving birth to her. Her father had loved her mother so much that her death shattered him. Since then, he couldn’t look at Eris without violence in his eyes, as if seeing her only reminded him of the loss he couldn’t bear.

Eris believed she deserved it. She had killed her mother simply by being born. More than once, she wished she had never existed.

As her thoughts darkened, the doorknob turned with a slow click, and someone entered.

Startled by the sudden visit, she rose too quickly, swaying with dizziness. She gripped the edge of the table to steady herself, her pale, almost skeletal hands clenched against the wood. The room spun for a moment, and it wasn’t surprising. She hadn’t eaten all day. No one brought her anything once the news spread that the Duke of Levana had collapsed. The household staff never treated her as a lady; that privilege was reserved for Aeris, the beloved beauty of society, with her perfect pedigree and graceful charm.

Why would they treat Eris like a lady? She was a stain on the Levana name. Soon enough, she would find herself in a cage, sold to the highest bidder.

She drew a deep breath before greeting her brother with the formal words required of her. Bowing low, her right hand pressed against her chest, she murmured, "I greet you, my lord." She didn’t dare meet his eyes—those intense grey eyes, the unmistakable mark of Levana’s bloodline. The same grey that was said to come from the moon goddess Luna herself.

Legend spoke of their ancestors, blessed by the moon goddess, who gave one of her eyes to Theon Kaiza Levana, the founder of their house. In return, the Levana family was given the power to heal, and their grey eyes were the proof of this divine gift. Only those of Levana blood had such eyes, making them revered throughout the empire. But Eris’s dark grey eyes revealed her mixed heritage. Worse, she had no healing power at all. Levana blood without the gift of healing was worthless. When the household learned she had no powers, the abuse only grew worse.

“I don’t like being here,” Rayne’s cold voice cut through the silence. “The smell is revolting. But I have good news for you.”

The chill in his voice made her stomach twist. Rayne never visited her quarters unless he needed something from her—usually when he wanted to release his anger. Then he would summon her and beat her until he was satisfied. She was used to it. She had lived as his punching bag for as long as she could remember. But this visit felt different, and that unsettled her.

“Aeris is gravely ill, and the eastern dukedom is expecting a bride from our family,” Rayne continued. He paused, his sharp eyes studying her expression, searching for any flicker of emotion. But Eris’s face remained dull, like an empty shell. She didn’t react, didn’t flinch. She was as lifeless as the dusty dolls Aeris kept in her chambers. Rayne’s irritation spiked. He longed to beat her again, but even that had become pointless. She wouldn’t scream. She wouldn’t cry. She would simply close her eyes and bite her lips until they bled.

With a heavy sigh, he glanced around the attic that served as her room. It was cramped, dusty, and devoid of comfort, holding only a single bed and a worn cabinet. He almost smirked at the absurdity. Eris was still of Levana blood, however tainted, yet she lived in conditions unfit for a servant. But then again, why should he care? It wasn’t like she would die living here. Clicking his tongue, he continued.

“Father made a promise to the former Eastern Duke that one of his daughters would marry the heir of Caelum when she came of age. Now that Aeris has had her coming-of-age ceremony, they are demanding we send the bride for the marriage."

Eris had already guessed where this conversation was headed. Rayne wanted her to marry the heir to the Caelum dukedom, a man known for his cruelty. He had led the war that decimated the kingdom of Arcovia, a place renowned for its impenetrable defenses. The maids whispered that he bathed in the blood of his enemies and consumed raw meat, still dripping with blood. Just thinking about it made Eris feel nauseous, but she swallowed it down, forcing herself to keep still.

Rayne raised an eyebrow. “Do you understand?”

Eris nodded, her gaze still lowered. "I understand, my lord," she whispered.

Rayne sneered and turned toward the door. “Good,” he muttered before leaving.

Eris exhaled, the pressure in her chest loosening slightly as the door closed behind him. But the feeling of helplessness still weighed heavy on her. She had no choice but to obey. What alternative did she have? Being sold to the slave traders would be far worse.

As the pain in her legs returned from standing too long, she hobbled to the bed and lifted the hem of her dress. A nearly healed wound scarred her leg, a reminder of the day a maid tried to steal her mother’s necklace. She had fought back, but the maid had been stronger, and she was left injured and empty-handed, the last remnant of her mother torn away.

She felt miserable, helpless, and worthless, day after day. But she didn’t cry. She had stopped crying long ago, realizing that each tear felt like a knife carving deeper into her chest. Tears wouldn’t help her, wouldn’t save her, so why shed them? Even when her father or brother beat her, she never cried.

She would simply lie still on the floor, trying to ignore the pain, hoping that one day she would stop feeling anything at all.