How I Married KING Of HELL

The King's Gambit

Chapter 13

Emily stood in the heart of the Abyss, the swirling darkness around her dissipating like mist in the wind. The power that had surged through her moments ago still lingered, humming in her veins. She had shattered the hold Lucien and his twisted realm had over her, but she knew it wasn't over. Not yet. The Abyss had merely retreated, waiting for the right moment to strike again.

The silence that followed her outburst was eerie. Talia had vanished, consumed by the light Emily had unleashed, but Lucien was still out there, watching, waiting. He always was.

A flicker of movement caught Emily's eye, and she turned sharply. In the distance, a figure emerged from the shadows—tall, regal, draped in a cloak of pure black. His eyes glowed like molten fire in the dim light, and his expression was unreadable, but the power that radiated from him was undeniable.

Lucien.

"Impressive," he said, his voice low and smooth, though there was a cold edge to it. "You've grown stronger, Emily. I hadn't expected you to resist the Abyss so soon."

Emily narrowed her eyes, her heart pounding in her chest. She had expected this confrontation, but now that Lucien was here, standing before her, the weight of it all hit her like a tidal wave. This was the moment where everything would be decided.

"Is that what this was?" she asked, her voice steady despite the tension that thrummed through her. "A test? Another one of your twisted games?"

Lucien chuckled, though there was no warmth in the sound. "Not a game, my dear. A lesson. One I knew you needed to learn before we could proceed."

"I'm not proceeding with anything," Emily snapped, her fists clenching at her sides. "I don't belong to you, Lucien. And I'm not going to help you with whatever plan you have."

Lucien's expression darkened, though his smile remained. "Ah, but you see, you already have. Every step you've taken has brought us closer to this moment. Whether you realize it or not, you've played your part beautifully."

Emily felt a chill run down her spine. "What are you talking about?"

Lucien stepped closer, his eyes gleaming with an unsettling mix of amusement and something darker, more dangerous. "The power you wield, Emily, is not just your own. It is tied to this realm, to the Abyss. And now that you've embraced it, you've unlocked something far greater than you can comprehend."

Emily took a step back, her mind racing. "You mean... the Abyss?"

Lucien nodded slowly. "The Abyss is not merely a place, Emily. It is a force, a source of power that even I have yet to fully control. But with you, things have changed. You have become the key—the key to unlocking the full potential of this ancient power."

Emily's heart pounded in her chest as Lucien's words sank in. She had thought she was fighting to free herself, but all along, she had been walking straight into Lucien's trap. And now, the Abyss—the force she had fought so hard to resist—was tied to her in ways she hadn't even realized.

"I won't let you use me," she said, her voice firm despite the fear gnawing at the edges of her mind. "I'll destroy the Abyss if I have to."

Lucien's smile faded, and for the first time, a flicker of genuine anger crossed his face. "You can try. But know this, Emily—the Abyss is as much a part of you now as your own soul. Destroy it, and you destroy yourself."

Emily's breath caught in her throat. She had suspected there was more to her connection with the Abyss, but hearing Lucien say it so plainly sent a jolt of fear through her. If what he said was true, she was trapped in a way she hadn't even considered. She couldn't destroy the Abyss without sacrificing herself, and Lucien knew it.

But she couldn't let him win either.

"You're wrong," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I'm not bound to this place. I'll find a way out."

Lucien's gaze hardened, and he stepped closer until they were nearly face to face. His presence was overwhelming, like a storm poised to unleash its fury. "You underestimate me, Emily. You think you can defy me, but you are already mine. The Abyss has marked you. There is no escape."

Emily's heart pounded in her chest, but she refused to back down. "I've defied you before. I'll do it again."

For a long moment, Lucien said nothing. The tension between them crackled like electricity in the air. Then, slowly, a smile crept back onto his face—cold, predatory.

"Perhaps," he said softly, "but not today."

Before Emily could react, Lucien raised his hand, and the world around them shifted. The ground trembled, and the darkness that had once retreated surged forward, swallowing the light in an instant. Emily staggered back, her vision blurring as the shadows closed in, wrapping around her like chains.

She struggled, reaching for the power within her, but the Abyss resisted, dragging her deeper into its clutches. Lucien watched, his expression unreadable, as the shadows tightened their grip.

"This is the fate you chose, Emily," Lucien said, his voice echoing through the darkness. "You could have stood beside me, but now... now you will learn what it truly means to be bound to the Abyss."

Emily's body ached as the shadows pulled her down, deeper into the void. Her vision darkened, and the cold, suffocating weight of the Abyss pressed in on her from all sides. She fought to breathe, to think, but the overwhelming power of the realm was too strong.

And then, just as she felt herself slipping away, a voice—soft, familiar—whispered in her mind.

"Emily... don't give up. You're stronger than this."

It was faint, barely audible over the roar of the Abyss, but it was enough. Emily clung to that voice, to the flicker of hope it brought. She wasn't alone. She had allies, people who believed in her, even here in the heart of darkness.

With a surge of will, Emily pushed back against the Abyss. She reached deep within herself, drawing on every ounce of strength she had left. The shadows trembled, faltering under her defiance, and for the first time, she felt them begin to loosen their hold.

Lucien's eyes narrowed, his smile fading as he watched her fight back. "You cannot resist forever, Emily. The Abyss will claim you."

But Emily wasn't listening. She focused all her energy on breaking free, her mind clear and determined. The shadows recoiled, and with a final burst of power, she shattered their hold.

The darkness around her exploded in a blinding flash of light, and for a moment, everything went still.

Emily stood in the center of the Abyss, her breath ragged, but her spirit unbroken. Lucien watched her, his expression dark and unreadable.

"You are stronger than I thought," he said quietly, his voice laced with something Emily couldn't quite place. "But this isn't over."

Emily met his gaze, her eyes blazing with defiance. "No, it's not."