CHAPTER 184: THE ABYSSLAND

The lesson for the day had ended, and Serena and Lumina stood up with the plan to leave. But at that moment, Lord Drex rose from his chair, his eyes fixed on Lumina, who stood quietly, waiting for Serena to be done.

"Princess Lumina," he called, "come with me. There is something I must discuss."

Serena’s brows furrowed immediately. "Father, why does she get to stay behind? Am I not to be trusted anymore?" she asked, her voice laced with bitterness.

Lord Drex turned to his daughter, his expression turning colder. "You are not just my daughter anymore. You are now a concubine tied to royal blood." he said, his gaze cutting into her, "It’s a privilege, not a right."

Serena’s face paled. The words hit her harder than a slap. Ever since she had become Adam’s concubine, nothing between them had been the same.

Not a single ceremony had been held for her to become Adam’s concubine and her father never cared to ask.

She had always been his pride, intelligent, graceful, and ambitious. But now, Lord Drex looked at her as if she were a stranger.

"Father..." she whispered, grabbing his hand desperately. "Please, let me stay. I..."

"You chose this path, Serena," Lord Drex interrupted, pulling his hand away.

"Despite my warning and everything I told you about him. If I had known your heart was this weak, I would have sent you far away from this palace."

Lumina sighed at this; she might not trust Lord Drex fully, but he had never done anything evil. He didn’t have sides in the court and even respected her husband.

"Please don’t speak ill of her," Lumina spoke up, stepping forward. "She was blinded by love, and I am pretty sure she knows what she is doing."

Lord Drex paused, staring at the young woman before him. Something in her composure, in the way she spoke, made him feel an unfamiliar pang, and admiration. For a fleeting second, he thought, If only Serena had been more like her.

He sighed and gestured toward the chamber behind him. "Come in, both of you, if the princess is comfortable with it," he said finally.

They followed him into his private room. Lord Drex opened a small wooden chest and carefully pulled out a bottle filled with dark liquid. He placed it before them.

"This," he said slowly, "is the antidote identified as yours that you had sent to me." His eyes flicked to Lumina.

"But there is something strange about it. It isn’t made in this realm. The poison is meant to counter... I can’t even tell what it’s made from."

Lumina’s lips parted slightly, her heart tightening. "You mean, it’s foreign?"

He nodded. "Yes, and that’s what troubles me. The poison inside you is not slowing down. It’s changing." He turned the bottle in his hand, his expression grave.

"The substance is merging deeper with your veins. I fear that soon, even the antidote will not be enough."

A silence fell over the room. Serena’s eyes darted toward Lumina, who stood frozen.

"So it’s true..." Lumina whispered. "I felt weaker these past days. I thought it was exhaustion."

Lord Drex looked at her, pity flashing briefly in his eyes. "You must be cautious, Princess. The one who created this poison was not aiming to kill you quickly. They wanted time to watch what it does to you."

Serena let out a slow sigh and tried to smile, though it didn’t reach her eyes.

"You always end up in strange troubles, don’t you, Lumina? Not only did you get the Inner Court to bend to your will, but now you’ve caught the attention of poisons even the Lords cannot understand."

Lumina gave a faint laugh, hiding the tremor in her chest. "It’s not as if I asked for it. But I suppose I owe you thanks, Serena. I will need your help again soon."

Serena smirked, stepping closer. "Of course you will. I still owe you, remember? I only help those who are bound to win."

Lumina arched her brow. "Then I trust you will stay close."

******

By evening, the palace had quieted. The faint notes of flutes from the inner court echoed through the halls.

Lumina was going back with Serena to her chamber, her fingers tracing the rim of the bottle Lord Drex had given her with deep thought.

Then footsteps echoed from the corridor. "Princess Lumina."

The voice was deep and familiar. They both looked back where Adam stood in the doorway. His hair was messy, his face pale, his eyes laced with exhaustion.

"Let’s talk," he let out.

Serena immediately stepped between him and Lumina. "You have nothing to say to her."

Adam’s gaze darkened. In a flash, his hand came down, striking Serena across the face. The sound of the slap echoed harshly through the chamber.

Lumina gasped. "Why would you... she is carrying your c..."

Adam didn’t give her the chance to finish. He took a step forward, his hand almost reaching for her arm before stopping mid-air. "You will talk to me," he said quietly. "Or you will regret it."

Lumina stared at him with a smirk, "Adam, stop this, my husband might make things worse for you." Lumina said firmly.

He leaned closer, his breath brushing her ear. "It’s about your husband. Don’t forget... he’s my brother." The words hit her like a blow.

Serena stumbled to her feet, anger in her eyes. "You are not dragging her into your mess again, Adam. I swear..."

Lumina raised her hand slightly. "It’s fine. I will go." Serena turned toward her. "No, Lumina..."

But Lumina already made up her mind. "It’s fine," she repeated. "If it’s about Ashen... I will hear him out."

Adam smirked, satisfied. "Good choice."

They walked through the halls, as they neared an isolated courtyard. The moonlight spilled across the floor, faintly illuminating the trees that swayed in the distance.

Before Lumina could even speak, hands suddenly reached out from the shadows, grabbing Serena and pulling her roughly aside. She let out a small cry before being dragged behind the pillar.

"Serena!" Lumina shouted, trying to turn, but Adam caught her wrist.

"She will be fine, she is my concubine after all," he said simply, his tone flat. "I just need to talk."

Lumina jerked her arm, her eyes narrowing. "You call this talking?"

"Don’t tempt me to show you worse," Adam said. "You should know, Princess, the antidote you received will not help you much longer."

Lumina paused at this, warning a sly grin from Adam. "Oh, you didn’t think I wouldn’t know? The poison wasn’t meant for anyone else but you... and it will be hard for you to get out of it."

"You’re a jerk!"

"Am I?" He stepped closer, his gaze trapping hers. "Didn’t he tell you today that it’s eating deeper into your body? That even the antidote can’t stop it? Tell me, Lumina, who else could make something that even Drex can’t help?"

He swallowed hard at this moment, "What do you want from me?" she asked finally.

He smiled, but there was no warmth in it. "You are clever. I like that. What I want is simple. You are going to help me."

"Help you?" she repeated, her voice low.

He took another step, until the distance between them disappeared.

"You are going to help me free my mother. The king stripped her of her title, locked her away as if she were nothing. You will change that."

"And if I refuse?" Lumina asked quietly.

Adam’s eyes darkened, a cruel smirk forming on his lips. "Then I will tell the realm what your husband hides."

Lumina froze at this moment.

"What do you mean?"

He leaned in, his words slow and deliberate. "He reached out to the last realm... a realm long forgotten and our greatest enemy."

Lumina as ci fused at first until Adam began explaining... "He reached out to the abyss land for the hell to restore your sight." Lumina’s head snapped up.

"What?" The realm was initially five until the Abyssland deviated from them, it had been long forgotten until tonight until Adam mentioned it.

Anyone from any other realm who reached out to it is executed immediately. But here her husband is reaching out for it just for her sight.

Lumina’s pulse quickened her heart, thumping really hard. "You are bluffing."

"Am I?" Adam whispered. "Do you really want to test me, Princess?"

The night wind stirred her hair, but she couldn’t move. He straightened, brushing invisible dust off his sleeve.

"You will do what I asked. Free my mother. Or by the next full moon, your husband will not only lose his position he will lose his life."

Then he turned, leaving her standing, her body trembling as the echo of his footsteps faded into the distance.

From behind the pillars, Serena stumbled forward, her face pale, eyes wide.

"Lumina..." she whispered. "What did he say?"

Lumina didn’t answer. She just stood there, the bottle of antidote still clutched tightly in her hand.

Her heart pounded painfully.

For the first time since coming to the palace, she felt fear not for herself, but for Ashen.