Lucian's POV
"Let me show you what hell would truly be like if you dare cross me."
The words left my mouth like death itself.
I raised my hand and smashed the mirror.
CRACK.
Ice crawled across the surface like veins spreading and then the whole thing exploded into a thousand pieces and the fragments scattered across the floor glowing faintly before turning into dust and the light from the portal vanished and the room went dark and cold and silent.
She flinched.
Her face went pale. Her eyes were wide. She stared at the destroyed mirror like she couldn't believe what just happened.
Good.
Let her stare.
Let her understand.
I was furious.
No, furious wasn't the word. There wasn't a word for what I was feeling.
After everything. After all the chances I gave her. She still tried to run.
Until now she only saw the restrained side of me. The side the elders feared less. The side Martin begged me to keep.
But now?
Now she would understand why this entire world bows when I walk. Why demons lower their heads. Why kingdoms tremble.
I grabbed her wrist and dragged her through the portal to my chamber.
The moment we entered the portal snapped shut behind us.
She stumbled back. Her body was trembling. She looked at me.
Fear.
I could see it clearly now.
Good.
She should fear me.
How dare a mere mortal think she could deceive me? How dare she steal from me?
My gaze fell to my hand where my ring once rested.
The emerald ring.
She stole it.
My eyes darkened.
She kept stepping away from me. Her breathing was uneven. Her hands were shaking like she thought I would kill her at any second.
Seeing her fear me should have satisfied me.
It didn't.
It only made the storm inside me worse.
My chest burned. I could barely breathe.
I forced myself to calm down. The crimson in my eyes faded.
But my voice stayed cold enough to freeze the castle.
"Do you even understand what you have done?"
Silence. Heavy silence. Frost spread beneath my feet. Darkness gathered around the walls.
She said nothing. Just stared at me with those frightened eyes.
My patience snapped.
"I am asking you" I said slower and darker "do you know what you did wrong?"
Still nothing. Just trembling. Tears gathered in her eyes. She backed away another step.
That step shattered whatever control I had left.
I grabbed her throat and slammed her against the wall.
The whole chamber shook.
I didn't hold back. Not this time.
"If you wished to escape so badly"
I said tightening my grip
"then perhaps I should throw you into hell myself."
She choked. Struggled to breathe.
But even then....
even then the only thing in my mind was one terrifying thought.
What if I had arrived one second later?
One second.
That was all it would have taken.
That mirror was never meant to return her to the mortal world. It wasn't an escape portal. It was a gate to the Abyss. The endless Abyss. A place even demons fear. A prison where souls wander for eternity until nothing remains. No light. No death. No escape.
If she had stepped through completely ...
I would never have seen her again.
The thought should have brought me relief but,
Instead it felt like someone had reached into my chest and crushed my heart.
My grip tightened again.
This foolish human had no idea how close she came to disappearing forever.
And somehow that terrified me more than it should have.
I realized she was struggling to breathe. I let her go.
She collapsed to the floor coughing.
I stared at her for a long moment.
Then I turned away. Because if I stayed any longer , I didn't know what I would do.
I opened a portal and disappeared into my study.
The moment I stepped inside ice covered every surface.
"How dare a mere mortal cross me…"
My shadows twisted across the walls.
"I gave her chance after chance."
CRACK.
The armrest shattered beneath my hand.
"I will teach her. I will make sure she never dares attempt something like this again."
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Lyra's POV
He left.
Just like that.
One second his hand was around my throat and his eyes were looking at me like I was something he could destroy at any moment.
And the next second he was gone.
The room fell silent. The silence was unbearable.There was this ringing sound in my ears because of his grip on my throat i think so.
My legs gave up. I slid down against the wall onto the floor. My hands wouldn't stop trembling. I could still feel the pressure of his fingers around my neck.
Tears started falling before I even realized it.
First a few. Then more. Then a few more...
and I couldn't stop them.
I covered my mouth with my hand. I tried to muffle my tears but soon the silent tears turned into small sobs .
My breathing was a mess.
What… what just happened?
I closed my eyes but his face appeared again.
Those red eyes.
Those horns.
That terrifying pressure from him which made me choke even before he held my throat.
Was that his real self?
The Lucian I had seen until now felt different now.
The cold man who threatened me. The man who smirked at my words. The man who watched me like I amused him.
Compared to what I just saw, that version of him almost felt restrained.
A shiver ran down my spine.
Why does he want to force me into this marriage so badly?
I don't even know how I ended up here. One moment I was living my normal life. The next I was dragged here without my permission.
Everything happens without my consent. The engagement. The castle. The demon world. Even him.
I wiped my tears and tried to calm my breathing.
"God… what are you even planning for me…"
Nothing made sense anymore. The more I learned about this world the more trapped I felt inside it.
And now--
now I was genuinely scared of him.
Not annoyed.
Not irritated.
Not angry.
Scared.
For the first time since arriving here I realized something.
Lucian Blackfrost wasn't just a cold king.
He was a real monster.
But monsters don't stop. Monsters don't let go.
He stopped. He let go.
Why?
My fingers tightened against my dress.
If things kept going like this I would completely lose myself here. I can't keep running forever. I can't keep trembling every time he appears.
I pressed my hand against my chest. My heart was still pounding.
But I was still breathing.
Slowly I forced myself to stand. My legs were shaking. I almost fell. Caught myself.
"I need to face this…"
Even if I was terrified.
Even if the fear he planted inside me still refused to leave.
I pressed my hand against my chest again.
My heart was still pounding.
But I was still breathing.
That had to count for something.
I am done playing his games...or whatever this is iam going to find it myself.
This is not some fairytale and no prince was going to come to save me....
i have only me and me , that's all...
i am going to find the reason and all to end this ...end everything...
i am not some pushover and i am done playing his puppet...
but going against him will be same as walking straight into the lion's den.
No i am not going to make same mistake again...
for now i need to stay low to find the clues..i need to blend with them and i will strike him..
listen mr.demon king i am done playing your puppet now....
now i am going to beat you...in your own game...
i said wiping the last tear that's flowing from my eyes....
GAME ON...