Spellbound by a Moonlit Heir

The glow of the setting sun had long vanished behind the trees as Lysandra and Caveen arrived breathless at the Landon Manor. Maika and Carl met them at the entrance, their faces pale with concern.

"Elara is safe," Maika said quickly, "but something… happened."

Carl nodded. "Council agents came. They tried to take her."

"What?" Caveen's voice was sharp with fury.

"They didn't succeed," Maika added, her eyes narrowing, "because someone stopped them. A child. A boy."

Lysandra stilled. "A child?"

"He couldn't have been more than ten," Maika explained. "Golden hair, eyes like molten gold. He appeared out of nowhere—and the aura around him… it wasn't normal. It wasn't mage-like. It wasn't vampire or lycan. It was… something else."

"He stood in front of Elara and said just two words," Carl added. "He called her 'My Corrine.'"

Lysandra and Caveen exchanged a glance, unsettled.

"Corrine?" Lysandra echoed.

Caveen's breath caught. "It's not just a name. It's an old title. In the language of the ancients—it means 'my reborn heart.'"

Maika frowned. "Then he knew her. Lets discuss this in the sitting room"

The warm glow of the Landon Manor's sitting room flickered across the faces of those gathered. Elara sat nestled between Lysandra and Maika, her small fingers wrapped tightly around her mother's hand. Caveen stood nearby, his arms crossed over his chest, eyes haunted by recent memories.

Carl poured himself a drink from the crystal decanter but never brought it to his lips. He simply stared into the amber liquid as if hoping it would offer answers. Maika watched Caveen carefully, noting the tension in his posture and the way he looked at Elara—like he feared something would tear her away at any moment.

Finally, Caveen broke the silence.

"They took us to an ancient ruin… it was all a trap."

Maika's brow furrowed. "The Crimson Order?"

Caveen nodded. "They planned it for years. They weren't after me alone. They wanted all of us… everyone carrying the blood of Lucille."

Lysandra gently pulled Elara into her lap, brushing a hand over the child's curls, as Caveen continued.

"They already knew about Lysandra's heritage—direct blood of Dierus Moonwell and Lucille. But they also captured Madelline and Elias, both descendants of Duke Koa and Lucille. And Nyra Moirel… she's not just from the bloodline. She is Lucille."

Carl's head snapped up. "What?"

"She's been reincarnated," Caveen said grimly. "Lucifer recognized her instantly. Called her his child. She admitted it—to him."

Maika closed her eyes for a moment, then nodded, calm and quiet.

"You knew?" Caveen asked, turning to her.

"I did," Maika admitted. "Lucille came to me in the sanctuary once, long ago, in Nyra's form. I felt her presence, unmistakable. She begged me not to tell anyone—not even the Council. She only wanted a peaceful life this time."

Caveen's expression softened. "She deserved one."

Carl shook his head, incredulous. "And the Order… they used all of you for what? Ritual sacrifice?"

"No," Lysandra said quietly. "For resurrection. They extracted our blood—blood tied to Lucille—and used it in a dark rite. A circle was formed, chants recited… and from the shadows, Lucifer returned."

Maika drew in a sharp breath. "In full power?"

"No," Caveen answered. "He came back in a child's body—around ten years old—but his aura… it was overwhelming. Like standing in the eye of a storm. He's not complete yet, but he's real. He remembers everything from the past. He called Alaric and Carlos by their old names—Victor and Alaric of the Originals. He even guessed Karena might be reborn."

Carl cursed under his breath and finally downed the drink in one swig.

"He said this was the time for all of us to return," Caveen said, voice low. "And he's right. We're being pulled together. Every bloodline, every forgotten piece of the past… it's resurfacing."

The fireplace crackled softly as the room sat in uneasy silence. Elara had fallen asleep, cradled between Caveen and Lysandra on the cushioned divan. The tension in the air was thick—everyone processing the magnitude of Lucifer's return.

Maika stood by the window, arms crossed, her gaze distant—lost in thoughts swirling faster than she could grasp. Her lips moved faintly, murmuring under her breath.

"Corrine… Corrine…"

Her eyes widened suddenly. A sharp gasp escaped her lips, and she brought a hand to cover her mouth, staggering a step back.

Carl, who had been leaning against the wall, immediately straightened. "Maika?"

She turned slowly, her expression stricken, haunted by the realization blooming behind her eyes.

"It was Lucifer," she said, her voice just above a whisper. "It was Lucifer who protected Elara at the manor."

The room froze. Caveen sat upright, his body tense. "What?" he asked, stunned.

Maika stepped forward, her voice growing firmer now that the pieces had fallen into place. "When he appeared… when he stopped the Council agents. He looked at Elara and said—'My Corrine.' I didn't understand at first. But now—" her breath caught again. "Corrine Carello… was the first and only bride of Lucifer. His beloved. The dark matriarch of the Carello clan."

Everyone was silent. Even the fire seemed to still in the hearth.

Caveen stared at her, disbelieving. "You mean…"

"Elara," Maika whispered, "is the reincarnation of Corrine. That's why he protected her. That's why his aura didn't scare her. She clung to him like… like she knew him. Because she did."

Lysandra's arms instinctively pulled Elara tighter. "But she's just a child…"

"She was a queen once," Maika said. "A powerful one. Corrine was feared by everyone during the First Age. If Lucifer is reborn, it makes sense that his bride would return too. They were bound—body, soul, and blood."

Carl's voice was low, careful. "But Elara is also our granddaughter. Born of Lysandra and Caveen…"

"That hasn't changed," Maika said gently. "But who she was in another life… is awakening. Piece by piece. Just like the others."

Caveen rubbed his hands over his face, overwhelmed. "First Alaric and Victor, Lysandra as Selene, Seraphine as Karena, Nyra as Lucille… now Elara as Corrine… how many more of us are living echoes?"

Maika looked back at Elara, sleeping so peacefully in her parents' arms, unaware of the weight her soul carried.

"We have to protect her more than ever," she said softly. "If the Council discovers what she truly is… they won't stop until she's either theirs—or gone."

Lysandra closed her eyes and held her daughter close. "Then let them come," she whispered. "We won't lose her. Not this time."