Spellbound by a Moonlit Heir

Late that night, under the moon's watchful glow, Maika stood before a modest oak door within the Ravenshade manor.

She raised her hand and gently knocked.

A soft voice came from inside. "Come in."

Maika stepped in to find Lysandra standing by the window, her back to the room, gazing silently at the night sky. The moonlight traced the contours of her face, and behind her, little Elara slept peacefully on the bed, her tiny hand curled near her cheek.

Maika's gaze softened.

"She's beautiful," Maika whispered as she approached.

Lysandra didn't turn but replied quietly, "She has her father's eyes."

A pause passed between them, heavy with unspoken truths.

"I came to speak with you," Maika said.

Lysandra turned slowly, her arms folded over her chest as if bracing for something.

Maika glanced once more at the sleeping child before shifting her gaze to Lysandra. "Two months after his wedding to Madelline, Caveen ended it. Quietly. No drama, no public statement. He buried himself in the Landon Empire's affairs in the human world. Since then… he hasn't seen anyone. Not once."

A flinch passed across Lysandra's features, a subtle waver of her lips. She bowed her head, pressing her hand to her chest.

"I didn't expect them to end so early…" she murmured.

Maika stepped closer, her voice gentle but unwavering. "Lysandra, Elara is the mirror image of Caveen when he was a child. The moment I touched her, I felt it—faint, but present. You've cloaked her bloodline. Severed it. But her face…" Maika shook her head. "The blood may lie low, but her face cannot. The moment I saw her, I knew."

Silence gripped the room for a heartbeat.

Then Lysandra spoke, her voice heavy and distant. "Yes… she is Caveen's. I hid her from everyone to keep her safe. If the Council ever found out, they would come for her. They've already begun…" Her voice trembled. "Kylan's death… that was just the beginning."

Maika sighed, eyes clouding. "I understand. But her being here—it's no longer safe. The Council's shadows stretch farther than we think. If you trust me, I can bring her to the Landon Manor. I'll protect her, hide her in ways even the Council cannot sense. No one will find her there."

Lysandra's brows drew together, panic flickering in her eyes. "What about Caveen? He'll hate me. He'll never forgive me for hiding this from him…"

Maika took her hand. "Lysandra, sooner or later, Caveen will know. But that should come from you. Not from another mouth."

"No… no, please," Lysandra whispered, pulling her hand back. "He can't know. Not now. I entrust Elara to you, Maika… but promise me. Don't tell Caveen. I cannot face his wrath. I don't think I'll survive it."

Maika looked at her for a long time, then spoke softly. "Caveen still loves you, Lysandra. I know it. I visited his unit in the Vile Tower. There's a canvas in his room—unfinished. It's your face. He still paints you. He still longs for you."

Lysandra's fists clenched at her sides. "Our love was doomed from the start. The council's defiance, the bloodshed—it ruined us. And I… I'm not the woman he once loved. I've changed. I'm building something else now."

She looked Maika dead in the eyes. "I want to form an alliance—with Alaric, with Carlos. I want to raise power against the Council. For my child's future. Because as long as the Council exists… Elara will never be safe."

Maika gave a solemn nod. "Then let me protect her. You can come see her anytime. Be with her, whenever you want."

Lysandra's eyes welled with tears. She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Maika tightly.

"Thank you," she whispered. "I owe you everything."

Maika held her back just as tightly. The war was far from over—but this, this fragile trust between mothers, between women molded by war and love and loss, was the beginning of something stronger.

Something that might one day topple the Council itself.

In Elara's room, Lysandra knelt by her daughter's bed, brushing strands of golden hair from her sleeping face. The child looked so peaceful, so untouched by the storm that brewed beyond her innocent world.

She bit her lip, choking back tears.

"She looks so much like him," she whispered to herself. "The way her brow creases when she sleeps… that's all Caveen."

Behind her, Maika stood by the doorway, quietly watching. She said nothing at first, letting Lysandra live in this last moment of stillness.

"She'll be safe with me," Maika said gently.

Lysandra nodded, though her hand trembled as she stroked Elara's cheek. "She loves the garden. The butterflies. She likes to sing to the trees." Her voice cracked. "Tell her she can still sing to them, even if the forest is different."

"I will."

With one last breath, Lysandra leaned down and kissed Elara's forehead. The child stirred, blinking awake.

"Mama?" she whispered, still sleepy.

"I'm here, my love." Lysandra forced a smile. "Do you remember Grandma Maika? She'll take you to a safe place for a while. Just a little adventure."

Elara's big eyes shifted from her mother to Maika, confused. "Will you come too?"

"I will visit you, every time I can," Lysandra promised, cupping her daughter's face. "This is so you can stay happy, where no shadows can reach you."

Elara looked like she was about to cry—but then Maika knelt beside them and pulled a charm from her necklace. "This is for you, little star," she said, slipping it into Elara's hand. "It will glow when your mama is thinking of you."

The charm sparkled with subtle magic, and Elara gasped in delight. "It's pretty!"

Lysandra stood, brushing tears from her cheeks quickly before her daughter could see. "Go with Grandma Maika now, alright?"

With a small nod, Elara took Maika's hand.

As they walked away, Lysandra stood motionless at the door. She watched until the two disappeared down the path, Elara's giggles echoing faintly behind. As soon as the sound faded, Lysandra closed the door, leaned against it—

—and wept in silence.