Ch-106
The room was steeped in an eerie silence as the group of people in the room gathered around the mysterious letter. The parchment, now reduced to smoldering embers, had delivered a revelation that echoed through the air like a haunting refrain. Lenora discovered that Azazel, the lich, claimed to be her father.
The incredulous stares exchanged between the assembled creatures spoke volumes. The letter's words hung in the air, a spectral whisper that defied the laws of the supernatural. Lenora, usually composed and unyielding, stood frozen, her eyes wide with disbelief. Her pale fingers trembled as she clutched the remnants of the burnt parchment.
"Father?" she muttered, her voice barely audible over the crackling remnants of the letter. "But how? How can an undead creature father a child?"
Eudora stepped forward, her face etched with concern. "Lenora, dear, the realms of magic are vast and unpredictable. Azazel's dark arts may have unearthed a forbidden secret that binds you to him."
Lenora's mind swirled with conflicting emotions. A cocktail of anger, confusion, and an inexplicable yearning tugged at her immortal heart. She shot a glance at the others in the room, all sharing in the bewilderment that this revelation wrought.
Meanwhile, Azazel's absence added an extra layer of mystery to the unfolding drama, leaving the room in suspense.
Maximus broke the silence. "We must tread carefully. Azazel's motives remain shrouded, and this sudden revelation could be a ruse. We cannot simply hand Lenora over without understanding the true implications of her lineage. And also… we have to save Adira."
As the group deliberated, Lenora's internal turmoil intensified. She couldn't deny the strange connection she felt—a thread of darkness intertwined with her vampiric essence. The room became a crucible of conflicting emotions, and the shadows seemed to dance with secrets yet to be unveiled.
In the absence of Azazel, the enigmatic letter continued to smolder, leaving the group to grapple with the unexpected revelation that bound them together in a tapestry of dark magic and familial ties.
"I know a way," Lenora said all of a sudden.
"What is it?" Eudora asked.
Instead of answering her, she clapped her hands. An attendee walked inside. "Summon my maid Celine at this instant," the attendee bowed and left the study.
After some time, Celine came into the room. "My lady," she greeted.
"Is it possible for you to contact your sister and my mother?" Lenora asked her.
Mother?
"Who is your mother? Isn't your mother here?" Serene asked in a shocked tone.
"My biological mother," Lenora said. She lifted her eyes and looked at Eudora.
"I am a witch by birth. Celine and the high priestess are from the same coven. I was entrusted to them and sent to the human world. But… I somehow ended up being your child. After the accident with my sister two years ago, the witch side of me got triggered. My vampire self will vanish in some time before I turn into a witch completely," Lenora revealed the truth to Eudora.
Eudora looked at her with a complicated gaze. "She saved Victoria's last essence of her soul. With my sister's help, I learned many things." Lenora continued.
Eudora knew what Lenora was saying the truth. She lost a child. Was she going to lose another one?
She doesn't know. There was a storm brewing inside her. All these thousands of years she was alive, she never trembled or flattered. But today, her expression cracked. She seemed to be someone who wasn't.
"No matter what happens, Queen Mother is my mother," Lenora said after a pause. Only then did Eudora's expression ease.
"Then will you leave…" Before Serene could speak more, Maximus cut her off from her words.
"Our priority is coronation and finding Adira. The rest can wait for later," Maximus said.
Serene didn't ask anymore. She knew what was important.
"They are actually in the Vampira," Celine said after a few seconds of silence.
Lenora looked at her with a raised brow. "Invite them here. I need their help," she said, stifling a laugh.
Celine smiled at her sheepishly and walked out. She went to Lenora's chambers and wrote a letter to her. After she was done writing, she chanted a spell. The letter turned into a bird and flew away to its destination. In half an hour, Andrea and Elphaba arrived at the Zaros study.
But to their shock, there was another person along with them. "She is…"
"Yes, She is Ophelia," Elphaba answered.
Ophelia took off her cloak and revealed her disheveled appearance. Her skin was a mix of black and purple. She looked thin and awful. Ophelia looked like someone who would be blown away by some strong wind.
"How did you find her?" Serene asked the woman in front of her.
Andrea took a seat and crossed her legs. She glanced at the woman in front of her and said indifferently, "She came to us."
"...Seeking refugee," she finished her sentence after a pause.
"Why did you claim me as your daughter?" Lenora asked.
"I was propelled by Azazel," she answered.
Lenora nodded her head. She didn't ask anymore. She was not surprised by the answer she heard. She kind of expected this answer from the start.
"Why is she targeted?" Eudora asked.
Three years ago, Ophelia came, claiming that she was the biological mother of Lenora and wanted to recognize her daughter. Just a few months before the death of Victoria. Eudora didn't let Ophelia touch the throne or the powerhouse of Vampira. She held it under her control. But… Ophelia didn't stop. With the support of Azazel, she tried her best to seize some power, yet Eudora was a Vampire who had dealt with many power-hungry vampires. Ophelia was just some stupid, headless chicken.
"At that time, I was told that either of the princesses would be helpful for our experiment," Ophelia answered.
Experiment?
Lenora's eyes narrowed. She knew the answer. But she wanted to know what's the outcome he wanted. Why was he specifically targeting her or her sister?