Claimed by the Prince of Darkness

Chapter 208: My Father’s Wife

So her mother had seen that Lucian was destined to kill her and decided the best solution was to ensure Ruelle ended up marrying him instead, who would come to protect her. She didn’t know whether her mother had been clever or had a peculiar sense of humour.

In some way, she was still alive and it was a win. But the weight of another change to restore the balance now hung over her head.

"I haven’t had any other premonitions until now," Ruelle said softly. And she doubted what she experienced today could be considered one.

"It isn’t always necessary that a witch’s daughter acquire the same ability as the mother," Carnifex let her know and it only increased her worry.

"Did my mother ever tell you what abilities she possessed? Apart from the premonitions," Ruelle asked him.

Carnifex nodded, answering her, "She could alter memories. Make people forget certain things or distort what they remembered. But it didn’t work on pureblooded vampires."

Ruelle couldn’t help but be amazed by just hearing it. Compared to that, all she could so far was grow plants... and her ability felt underwhelming.

"But the stronger the ability, the greater the toll it takes on the body. Constant use can drain a witch’s life force," Carnifex explained as if he could read her face.

At those words, she felt Lucian’s gaze fall on her. Carnifex revealed,

"When I saw Mira again several years later, at Sylvan’s estate, she wasn’t the same and had grown weaker. It is difficult enough for a witch to live undetected among vampires. And to do so within the household of a pureblooded vampire is another matter entirely. She must have used her ability frequently to distort the memories of those around her and keep them from discovering what she was. It may have been what caused her health to deteriorate."

As his words settled somewhere deep inside Ruelle, it dawned on her that everything she had heard since a child was false. Neither was Harold Belmont her father nor did she steal her mother’s life. She had carried that guilt for almost her entire life, accepting it as something that belonged to her.

Ruelle lowered her eyes, blinking away the moisture that had begun to gather there.

The more she learned about her mother, the lighter she felt. Knowing how much her mother had loved her and how much she had been protected was enough to fill a space inside Ruelle that had remained empty all these years.

Compared to what her mother had endured, growing flowers and grass seemed almost harmless. At least, Ruelle hoped it was.

Then remembering something, she asked, "Do you know about the box my mother left for me?"

Carnifex frowned slightly, before responding, "I don’t believe I do." His expression turned thoughtful before continuing, "Though your mother and I shared an affection for one another, Mira was always a mysterious woman. You could say it was one of her more alluring qualities."

was strange hearing someone speak about her mother as someone who was once loved. It was because her... Harold Belmont, he refused to talk about her deceased

left her a piece of a mirror. It appears to

about the Mirror Portal?"

so..."

appearing genuinely surprised

of a fragment. If I’m not mistaken, it has been years since anyone has laid eyes on

curiosity grew. "You

of it," Carnifex corrected. "The Mirror Portal is considered little more than a myth now. It is said that the mirror may be shattered into a hundred pieces and scatter them across the world, but every fragment will remain drawn to the others. And all of them together form a passage. In the past, countless mirrors were deliberately broken in hopes

mean whoever possesses a piece will eventually be drawn towards the others?" Ruelle asked, her

mirror was

has passed, I imagine most of the fragments have already found their way back

with her parents in the Belmonts’ new residence, she had tried to use the mirror to find the rest of

the broken piece with you wherever you go. If another fragment is nearby, yours is bound to respond. Every piece of that mirror seeks to return to the others

If not now, then several years from now. There was no telling when it would happen, but

left the fragment with you so that, one day, the two of you might see each other again," Carnifex said and his words

so much for her, yet Ruelle, knowing none of this, had already decided for Lucian to see Lady Irina. She had thought he deserved the chance to see Lady Irina again far more than she needed to meet a woman who had always been

right now, her mother didn’t feel quite so much like a stranger

no excuse can make up for everything that happened," Carnifex said, his voice trailing off slightly with his eyebrows tightly knitted. Ruelle felt something tighten in her chest at the regret she heard there. "I only wish I could have

ever so slightly at the man who had unceremoniously made

unbothered by the

alright." Ruelle shook her head gently. "You didn’t even know I was your..." She hesitated. The word still felt foreign on her tongue, as it had only been two days since she had discovered the truth, and she had spent eighteen years believing another man to

"...daughter."

or Carnifex who said it, but the person at the door, Lady

woman say, "I don’t believe there is an easy way to break such news," the vampiress remarked. "Especially when

Amelia through one of the mansion’s long corridors. Their footsteps echoed softly against the stone, and after the silence stretched for a little too long, Ruelle filled the

Lady Amelia. It

much of it, so most of what you see has been preserved." Her eyes moved briefly across the corridor. "Though I wouldn’t say it is quite as impressive as the glass house

comparison. They walked a little farther before Lady Amelia spoke

Ruelle. I hope you don’t mind me

Ruelle replied with a