The celebration had ended, but the questions hadn’t.
Lucas stood alone on the east balcony of the Draeven estate, the night air cool against his skin. The lanterns in the garden flickered softly, casting golden light across the marble tiles. Below, the last of the guests were departing—cousins murmuring, elders whispering, and Serenya quietly escorted away by Aunt Evelyne.
But Lucas didn’t move.
He was waiting.
Footsteps approached—measured, deliberate.
Regulus Draeven.
The retired clan head stepped beside Lucas, his posture regal, his gaze fixed on the horizon. For a long moment, neither of them spoke.
Then Regulus said, “You’ve caused quite a stir.”
Lucas didn’t respond.
Regulus continued, “They’ve never seen a seal like that. Crimson and gold. It’s not in our records. Not in the archives. Not even in the restricted texts.”
Lucas turned slightly. “But you’ve heard of it.”
Regulus’s jaw tightened. “Only in stories. I wasn’t born when the Velmira alliance collapsed. The feud was already law by the time I came of age. But the elders spoke of Seraphina Velmira and Alaric Draeven. Of a love that nearly broke both clans.”
Lucas’s breath caught.
Regulus nodded. “They defied tradition. But they were never sealed. That’s what made it easier to erase them. The bond wasn’t mystical. Just emotional. And emotions, as you know, are easier to silence.”
Lucas’s voice was quiet. “Then what Elara and I have…”
Regulus looked at him, eyes sharp but softened by awe. “Is the first.”
Lucas hesitated. “She’s Velmira.”
Regulus turned sharply. “What?”
“Elara Solenne Velmira,” Lucas said. “She’s the sealed heir of her generation.”
Regulus stepped back, stunned. “Then it’s real.”
Lucas nodded. “We didn’t know. We met by accident. In China. She was running. I was calling someone. We collided in a dark alley. Our lips touched. That was all.”
Regulus’s brow furrowed. “No ritual?”
“No words. No ritual. Just contact. And then the seal.”
Regulus exhaled slowly. “That kind of activation shouldn’t be possible. Not without intent. Not without ritual.”
Lucas’s voice dropped. “She’s the illegitimate daughter of Cassian Velmira.”
Regulus’s eyes narrowed. “Cassian? The one trying to bind Velmira to the Ashbourne alliance?”
Lucas nodded. “He was looking for her. To use her. To seal her to someone strategic. She ran.”
Regulus’s gaze darkened—not with anger, but with weight. “Then she chose you. And fate agreed.”
Lucas didn’t flinch. “I didn’t choose it. But I won’t reject it.”
Regulus’s voice softened. “That’s what makes it real.”
He turned back to the garden. “The others will ask questions. They’ll want records. Proof. They’ll question her. And they’ll question you.”
Lucas’s jaw tightened. “Let them.”
Regulus placed a hand on his shoulder. “You’ll need strength. Not just to protect her—but to protect what this seal means.”
Lucas didn’t respond.
Regulus’s gaze lingered on him. “Then I’ll tell you something I’ve never told anyone.”
Lucas waited.
“I used to believe the elders were right. That Seraphina and Alaric were reckless. That love without legacy was dangerous. But tonight, I saw something they never did.”
Lucas looked up.
Regulus’s voice dropped. “A seal that formed without permission. Without politics. Without fear.”
A quiet beat passed between them.
Then Regulus said, “Bring her to me. Not for approval. For understanding.”
Lucas nodded. “I will.”
Regulus turned to leave, then paused. “And Lucas?”
“Yes?”
“Don’t let anyone tell you it’s a curse. That seal… It’s the rarest kind of fate.”