Chapter 44

The room Lord Jekia had us gather in to speak with Lucille and Hailia was one I couldn’t recall seeing before. I hadn’t even been aware it existed in the palace.

It was located deep within the side of the mountain, and the hallway leading to it made me feel slightly uneasy. There were no windows, only the dim light of oil lamps lining the walls, casting deep shadows around us.

The hallway ended at a large, brass-looking double door, unlike any I’d seen in the palace during my time there. I wondered if this was to be some kind of holding area similar to a dungeon, though it didn’t appear that way when Rayne and Rin opened the doors.

The room we entered wasn’t that big, perhaps a bit smaller than the bedrooms. I could see there were dark plush chairs set near the far wall and no other furniture.

This was where Lord Jekia and Lana were waiting with Selenia and Emelio, yet I didn’t see any sign of Lucille or Hailia. I wondered if they were being held elsewhere until we were ready to speak to them.

“It seems that you didn’t want any prying eyes or ears during this. I can’t recall the last time we used this room to speak to someone,” Rin noted as we all sat down.

“I’d rather not take the chance, so I decided this would be the best place to address both what has occurred and how we’ll handle it moving forward,” Lord Jekia stated.

“You mean we’ll ensure that there are no more chances of trouble both for us and the houses because of what Camille did,” Rayne guessed.

“Are you shutting them down, at least temporarily?” Selenia inquired.

“There is no reason to as far as we can discern. It appears that most of this has been in the Belgan House, not to mention hidden from the others,” Lana told him.

“Most except perhaps Lucille. I wouldn’t count Hailia out either. She obviously knew more about it than she was letting on,” Rayne surmised.

“We cannot deny that, but for now, we’ll see how this discussion goes,” Jekia stood up and looked at us. “Also, I would prefer for us not to jump to any conclusions straight away. Let us hear them out before making any accusations.”

“You’re thinking of what happened with Hailia long ago, aren’t you?” I guessed.

“That is something I am keeping in mind,” Lord Jekia acknowledged.

“That said, if you are ready, my lord, then we should get started,” Emelio spoke up.

“Of course. Bring them in.”

Emelio waved his hand, and in an instant, Lucille and Hailia appeared about three feet in front of us, sitting in two chairs that had been set up there. Lucille had her head lowered, her hands clasped into tight fists on her lap.

I noticed that her dress had been changed to a blue one, and her long dark hair was loose around her shoulders. She looked a bit flushed and her eyes were light like she’d been crying.

As for Hailia, she didn’t look much different, though her eyes were downcast and a bit pensive. I wondered how much she really knew about all of this.

It stung a little to think that she’d act like my friend and not tell me the truth, but then, I also felt like I couldn’t completely judge her for that. Not only had Lucille been helping her, but maybe they were closer than I’d anticipated, and she’d do what she felt she needed to so that she could protect her.

Neither said anything as they sat there, both looking very nervous. It was Lord Jekia who broke the silence after a few minutes.

“There is no need for you two to be so pensive, especially if you have nothing to hide. Or am I wrong to assume such?” he asked them.

Lucille shook her head. “No, sire. Not at all.”

“Then why not start from the beginning with all of this? It’s rather obvious that your mother was the one who invited that Fallen into this realm. What do you know of it?” Lord Jekia continued.

“Not much. Perhaps only as much as you,” Lucille answered.

“That’s not the right answer and you know it. You were obviously trying to tell Luna and Selenia about it when you invited Luna to the House, and I can’t see how you could’ve missed that mirror in your mother’s room. Were you so foolish that you tried to ignore the obvious signs of what she was up to?” Rayne asked her.

“It was nothing like that!” Lucille insisted. She backtracked a bit on her previous words, “It is true that I was aware of some things, but I didn’t realize the extent they had come to until now. If I’d known before then I certainly would’ve done what I could to raise the alarm.”

“Would you now? You are aware that I’ve looked into much of the past, and your track record with your mother isn’t the most glowing, especially when it came to what occurred with your father and half-sister here. While I am aware of your mother’s influence and even threats against you, not to mention your shadowed support of Hailia, it does concern me about how much you knew of all of this from the start, not to mention you were the one who gave Luna that star crystal that was used to try and control her,” Lord Jekia stated.

Lucille stiffened as she heard that, taking a few minutes to formulate a response.

“I understand how that looked, and I knew in my heart that there may have been more to it, but I never did that with malice,” she managed. She drew in a breath to compose herself and explain. “I was quite surprised when Mother showed me that crystal and told me that she wanted me to give it to Lady Luna as a welcoming gift, but nothing about it appeared different to me. Mother had many crystals that she’d collected over the years, so her gifting one in such a way shouldn’t have been so unusual.”

“This is true, and this crystal was gifted to Luna in front of Sherry, who normally would have been the first to sense if something was amiss about it. Since she didn’t, it was reasonable for us to believe that nothing was,” Hailia added.

Rin looked a bit skeptical. “I’d like to know what your true involvement in all of this is. It seems rather convenient that you decided to befriend Luna right before those nasty rumors about her and Rayne began. You do realize how that looks.”

“I cannot deny that notion, but I do assure you that I never had anything to do with them. I honestly blamed myself for them because I had believed at first that they’d started because she had been spotted spending time with me. I didn’t realize until later that there was much more to it, and that was only because Quinta began hearing traces of them coming from the Belgan House,” Hailia admitted.

“Is that why I didn’t see much of you after those rumors started?” I asked her.

“It is,” Hailia confessed, looking down at her lap. “I thought it would be best for me to stay away for a while and let that simmer down, but it only became worse. When Quinta told me about what she was hearing, I knew I had to do something to help you. That’s why I contacted Lucille in private to confront her about it, and in turn, ended up coming here to speak to Lord Jekia about the things I knew.”

“Please, let there be no more blame on Hailia. If one needs to take the blame for this, then let it be completely on me,” Lucille went on. “I was the one who chose to ignore the signs of what Mother was doing and who chose to look the other way whenever she committed her sins. However, I never imagined that she would make a pact with a Fallen One. I didn’t know what to do when I realized that something much more nefarious was happening with her, and I should have found a way to come straight to you, my lord.”

Lord Jekia didn’t appear the least bit surprised to hear this. “I am well aware of the attachment you’ve had to your mother from the start, including how you tended to be used by her, and I wouldn’t stand here and say that you didn’t make an attempt recently to expose it. What I am having a hard time wrapping my head around is why you’d continue to lie for her. Have you still some disdain for my sons’ choices in their betas?”

“No,” Lucille quietly answered, shaking her head. “I confess that I have not felt like myself for a while now, and it brings me much fear for what they have been trying to do to me as well as Lady Luna.”

“You believe that you were being influenced as well?” Rayne inquired.

“Well, I honestly wouldn’t think it’s out of the realm of possibility. That household did feel very strange when Luna and I went there, and it wasn’t like Lucille wasn’t trying to speak to us about this before Lady Camille suddenly appeared,” Selenia pointed out.

“We cannot deny that influence was cast over many throughout the centuries. We’ve seen that firsthand, and unfortunately, this didn’t seem much different in the end,” Emelio lamented.

“Very true.” Lord Jekia nodded.

Rayne backed down slightly as he recalled this too. “It’s hard to hold it against one when you have those factors, isn’t it?” he quietly commented.

“It is,” Rin concurred. He looked at his father. “So, what should we do here? If Lucille was indeed under that Fallen’s control, at least at times, then it leaves her without much blame, doesn’t it?”

“It can, but I still have concerns,” Lana admitted.

“Really? How so?” Lord Jekia asked her.

“The information that was withheld from both us and many others among the matchmaking houses has been bothering me. According to what Hailia revealed to us, Camille was quite ill for at least the last year, yet none appeared to know of that outside of Lucille. Was that a manipulation that this incubus used or was it being kept quiet by those who knew her best?” Lana inquired.

“Good point. We could not ascertain that answer when we looked into it, and it appeared in the records that she was close to death recently,” Emelio acknowledged.

“I admit my own fault for not saying a word before all of this. I did know for a while too, and I kept the secret for them,” Hailia confessed.

“Do not place so much blame on yourself. You did not say anything because I told you not to and even threatened you if you tried to,” Lucille reminded her.

“So you admit that you threatened her,” Lord Jekia noted.

“I do.” Lucille drew in a long breath, lifting her head and looking a bit more resolute. “I know that I can’t take all the blame from Hailia, but most does lie with me. In many ways, I was no different from my mother, both in how I was raised and my fear of her. I was aware for many years that she practiced the darker arts in secret, and I was aware of her killing our father out of spite and blaming Hailia simply to be rid of her. So, whatever punishment you deem fit, I am willing to accept it. Just please show a bit of leniency to her. We both have put her through enough.”

She stopped, her gaze going to me. “Also, I must add that we did the same to Luna, as I’m sure many others have during her life. It has always been easy for me to see how certain creatures are treated in this world simply for what they are born as, and I’m certain she’s bore the brunt of such views against them. For that, I sincerely apologize, and I hope one day she can forgive me.”

“You are correct. Many in this world and the one I came from tend to have such views that they cling to, no matter how we try to curve them. But forgiveness is also up to the one who has been wronged,” Lana said.

“I’m not against it, though I admit that it may take me some time to trust you again, along with many others,” I confessed.

Emelio crossed his arms, looking more solemn now. “Those things said, it would appear that we have what we wished to find out here. What say you to do with them?” he asked Lord Jekia.

“That is the question, is it not? One cannot deny there is a weight of guilt here with both, even if one is significantly more than the other,” Lord Jekia concurred.

“Are you thinking of sending at least one of them away?” Rin asked him.

“It could be on the table. After all, we four rulers did agree on that punishment if any knowingly maintained contact with the Fallen. The risks of that are far too high to ignore,” Lord Jekia answered.

“But that might not quite fit here,” I spoke up. “While Lucille certainly knew what her mother was doing, I can’t see where she was truly supporting it. I’d imagine that fear can dictate many actions we take, and she certainly had that.”

Lucille looked surprised. “You are wishing to defend me after all that has happened? I was the one who failed to step up and help you.”

“Maybe you did, but I don’t believe you didn’t at least attempt to. Aside from that, I can only imagine how hard it must’ve been for you to defy your mother, especially when you realized how much power she seemed to have. You probably feared her much more than most others, even if you might not have realized that at first,” I responded.

Lana nodded solemnly, squeezing her hands together. “Luna does make a very good point,” she lamented. “No matter what environment we are born into, we rely on our parents as we grow, and a parent can easily manipulate our perceptions and emotions early on. It’s easy to get caught in the web they weave with such things.”

“That’s very true, but it also says a lot that Lucille was attempting to break that pattern, both when Hailia was blamed for her father’s death and for what has recently happened. Can we honestly hold her completely responsible now that Lady Camille is no longer here?” Aurora wondered.

“Good question,” Rin muttered. He looked like he was thinking it over.

Rayne appeared to be mulling over it as well. His tail twitched slightly as he let out a resigned sigh.

“Nothing’s ever cut and dry with these things, are they?” he grumbled.

“That’s simply how it tends to work, and I cannot sit here and say that I place as much blame on Lucille as I do Camille and the Fallen. Lana is correct. What the parent does tends to rub off on the child, and it can be up to the child to break the pattern,” Lord Jekia relented.

“Yes, and I want to break the pattern of disdain and distrust. I know it wasn’t only Mother who had it, even if she went to extremes with it. Please, Lord Jekia, allow me to atone for this in whatever ways I can. I owe it to many, especially Luna and Hailia. If you will give me a chance, then I will do all I can to ensure such things do not occur again within the houses,” Lucille begged.

“I will stand by her to do the same if you will allow us. Perhaps we can bring something better out of this terrible mess,” Hailia added.

The room became quiet as we all thought this over. It did seem reasonable to allow them that, although more than likely with much oversight.

Lucille wasn’t the one who called on my father, and neither was Hailia. If they could help us prevent such a thing from happening again, then it was to everyone’s benefit.

“It does sound reasonable, doesn’t it? Everything we’ve found has indicated that both of you were also used in this for the most part, although I would prefer to have oversight on you for a while,” Lord Jekia finally stated.

“Can that be done?” Rayne asked him.

“It can. I’d imagine the Higher Ones would be on board with it too,” Lord Jekia answered.

“They would. After all, none of us like the idea of banishment without good cause, and there simply isn’t enough here. If Lucille can atone for her mother’s sins, then we could allow this to be while they’re kept an eye on,” Emelio agreed.

Lucille quickly stood up, bowing her head. “I would be eternally grateful for such a chance, and I will not squander it,” she promised.

“Neither will I. I will help in whatever ways I can,” Hailia also promised as she stood beside her.

“Very well. Then we will go with this for now and see how it works out. I would like to move on from all of this now that it is done,” Lord Jekia stated. He looked at Emelio. “Please take these two back to where Hailia has been staying. They will be monitored there while we finalize our approach to addressing Camille’s death and instating all of this.”

“Yes, sire,” Emelio responded. He bowed politely before disappearing with them.

Rin and Rayne didn’t look as convinced as they did. Their attention turned to their father.

“Are you certain this will be all right? We can’t completely ascertain Lucille’s involvement in this, can we? Wouldn’t that leave a lot of risk here?” Rayne asked him.

“It is possible, but there is enough supporting what we believe now, so I’m willing to give this a chance. On top of that, we also have the Higher Ones involved, and they will be keeping a close eye on things with them for quite a while. For that, I feel the risk is worth the reward,” Lord Jekia told them.

“I do feel like they were sincere about things, even if Lucille was a bit evasive at first. She probably does feel much shame in the things her mother did, not to mention betrayed. It is only natural that she would wish to divert the blame away from her,” Lana noted.

“It’s awful that Camille was willing to sacrifice her for that demon. I had the impression that Lucille had no idea of the extent of this,” Selenia pointed out.

“So did I, although it’s not that comforting to think that she at least knew about the black magic long before,” Rin stated, crossing his arms.

“I agree, but I guess only time can tell what becomes of it after this. It’s not like she’ll be able to escape their eyes if she tries anything with it. I’ll rest easy knowing that much, even if I’m not completely comfortable about all of this,” Rayne responded as he sat back in his chair.

“We don’t have to be. At least not for a long time. What matters is rebuilding and moving on from what my father tried to do,” I said, squeezing his hand.

“Very true,” Lord Jekia turned his attention to me and Rayne. “Although now might be a good time to speak of things as well since it’s only us.”

“Speak of what? Is there another problem that we don’t know about?” Rin asked him.

“It’s not a problem. It’s just something a little unexpected that came up. That’s all,” Rayne assured him.

“Unexpected? What’s that supposed to mean?” Selenia asked.

“Are we allowed to say?” I asked Lord Jekia.

“Yes, it can be spoken of freely now, although perhaps it should stay within the palace walls for a while longer. It is rather early,” Lord Jekia answered.

“~What~ exactly is early?” Rin pressed, although I had the impression that he may have already suspected it.

Rayne decided to explain things. “It was something that the Fates decided needed to be done in order to help subdue Luna’s succubus side so that she could fight against her father. From what was explained to me, Father, and Mother, the easiest way for them to handle it was to have Luna become pregnant.”

I swore one could’ve heard a pin drop in that room. The shock that Rin, Aurora, and Selenia felt was very evident.

“Hold on. Didn’t they tell us a long time ago that they didn’t want this kind of thing to happen because the three of us were enough for now?” Rin finally managed to ask.

Selenia gave her father a worried look. “Nothing’s happening to you, is it?”

“No, of course not,” Lord Jekia assured her with a gentle rub of her head. “While they didn’t intend for it to happen for a long time, the situation arising with Luna forced their hands. Although Luna has always tended to outwardly lean toward her Faerie side, the succubus side was becoming more prevalent after she and Rayne met. That was part of the reason her ability to conceive was initially capped by the Higher Powers instead of using a form of birth control.

“However, when more began to happen and she started losing her control over that side, the Fates had to step in and make this decision. As odd as it may sound, for one like Luna, having a child is a way to keep those tendencies completely in check.”

“It’s not like we’re against this, even if it was a shock at first because they didn’t let on about it right away. But I’m starting to get it too. As insane as it sounds, this kid helped us in that fight. It makes me wonder how powerful they’ll end up being,” Rayne admitted.

“I wouldn’t worry too much about that,” Emelio said as he reappeared. “The child did help harness enough power to banish that Fallen, but it was more through their mother at that time to save lives. They will be born a Luna Dog much like Lord Rayne and Lady Selenia, although they also should have some traits from Luna’s side as well.”

“That’s all well and good, but are you okay with this, Luna? This seems awfully fast,” Selenia stated.

I had to be honest. “It was fast, and I’ll admit that it’s been a little overwhelming, but I’m not that worried about it now. I’ve started to like the idea of being a mother, and I want to give them a good life with me and Rayne.”

“We’ll be all right. It’s not like either of us is against it and we’re not alone. We have our family and can always turn to them if things come up that we feel like we need help with,” Rayne assured them.

“Yes, you both can, and we will help in whatever way we can,” Lana agreed.

Rin huffed. “Guess there’s no changing it, although you beat me on this one.”

“Don’t put it like that. I had no intention to, although who knows? They might think it’ll help you settle down as well,” Rayne suggested.

Aurora’s cheeks turned pink. “I don’t know that I’m ready for that part,” she meekly confessed.

“Oh, why not? I would think that it would be beautiful to become a mother,” Selenia commented.

“Yes, but at the right time,” Lana reminded her. I couldn’t help noting that she looked a bit exasperated.

“Everything does come in time, and perhaps having all of this resolved is the best for what is to come,” Lord Jekia lamented. “But you are right, Rayne. No matter what comes with this, you and Luna do not have to ever feel alone. We are a family and will always be, no matter how our new additions come to be.”

Rayne looked grateful to hear that. “Yes. Thank you, all of you, for standing by us.”

“Of course. That’s what family does, right?” Selenia chimed.

“It does that,” Rin agreed. “And hopefully now we can start feeling like things really are going back to normal.”

Rayne nodded. “I hope so too. It’s been a long time coming.”