Chapter 357: And If Elena Doesn’t Respond?

Victoria’s mind was racing. "No. But i have been wanting to ask Nicholas about her name since i saw the necklace, But now I know the name. And.....Markov is...." She stopped and moved to the door. "I need my books. Now. Don’t touch the necklace and don’t leave her side."

"Where are you going?" Lucian demanded.

"To my room. I’ll be back in five minutes."

Victoria ran.

Down the hallway. Up the stairs. Burst into her room and went straight for the pile of genealogy texts she had been consulting earlier.

Bloodlines of Power: A Complete History of Magical Families.

She flipped through pages frantically until she found it.

MARKOV

Origin: Eastern Europe, circa 800 CE

Specialty: Healing magic, life extension, curse breaking

Status: Largely extinct. Last known practitioner vanished approximately 4 years ago.

Notable Members:

Anastasia Markov (1203-1489) - Known as "The Deathless." Developed techniques to extend human lifespan by centuries.Dimitri Markov (1654-1891) - Master healer who could cure previously fatal diseases.Elena Markov (1998-present, presumed) - Last known living member of the bloodline. Disappeared in 2022 following an attack on her coven.

Victoria’s hands were shaking as she read.

Elena Markov was not some low-level witch who happened to know a basic protective charm.

She was the last living member of one of the most powerful healing bloodlines in magical history.

The Markov family had been legendary. Their techniques for manipulating life force and breaking curses were studied in every major magical academy. Their knowledge had been hoarded and protected and lost when their bloodline was nearly wiped out.

And Elena....the last Markov, had given Nicholas a charm powerful enough to slow a divine curse.

Which meant she knew exactly what she was doing when she created it.

Which meant she might know how to do more than just slow the curse.

She might know how to break it entirely.

Victoria grabbed the book and ran back to Lilith’s room.

Lucian looked up when she burst through the door. "What did you find?"

"Elena Markov is not who we thought she was," Victoria said breathlessly. She opened the book and showed Lucian the page. "She’s from the Markov bloodline. One of the most powerful healing families in magical history. They specialized in curse breaking and life extension magic."

Lucian stared at the page. "So she’s not just some random witch Nicholas helped?"

"No," Victoria said. "She’s one of the most powerful witches alive. Maybe the most powerful when it comes to breaking curses specifically."

"Then why was she hiding in a safe house pretending to be a low-level witness to a vampire murder?" Lucian asked.

Victoria flipped to another section of the book where someone had made handwritten notes in the margins.

Elena Markov - last sighting 2022. Rumored to have attracted the attention of Dmitri Volkov, ancient vampire lord. Volkov claims she is his fated bride. Has been hunting her since her coven was destroyed. Some sources suggest Volkov orchestrated the attack specifically to isolate her.

"Because she’s being hunted," Victoria said quietly. "By a vampire lord who claims she’s his fated bride."

Lucian looked sick. "Fated bride?"

"It means he believes they’re destined to be together," Victoria said. "That she belongs to him whether she wants to or not. And vampires, especially ancient ones...don’t give up on their obsessions. Ever."

"So she’s been hiding for four years," Lucian said slowly. "And Nicholas accidentally found her when Silas sent them to transport her to safety."

"Yes," Victoria confirmed. "And she gave Nicholas this necklace knowing exactly what it would do. Knowing it would buy Lilith time."

"Why?" Lucian asked. "Why would she help complete strangers?"

Victoria looked at the dimming crystal and felt something click into place.

"Because she recognized the curse," Victoria said. "She would have felt the divine magic on Nicholas the moment they met. Would have known he was cursed. And when they got her to the safe house....."

"She created a charm specifically designed to slow a curse she had never seen before," Lucian finished. "In the few hours between meeting Nicholas and them leaving her at the safe house."

"Exactly," Victoria said. "Which means she’s not just powerful. She’s brilliant. And she might be the only person alive who can actually break this curse without killing Lilith in the process."

Hope flared in Lucian’s eyes for the first time in days. "Then we find her. Right now. Whatever it takes."

"It’s not that simple," Victoria said. "She’s been hiding for four years. From a vampire lord with resources and power we can’t even imagine. She’s not going to just appear because we need her."

"She gave Nicholas the necklace," Lucian argued. "She wanted to help. That has to mean something."

Victoria looked at the crystal again. At the magic slowly dying inside it. At Lilith lying pale and still and barely breathing.

"You’re right," she said quietly. "She did want to help. Which means if we can find a way to contact her....if we can reach her without revealing her location to the vampire hunting her, she might come."

"How do we do that?" Lucian asked.

Victoria’s mind was already working through possibilities. Sacred portal communication. Blood magic tracking. Ancestral summoning rituals.

All of them risky. All of them difficult. All of them potentially impossible.

But one stood out.

"There’s a ritual," Victoria said slowly. "Sacred portal communication. It allows you to contact someone across vast distances without revealing their physical location. It’s typically used for calling family members during emergencies or reaching people in hiding."

"Can you do it?" Lucian asked.

"I think so," Victoria said. "But I need specific materials. And time to set it up properly. If I do it wrong, the portal could collapse or worse, it could reveal Elena’s location to anyone tracking her."

"How long?" Lucian demanded.

Victoria looked at the necklace. At how dim the light had become.

"Three hours," she said. "Maybe four. I need to prepare the ritual space, gather the materials, and perform the calling ceremony correctly."

"We don’t have four hours," Lucian said flatly. "Look at the necklace. We have maybe two before it fails completely."

Victoria felt panic spike through her. He was right. The crystal was fading faster than she had anticipated.

"Then I work fast," Victoria said. "And you stay here with Lilith. Keep talking to her. Keep pushing power through the bond. Do whatever you can to keep her anchored to life until I can reach Elena."

"And if Elena doesn’t respond?" Lucian asked quietly. "If she’s too afraid of being found? If she decides helping us isn’t worth the risk?"

Victoria met his gaze directly. "Then I find another way. But Lucian....I think she will respond. Because she gave Nicholas that necklace for a reason. She knew what it would do. Knew it would only buy time. Which means she was hoping we would figure out who she was and come looking for more help."

"You think she planned this?" Lucian asked.

"I think she left us a trail," Victoria said. "And now we need to follow it before it’s too late."