Chapter 358: The Sacred Portal

She turned toward the door.

"Victoria," Lucian called after her.

She stopped.

"Thank you," Lucian said quietly. "For not giving up on her."

Victoria felt her throat tighten. "She’s my niece. My family. I would tear apart the world to save her."

"I know," Lucian said. "That’s why I believe you’ll find a way."

Victoria nodded and left the room.

She walked quickly back to her quarters, her mind already thinking about everything she would need for the portal ritual.

White salt for the circle. Silver for the conduit. Moonstone for clarity. Blood....her own blood for the connection. And the words. The ancient summoning words that would open a channel between her and Elena Markov without revealing Elena’s location.

Victoria had performed this ritual twice before. Both times successfully. Both times with less at stake than this.

She could do it again.

She had to do it again.

Because Lilith was dying. And Elena Markov was the only person who might be able to save her.

Victoria reached her room and immediately started gathering materials, She didn’t have to start all over again, because she had began the process earlier on that day, She just needed to find the remaining ingredients.

She got salt from the container on her desk. Silver wire from her jewelry box. Moonstone from the collection of crystals she kept for spell work.

And a small silver dagger for the blood.

She laid everything out on the floor in her room and started drawing the ritual circle....precise lines and symbols that had to be perfect or the entire thing would fail.

Her hands were shaking.

Not from fear. From exhaustion. From two days without sleep. From the weight of knowing that if this did not work, she would have to watch her niece die.

Focus, Victoria told herself. One step at a time. Draw the circle. Place the materials. Speak the words. Reach Elena.

She could do this.

She would do this.

And Elena Markov would answer.

Because the alternative was unthinkable.

***

Victoria knelt on the floor of her room with white salt forming precise geometric patterns around her, silver wire woven through the design, moonstones placed at each cardinal point. Her hands were steady now despite the exhaustion pulling at her, despite the terror that this might not work.

She had to make it work.

No other option existed.

The portal communication ritual was delicate. One wrong symbol and the connection would fail. One misplaced word and the portal could collapse or worse....reveal Elena’s location to anyone tracking her.

Victoria checked the circle three times. Every line perfect. Every symbol exact. Every material placed precisely where it needed to be.

Now came the hard part.

Blood.

She picked up the silver dagger and held it over her left palm. The blade was sharp and clean and blessed under the last full moon. It would cut true.

Victoria took a breath and drew the blade across her palm.

Pain flared bright and immediate. Blood welled up and dripped onto the center of the circle where she had drawn the anchoring sigil.

The moment her blood touched the salt, the circle began to glow.

Green light....her magic responding to the ritual....spread through the patterns like fire catching on oil. The moonstones pulsed. The silver wire hummed with power.

Victoria was so focused on the ritual that she did not hear the door open.

"What are you doing?"

Victoria’s head snapped up.

Nicholas stood in the doorway, still in the same clothes he had been wearing since the battle, looking exhausted and worried.

"Nicholas," Victoria said, not moving from her position. "I’m busy. Unless someone is dying right this second, it needs to wait."

"Lilith is dying," Nicholas said flatly. "So yes, someone is dying right this second."

Victoria felt the words hit her like a physical blow but she did not let it show on her face. "I know. That’s why I’m doing this."

Nicholas stepped into the room and looked at the glowing circle with obvious skepticism. "What is this?"

"Sacred portal communication," Victoria said. "It’s a way to contact someone across vast distances without revealing their location."

"Contact who?"

"Elena Markov," Victoria said. "The witch who gave you the necklace."

Nicholas went very still. "Why?"

"Because I researched her bloodline," Victoria said. "And she’s not some low-level witch hiding from a vampire. She’s one of the most powerful healers in magical history. The last living member of a family that specialized in breaking curses and extending life."

Nicholas absorbed this. "And you think she can save Lilith?"

"I think she’s our best chance," Victoria said. "Maybe our only chance. The necklace she gave you....that charm....it’s using magic most modern witches don’t even know exists anymore. If she can create something that powerful on short notice, she might know how to break the curse entirely."

"Will she even respond?" Nicholas asked. "She’s been hiding for four years. From a vampire lord who orchestrated an attack on her coven just to isolate her. Why would she risk exposure now?"

"Because she gave you that necklace for a reason," Victoria said. "She knew what it would do. Knew it would only buy time. She was hoping we would figure out who she was and come looking for more help."

Nicholas was quiet for a long moment. "You think she left us a trail."

"Yes."

"And if she doesn’t answer?"

Victoria met his gaze directly. "Then I find another way. But I have to try this first."

Nicholas looked at the circle again. At the blood dripping from Victoria’s hand. At the desperation written across her face.

"What do you need from me?" he asked.

The question surprised Victoria. She had expected argument. Expected him to question whether this was safe or smart or likely to work.

Instead he was offering help.

"Stay," Victoria said. "If the portal opens and Elena responds, I’ll need you to confirm what she told you when she gave you the necklace. Verify that we’re talking to the right person and not someone pretending to be her."