Elara stared at the photograph of the young woman, who looked exactly like Malachi. Her heart pounded in her chest as she realized the implications of this discovery. The Blackthorns were not only involved in human trafficking and corporate espionage, but they also had ties to dark magic.

Lilith walked over to Elara and saw the photograph. Her eyes widened in shock.

'What is it?' she asked.

Elara pointed to the photograph. 'This woman looks exactly like Malachi,' she said. 'And according to this book, she's a member of the Blackthorn family.'

Lilith took the book from Elara and flipped through the pages. She stopped at a family tree and pointed to a name.

'Look,' she said. 'This is Malachi's mother. Her name is Morgana Blackthorn.'

Elara looked at the name and felt a chill run down her spine. Morgana Blackthorn was one of the most powerful witches in history. She was known for her ability to control the elements and cast powerful spells.

'We have to find a way to stop him,' Elara said. 'If Malachi is as powerful as his mother, we're in serious trouble.'

Lilith nodded. 'We need to find out more about his weaknesses,' she said. 'Maybe there's a way to break his connection to the Blackthorn family.'

Elara and Lilith spent the next few hours in the library, poring over books and documents. They learned that Morgana Blackthorn had been banished from the Blackthorn family after she was caught practicing dark magic. She had fled to Europe and started a new life, but her descendants had continued to carry on her legacy.

'If we can find a way to break Malachi's connection to the Blackthorn family,' Lilith said, 'maybe we can weaken his powers.'

Elara nodded. 'But how do we do that?' she asked.

Lilith thought for a moment. 'Maybe there's a way to perform a ritual,' she said. 'Something that will sever his ties to the family.'

Elara looked skeptical. 'Rituals can be dangerous,' she said. 'We don't know what we're doing.'

Lilith shrugged. 'We don't have a choice,' she said. 'If we don't do something, Malachi will get the blueprint and Selene will be able to carry out her plans.'

Elara knew that Lilith was right. They had to take a risk if they wanted to stop Selene.

'Okay,' she said. 'Let's do it.'

Lilith and Elara gathered the supplies they needed for the ritual. They found a secluded spot in the forest and began to prepare.

The ritual was complex and required a lot of concentration. Lilith and Elara had to draw a circle on the ground and place candles at each of the four cardinal points. They then had to chant a series of incantations and sprinkle herbs and spices around the circle.

As they performed the ritual, Elara felt a strange energy building around them. It was as if the air was charged with electricity.

Suddenly, a bolt of lightning struck the ground in front of them. Elara and Lilith jumped back in surprise.

'What was that?' Elara asked.

Lilith looked worried. 'I don't know,' she said. 'Maybe we made a mistake.'

Just then, they heard a voice behind them.

'Well, well, well. What do we have here?'

Elara and Lilith turned around and saw Malachi standing behind them. He was smiling, but his eyes were cold and cruel.

'You thought you could perform a ritual to break my connection to the Blackthorn family?' he said. 'How cute.'

Elara's heart sank. She realized that they had underestimated Malachi's powers.

'You're too late,' Malachi said. 'The ritual has already begun.'

He raised his staff and pointed it at Elara. A bolt of energy shot out of the crystal, heading straight for her.

But before the energy could reach her, Lilith stepped in front of her and took the hit. She fell to the ground, unconscious.

'Lilith!' Elara shouted.

She ran to Lilith's side and knelt down beside her. She could feel her pulse, but it was weak.

Malachi laughed. 'Don't worry, little girl,' he said. 'She'll be fine. For now.'

He then turned his attention back to Elara. 'Now, it's your turn,' he said.

Elara stood up and faced Malachi. She knew that she was no match for him, but she wasn't going to give up without a fight.

'You'll never get the blueprint,' she said.

Malachi smiled. 'We'll see about that,' he said.

He raised his staff and pointed it at Elara. But before he could release the energy, a voice rang out through the forest.

'Stop!'

Malachi turned around and saw a figure emerge from the trees. It was a man, tall and imposing, with a scarred face and a mane of black hair.

'Who are you?' Malachi asked.

The man ignored him. He walked over to Elara and looked her in the eye.

'Are you okay?' he asked.

Elara nodded. 'Who are you?' she asked.

The man smiled. 'My name is Damien,' he said. 'And I'm here to help you.'

Malachi scowled. 'You're too late,' he said. 'The ritual has already begun.'

Damien shrugged. 'It doesn't matter,' he said. 'I have a plan.'

He turned to Elara. 'Do you trust me?' he asked.

Elara looked at him for a moment, then nodded. 'Yes,' she said.

Damien smiled. 'Good,' he said. 'Then follow me.'

He turned and walked into the forest. Elara hesitated for a moment, then followed him. Malachi watched them go, his eyes narrowed in anger.

'You'll regret this,' he said.

But Damien and Elara didn't listen. They kept walking, deeper and deeper into the forest.

chapterSummary: Elara and Lilith discover a shocking secret about Selene's family history and decide to perform a ritual to break Malachi's connection to the Blackthorn family. However, the ritual goes wrong and Lilith is injured. Just when things seem hopeless, a mysterious man named Damien appears and offers to help them.