Lucy Caldwell suffered a disaster in her childhood - her house was burnt, which turned fatal for her parents. She grew up in a children's house with other orphans. She could never forget the fire incident and was sure her parents were murdered, so she wished to investigate the case when she grew old enough. Lucy, like all the other children, frequents a Spirit School, where children are taught to control their inner spiritual energy. When they reach 15 years of age, they befriend spirits that reside in the vast Spirit Forest in East Land and receive the Bond Item - an object from the spirits which permits to summon them whenever in need. Each person is able to form a bond with a single spirit. However, there are certain spirits that never approach humans, are known as man-eaters and have marked severe borders on their territory, eating anyone who trespasses on them. Such is the clan of the tailed foxes - the Huli. Lucy has already reached 15 years, so she goes to the Spirit Forest with her classmates to befriend a spirit and bond with them. However, while sitting around a bonfire and listening to her classmates' scary stories, she remembers the dreadful day of how her house caught fire in past, and, worked-up, runs off into the depths of the forest to cry off her anguish. But as elders often say, dense forests are definitely not a place for little children to run around, for the danger lies in every corner, as Lucy soon comes to realise...

The Guardian Spirit (The Guardians of Nine Heavens, Book 2)

 Lucy groaned and opened her eyes. She was in the Kujaku Palace, in a golden room, lying in a soft white bed with fluffy blankets. She weakly turned her head aside, to spot Yuehong sitting on the edge of her bed. Once he noticed she was awake, he smiled tenderly and caressed her on the forehead. He was in his white Yin form now, and it soothed Lucy, for she preferred when Yuehong looked snowy white and cold, rather than red and fire-like. 


“Y... Yuehong...” she rubbed her eyes. “What happened?” 


“You fainted. But it’s alright. You’re going to be fine.” 


 Lucy recalled everything that had happened, and the Phoenix King’s words popped up in her mind. She gasped and leapt up: 


 Yuehong dropped his ears with a sigh: 


“I hoped you wouldn’t need to remember those gruesome times, but since it all has been said, there is no turning back now – I must tell you everything.” 


“First of all, yes, you are Lutecia De Lapin. You are the last representative of the De Lapin royal clan of bunny spirits, the true inheritor of the rabbit throne, and... you are my wife.” 


 Lucy gasped – so, it was true, Lutecia truly was his wife! 


“I saw Lutecia De Lapin, a beautiful bunny woman who looked so much like me... and talked to you. You looked a bit older. You told her that her father had broken the treaty, but that you loved her and wouldn’t punish her, for she was just a victim and not guilty, and then you kissed each other.” 


 Yuehong gasped with the utmost astonishment: 


“Your memories have been popping up in your dreams? So, it indeed works as Yanluo promised?” 


“Huh? Yanluo has something to do with this too?” 


“It was a matter I couldn’t solve alone. I guess I will need to tell you... but all of us should be present. We all had a part in it.” 


 Yuehong stood up, opened the door, and let the others in – Mei, Lily, and even Samael and Incubus who had returned. Lucy gasped seeing the demons again. She shuddered in fear, but Lily smiled at her and caressed her, helping her to calm down. 


“Sammy and Incubus finally made it here,” she said. “Now they can clarify everything for you, Lulu. Don’t you worry! I had to live through the same experience as you do now. It will be hard at first to recollect all of your memories, but you will manage it.” 


 Samael turned to his son and ordered: 


“Incubus, give her the memories back.” 


“Sure!” Incubus walked up to Lucy and took a seat on the edge of her bed. “Please, close your eyes,” he asked. Lucy obeyed. “It will hurt again when you live through your De Lapin memories one more time, but you’ll manage it. It will be like a dream – you will be able to see Lutecia both from afar and as if you are her. You shall be able to feel what she feels. But keep in mind that no matter what hardships you may face, it is all but memories and nothing more.” 


 Incubus put his hand to her forehead. Lucy dozed off again. Mei placed her hands to her chest with worry: 


“Is she... Is she going to be alright?” 


“Hey, it is your mother!” Yuehong grinned. “She will manage it. She’s a tough one.” 


 The friends excitedly and anxiously waited for the outcome, while Lucy got connected to her deep, spiritual subconscious.


Chapter 24: Journey to the Past Begins