𝐁𝐑𝐀𝐕𝐄 𝐍𝐄𝐖 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐋𝐃 || 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐕𝐀𝐌𝐏𝐈𝐑𝐄 𝐃𝐈𝐀𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐒

"➏➐" : ᴛᴀʟᴇ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ sᴜɴ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴏᴏɴ

My fingertips ghosted over every sentence as I read it. "What does it say?' I heard Damon ask.

Lily sighed. "Ethan didn't take Rose's spirit away. We were right, it's not possible...The talisman created a bond between him and Rose, diverting all her magic towards him. As long as he or anyone else has it, they can easily channel her to fuel their magic,"

"Can't we just sever the link? We have some of the most powerful witches on our side,"

Lily shook her head, flipping through the pages to reveal a sketch of the talisman Katherine and Ethan had used on me. She traced the drawn engraving with her fingertip and I immediately recognized it. An oval-shaped mark with a slit in between. My scar.

"Nothing will work without the talisman. You've been suppressing it by cutting off the mark of the dark magic by which it was created, but it keeps coming back every time because it's not physical. They're bound together by their essence right now. The only thing that can separate them is the talisman. If we even try to do anything without it, they'll both get fried...and I'm not talking physically,"

A sigh escaped Damon's lips and I draped my arm around him in comfort. I knew how much he wanted to find something useful that could rid me of Ethan's hold. The look of pure disappointment on his face made me sigh too, my eyes roaming over the pile of open books.

Before anyone could say anything, Willow graced us with her presence, making us all smile. She tugged at my dress, extending her arms for me.

"Maybe we should all take a break. I'm sure V here wants to play with Rose," Lily suggested and I gave her a nod.

"Hello there," I cooed at the toddler, picking her up in my arms. "What would you like to do?"

That little troublemaker smiled oh so innocently but the naughtiness in her hazel eyes didn't escape my notice. It was eerie, how much she reminded us all of Stefan. The same eyes, the same innocence and just like her godfather, the same glint of the devil in her eyes.

Thus began another day of Willow time. From chasing her through the corridors to baking her a cake that ended up all over our faces, we did it all. Her giggles echoed throughout the house. She was happy, and why wouldn't she be? For her, it was a vacation. She didn't know that our world was spinning out of control and she didn't need to.

Damon looked happy too. He and Willow had an instant connection. She practically demanded him to dance with her and he did, surprised by how much the child loved him. As Dusk fell, he had become her favourite. I was kinda jealous that she replaced me with him but the smile on his face was so worth it. He saw Stefan in her, not the ripper or the moral vampire, but his baby brother and she found a friend in him, I guess. I'm not complaining that she couldn't resist those baby blue eyes.

"Okay, okay! I swear I'll get it right this time," I held up my hands in defence.

Riley and Lily snorted, earning a glare from me while Willow chuckled. Great! a baby is laughing at you, Rose! I had been trying so hard to properly braid Willow's hair for a long time now. Nevertheless, I was getting nowhere with it anytime soon.

Damon walked towards us with a smile, taking Willow's hair in his hands, teasingly brushing his fingers with mine. "Why don't you let me try?" He asked. Mmm, this is going to be interesting.

I gave him a shrug of my shoulders, slumping down on a nearby chair. Riley and Lily watched with amusement as he effortlessly braided her hair within seconds while my jaw fell on the floor. That cheeky little bastard even adorned her hair with flowers! Everyone cheered for him, a huff escaping me. His eyes met mine, a smirk on his face that screamed how proud he was.