𝐃𝐄𝐒𝐂𝐄𝐍𝐓 | 𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐉𝐀𝐇 𝐌𝐈𝐊𝐀𝐄𝐋𝐒𝐎𝐍

𝐄𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐍

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN | ASHES TO ASHES

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ─── 

DISORIENTATION WAS THE FIRST FEELING THAT RILEY FELT FROM THE MOMENT THAT SHE WOKE IN THE COURTYARD. As Elijah breathlessly stumbled toward her and cupped her face, her panicked eyes were fixed on his confused ones. There was so much to process after what had happened with Klaus, but the biggest question that Riley Evans had to ask herself was— how the hell was she alive after Marcel had snapped her neck? 

"Elijah?" Riley's terrified voice broke as he examined her closely. His head tilted, distress upon his face the moment he realised Riley's fate. "How am I— Marcel snapped my neck. I don't—"

The Original vampire could barely comprehend the reality of the situation. She swallowed thickly and let a confused Riley fall into his arms. "I am so sorry this has happened to you." He held her for a moment, and that was when Riley finally peeled herself from his embrace and looked up to him. "You're in transition."

"Oh, my God." Was all that Cami could muster out as she heard Elijah tell Riley the heartbreaking truth. "Oh, Riley. I—"

"—No. No, I can't be in transition." Riley lifted herself up to her feet, holding onto the water fountain beside her as she desperately shook her head. "I'm a witch. I— I am not a vampire!" The Evans girl let an emotional cry leave her lips which caused the light fitting against the walls of the courtyard to shatter immediately. Riley blinked in horror, noticing the damage she had caused before Elijah held his hand out toward her. "What the hell is happening to me!?"

"I am not entire sure what is going on, Riley, but I promise you— I give you my word, we will get through this." Elijah's gaze then darted toward Cami. "So, now that you have healed, what do you mean Niklaus had a plan? We had a plan! A plan he has mercilessly destroyed—"

"—Your plan wouldn't have worked, Elijah." The blonde human yelled out in a tone which immediately caused him to silence. "When Klaus got into my head he said your plan would fail so he had to enact one of his own."

Riley felt sick to her stomach at their current dilemma. However, even in her darkest moments, all she could think about was their present threat— Dahlia. "What's he doing?" 

"He has to get her to link to him."

Elijah's eyes widened once more in complete disbelief. "My brother wishes to bind himself to our enemy? She'll be virtually indestructible."

"He said I had to convince you both that everything he had to do, he had to do alone. He knew that you would be okay, Riley. Now, I know that doesn't excuse what he has done to you, but—"

"—But, nothing!" Riley snapped immediately. Her eyes had darkened over and she felt nothing but rage. "I have given everything for this family, and now my life just so he can work alone?" She swallowed thickly, shaking her head again. "Now, what the hell is he doing?"