Moonlight | Lucien Castle

Chapter 22

The courtyard creeped her out.

She'd just been going down to get breakfast when she caught sight of a dead body laying on a bed of lavender springs.

"Klaus," she said loudly. "There is a dead girl in the courtyard."

No response. Amaris trotted further down, and didn't sense any of her siblings approaching. It didn't even seem that they were home. But upon hearing voices in the entrance hall, she figured they were just getting back from running errands.

"Hey," she spoke, walking over to them, then pointing at the girl. "Any idea who left that?"

Elijah and Klaus both looked incredibly concerned as they neared the dead girl, seeing she'd slit her own wrists, bleeding out onto the lavender springs. The hybrid knelt down to obtain the piece of paper in the girl's hand. He handed it quickly to Elijah, who read off of it, "Roses are red, lavender is blue. Come find me before I find you."

Amaris snorted. "Lavender is blue? Who's the culprit? You both know, clearly."

"Aurora," muttered Klaus, getting to his feet. He scowled. "I remember her a better poet."

Elijah hummed. "Oh, I wouldn't say that this is lacking in poetry."

"She wants us to find her," said Klaus. "So let's." He started to head out, but Elijah stopped him.

"Are you so eager, Niklaus?" he asked. "Last time you even said her name was a thousand years ago, when you told me to never speak it again in your presence."

The hybrid appeared irritated. "So, am I to wait as she leaves her little calling-cards all over my home?"

"No, we should track her down," urged Amaris. "I can sniff her out, her scent has to be mingled with—"

"Wait," said Elijah, stopping both of them from leaving. "Niklaus... there is something you should know, first. When Mother seized control of my mind, unleashing those monstrosities that lurk behind the red door... I saw something." He looked ashamed as he said, "Aurora was there."

Klaus sneered, "If you mean to confess a thousand-year-old secret that will divide us after our hard-won reconciliation, then te absolvo, brother— there is nothing you could have done involving her that would be worse than what she did to me."

"Please do not dismiss this, Niklaus," said Elijah firmly.

"Whatever it is, it can wait!" said Klaus sharply. "We have a plate of here-and-now problems, and I mean to clear it. If it makes you feel any better, we can kill Aurora together! Then neither of us need play her little mind-games ever again, hmm?" He pointed at Amaris. "Is Camille already at the festival?"

She nodded. "Yes, I'm supposed to meet her and Vincent there."

"Get her home safely. Explain everything to her."

"Wait, shouldn't you be doing that? I think it'll go better if she hears it from you, Klaus."

"No... I must find Aurora. You need to keep Camille safe. I trust you to do it."

"You think Aurora would hurt her?"

"At the present moment, I have no idea what to think. What I know is that Cami isn't safe being out and about, blissfully unaware. Tell her, and then inform Kol and Freya." He motioned for Elijah to follow him. "Let us find her, brother."

Amaris felt nervous the entire time she walked through the festival, looking for Cami. What was it that Elijah had wanted to tell Klaus? She feared that perhaps Aurora had cheated on Klaus with Elijah before breaking the hybrid's heart. It wouldn't be the first time Elijah had gone for someone Klaus fancied. Amaris honestly felt uncomfortable, interpreting it as if Elijah didn't grow interested in someone until they'd been with Klaus first.