Redamancy | Elena Gilbert

Chapter 61

"We had a family friend here," said Jo, looking at Bonnie. "Sheila Bennett."

Bonnie was stunned. "You knew my Grams?"

Jo nodded once more. "She took me under her wing. She also helped my family put Kai away." She gulped. "Who Alaric tells me is now out in the real world. Along with Ruby Collins."

"Wait, you know Kai?" said Rosalind, confused. "And you know my mother, too?"

"Kai is our brother. My twin."

"Two sets of twins," said Damon. "Your parents were busy."

"Damon," Stefan scolded.

"Kai killed four of our brothers and sisters to make a point," said Jo. "But he was really targeting Lukas and Olivia. In our coven, twins are in line to be leaders."

"Hence our lame-ass name," said Liv. "Gemini."

"Kai wanted to be the leader," said Jo. "But that wasn't possible if Lukas and Olivia were alive."

"He didn't tell that to Ruby," said Rosalind quietly. "He wanted her to kidnap you. He told her if she did that, he'd make her human again. She never would have agreed if she knew that he would kill them regardless. The murders, they caught her by surprise."

"I know," said Jo softly. "My father hired her, I didn't find out about it until after she was dragged out, placed into the prison world with him. I was more focused on protecting Lukas and Olivia when Kai came... trying to gut them. I protected them with magic... which just pissed him off more. He'd already figured out that my parents had kept having children until another set of twins were born. Knowing that my father wanted Ruby to kill him on top of that... having always been told that he would not be capable of leading our coven... he just snapped."

"He was a psychopath," said Liv. "So they sent him away. Kai and Ruby went to the prison world, where my dad was able to tie up a loose end and rid himself of a problem simultaneously. Jo dodged a bullet, and now the leadership falls on us." She got to her feet. "I realized I'm not hungry anymore. Thanks for the invite." She left quickly. Lexi elbowed Damon in the ribs, encouraging him to follow after her. He plucked up the bottle of bourbon before going with Liv.

"I'm sorry about all this," said Stefan comfortingly to Luke. "I can't imagine it's easy, all this trauma coming back to the surface."

"That's not what's bothering her, truth be told," said Luke. "It's the fact there aren't two leaders in the coven. Isn't that right, Jo?"

She explained, "In our coven's tradition, after their twenty-second birthday, the twins merge their strength. The stronger one wins, absorbing their twin's power, and the weaker of the two..."

Jeremy and Tyler were both leaning forward, trying to figure out what she was going to say. "The weaker of the two what?" asked the Hunter.

"The weaker one dies," said Luke, deciding to follow his sister's lead and leave.

Jo clasped her hands together, eyes flickering once more between Rosalind and Bonnie. "Something must be done about Kai. If he were to find out we were here..."

"He might already know," said Rosalind, her jaw going slack. "All three of you are here at Whitmore. He's not sticking around because he wants to make friends. He's sticking around because he wants to hurt you all. Walking around campus... he might know. He might know. I need to find out."

"Wait," said Jo. "Please— word of this can't spread. The twins and I, we need to get out, and no one can know why we're leaving or where we're going. If my father were to find out... I fear he might kill me for the sake of preventing Kai from becoming the Coven's leader."