Ace of Hearts

27

I keep staring at the same pages in my sketchbook. It's the only shred of proof I have beside the fading images in my head. I'm thankful for Klaus's lessons, they turned out to be quite useful. The sketch of Henrik's laughing face looks up at em from the page and right beside it is a drawing I made of Kol before—everything.

The next few pages are filled with the images from my dreams as best as I can remember. One familiar face in particular makes me stop. It was from one of the few happy scenes.
A little girl with vibrant red hair, a radiant smile, and an all too familiar glint in her eyes, was hugging me. Her tiny arms struggled to wrap around my legs. In the dream, I watched the scene from outside my body, but I could feel the joy and love that radiated off of her.
There are more sketches of things that should feel familiar. Faces that I should be able to name and places I should recognize. Yet every time I try to place them, they slip away like water through my fingers.

Footsteps echo from behind me. I roll my eyes in the annoyance of my disturbed thoughts. "Rebekah told me you had something to tell me." Klaus almost whispers. His voice has lost the haughty pride and taunting humor from before.

"I did." Now, I'm not sure if you'll listen to what I have to say." I inform him without bothering to turn around. "Plus, I don't think I'm going to like your response."

"Try me, love. I may just surprise you." Klaus jokes with his usual light-heartedness that only he can make seem so menacing. I want to trust and think the best of him, but we know each other too well for me to expect a calm reaction.
I pass him the sketchbook and give him a moment to look through it. "Most of those are images from my nightmare, which seems to be my latest vision."

Klaus looks up in concern, and my heart drops when I realize he's only a page away from Henrik's sketch. "Do you know what this one is about?"

My answer is clear in my shifting stance and nervous gaze. "It's not good, Nik. You have to trust me on this one."

"Tell me what it's about, Lee." He growls, clearly losing his patience.

"It's the start of the destruction of the Mikaelson's and what will happen if you continue to search for the cure." Nik continues to look at me for a beat, then laughs wholly and truly. "I'm serious, Klaus. I've seen more than you can know."

Klaus continues to chuckle as his gaze returns to the sketchbook. "You of all people know that my family has come through every adversity. I'm sure this will be no differ—" His voice cuts off when he finally sees the likeness of Henrik.
I don't have a second to blink before Klaus has his hand wrapped around my throat. The tips of my shoes barely scrape the ground as I struggle to find an ounce of breath. "Nik, let me—"

"No, let me explain." He interjects. "You have one chance to tell me the truth.  Don't think that my care for you will keep me from getting the truth out of you at any cost. Now tell me, why did you draw Henrik?"

"Because, I met him." My voice barely comes out as a raspy whisper thanks to the pressure on my throat, which increases after my statement. I have to consciously remind myself that lashing out or siphoning magic will only make this worse. Klaus will come to his senses soon enough. "I met him on the other side. He wanted you to know he doesn't blame you, and you shouldn't either." I lock eyes with Niklaus as I speak. His eyes watch me looking for any hint of a lie, but he can't find any.

"You're lying." His grips tightens to compensate for the slight waver in his voice. It's clear he's trying to convince himself it's true.

Black dots creep into my vision, yet I somehow manage to remain calm. There's just enough breath in me to whisper out. "He told me about the horse." Klaus's eyes widen at the statement, and I know he has no argument against me now.