A Tree Called Life

Chapter 8

"You're saying that you spent the better part of a decade right at my fingertips, and I never noticed." Klaus was shocked, and his ego was a bit hurt, if he was to be honest.

"She's lying! She has to be." Rebekah crossed her arms. Caroline took a look at Elijah, and she was actually surprised at the impressed look on his face.

"Let's see... You and Stefan had a penchant for feeding in public. Very messy, if I may say. And then there's the night Mikael found you two. Didn't you lose that necklace that ended up becoming my doppelganger's in the fray? Oh, and white really isn't your best color, cupcake. It washes you out." Katherine shot off one after another. By the unhappy look on Rebekah's face, Caroline knew that she was telling the truth.

"Where did you spend the twenties, Elijah?" Caroline asked, genuinely curious. Unfortunately, she missed the looks that his siblings exchanged, or maybe she would have considered dropping the topic.

However, the man never got to answer as his sister jumped in. "Oh, he spent that decade moping. He was never really the same after, oh, the mid-186—"

"Enough, Bekah." Elijah cut in, clearly trying to stop her from saying something. He brought out a few books and a map, arranging them on the table. "We have business to get down too." Caroline found it very interesting that he wouldn't look at Katherine in that moment, who was currently very interested in the carpet. She shot Rebekah one of those looks, who nodded imperceptibly as if to confirm Caroline's perceptions.

"Yes, business! I want to know if there's actually a witch within the next fifty miles or so that's going to stop me from falling apart. I've had to give up my high heels because those things hurt when one is rapidly aging, and that does not make me a very happy woman." Katherine crossed to the table and rolled out the map, avoiding Elijah's gaze but at the same time trying to not make it awkward.

The rest of the occupants of the room joined them around the table.

"Here's the thing. Other than the out-of-control baby witch Davina, witches are not allowed to practice magic within New Orleans. But since the covens down here practice something called ancestral magic, they literally do not have any power outside of the city. And did I mention that Davina is under Marcel's control and protection?" Klaus said, bracing his arms on the table as he leaned over.

"So you're telling me that no witch in New Orleans other than Marcel's personal witch can practice magic in the city. Okay." Katherine breathed in. This was something they could work around. "What about someone else?"

"What about that witch you brought to the Masquerade party? The cousin of Bonnie's?" Caroline popped in.

"Lucy was only there because I saved her life once. After that, she wanted nothing to do with me." Katherine replied before turning to the Mikaelsons. "Doesn't your family always have a witch or two on speed dial?"

"We would," Elijah agreed "but unfortunately they all seemed to perish in Mystic Falls. Kol always had a few dozen that owed him favors, but we have no way of knowing who they were."

"So basically, right now the best bet for my life is a power-high witch with no training whatsoever who sort of has a tentative alliance with you." Katherine stared straight into Elijah's eyes, pretty much done with this whole situation. "In that case, where's the nearest funeral parlor? I think I might need to start making arrangements."

Caroline raised her hand. "Um, may I make a suggestion?"

"Have at it, love." Klaus nudged her side gently.

"Okay. Well, Bonnie may not have her magic anymore, but as the anchor between this side and the Other side, she's sort of got like... A foot in both. And she can talk to ghosts. So technically, she could talk to Kol and see what he thinks of this situation and maybe if he knows of a witch that could do the job. And if that doesn't work, then maybe she could coach Davina and help her gain some control. She really misses her magic, and I don't think she would mind. I mean, I would have to ask her first of course, but I don't think she would refuse." She shrugged. To be frank, she knew how much her best friend missed her magic. It was a big part of Bonnie's life, and she had been cut off from it totally. It would be good to show her best friend that she could still be involved with magic, even if she couldn't experience it.