Hayley and I walked down stairs this morning to find fruit and breakfast foods spread across a table in the Courtyard. Hayley reaches for a grape, while I pour a glass of water. Niklaus comes out of a study on the bottom floor and joins us.
"So... Which restaurant is missing a compelled chef?" Hayley questions him as he walks up.
"It was certainly a card I played in the past, but I had no hand in this." Nik says, making my eyebrows scrunch in confusion. Skeptical I put my water down and take a step back.
"Oh." Hayley says. "Well, then I guess we have Elijah to thank."
"I doubt it." I mutter knowing Elijah has been hanging around Marcel, since he is a vampire surrounded by werewolves. So, he's been keeping busy.
"This wasn't my doing." Elijah comments coming down the stairs.
"Then where did this all come from?" Hayley asks.
"No where good, is my guess." I state with wide eyes as a plate that has a cover over it moves.
It shakes as we all look at it, until Nik finally grabs the handle and removes the cover. Two small black birds immediately fly away making the four of us jump back in surprise. Left in their wake lies a folded piece on parchment on the silver plate.
"What the hell was that?" Hayley says.
Niklaus grabs the note and opens it. Being right next to him I read it with him. 'Dinner. Your home. 8pm.' I roll my eyes in annoyance.
"This is gonna suck." I scoff folding my arms over my chest.
"And invitation from our mother." Nik informs Elijah and Hayley with a hard look on his face. Clearly not thrilled by the demand she's given.
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Niklaus looks out at the street from his balcony, as Hayley and I sit on his bed. Elijah was compelling someone to clean up the breakfast lay out. Nik enters his room still holding the note his mother sent.
"It is times like this I'm really glad I never knew my mother." Hayley comments.
"Amen." I nod in agreement.
"We have enough enemies here, and now the war for our home is to be fought against my own family." Niklaus says, frustrated, putting the note on his desk.
"Your bitch of a mother and her psycho followers tried to shove a knife into our twin's hearts. I will be more than glad to add them to my new body count." I tell him making a smirk spread across his face.
"You will do no such thing." Elijah denies, joining us by walking through the study, which is attached to Nik's room. "Esther is a master in the art of possession. We know whose body she currently inhabits. We must decipher her intentions before she finds a new host."
"I don't know if you've noticed but I don't play nice very well." I scoff.
"No kidding." Hayley mutters. I nudge her teasingly, causing her to let out a chuckle.
"Well, her last visitation was an assassination attempt on all her children. I think we can assume her intentions are decidedly foul." Nik says ignoring Hayley and me.
"Well, then we have..." Elijah looks down at his watch on his wrist. "This afternoon to prepare for the worst." Then, he exits leaving the three of us.
"Bloom is off the rose, I see." Nik teases Hayley as he walks out of the room.
"Shut up." Hayley counters annoyed shaking her head.
"Men." I sigh with a small chuckle.
___________________
Elijah took off to who knows where and Hayley had to dip in order to meet with Oliver. So, that left me sitting in the dining room watching Nik prepare for tonight.
"And skip the salad course." He orders a waiter, who is showing him two different kinds of wine to choose from. "Let's not make this dreadful evening any longer than it needs to be." He grabs a bottle and dismisses the guy.
"So I guess letting Oliver live paid off." Hayley announces gaining our attention as she walks into the room. However, Nik keeps his back to her. "He just informed me your mother has a partner in crime, another witch."
"Building alliances in her quest to destroy us, I imagine." Nik replies.
"Why does she hate you so much, Klaus?" Hayley bluntly asks. I nudge her, but she ignores me. "She had six kids. It's not like she doesn't have the maternal gene."
"Seven, actually, and I think at one time, she loved us very much." He answers making himself busy with setting the table. "One died before I was born."
"I'm sorry." I say quietly with sympathy.
"Years later, my brother Henrik was killed by the werewolves in our village. The loss of another child pushed my mother over the edge." He explains not looking at us. "So she used her magic to turn us into immortals. I think that's when she loved us the most, but it was her undoing." He continues glancing at Hayley and me. "It triggered a sequence of events that led to the reveal of her long-held secret. My birth father was apart of the werewolf pack that killed my little brother. Of course, when Mikael found out, he murdered my real father, and so my mother lost her lover, too."
"Wow." Hayley replies as I process everything he said. "No wonder she's crazy."
"Agreed." I nod. "I'm going crazy just having to give the twins away. I can't even fathom what it'd be like if they actually died." Nik turns and looks at me.
"You know, my siblings used to tell each other she didn't hate us." Nik says, walking closer. "She hated herself for what we'd become. I think they believed that, even after she tried to kill us all."
"And you?" I ask him.
"I don't know. I just knew I wanted her dead." He replies bluntly.
"Well, every good story needs a wicked witch." Hayley comments with a smirk. "It'll be all the more satisfying when we melt her."
"Absolutely." I grin. "I'm so over witches."
__________________
"Marcel's witch is being held captive in the quarter." Hayley informs Elijah and Nik as we approach them in the hallway.
"Oh perfect." Nik sighs. "Mother is a step ahead of us, as usual."
"Oliver is with her." Hayley says. "I'll go, and I'll get her to do the spell, but I need the necklace." The necklace belongs to Nik. Esther gave it to him when he was a boy, telling him it serves as protection. But, it really was used to weaken his untriggered werewolf aggression and his strength. Since Esther spelled it, Marcel's witch can use it for a branding spell. That way we will know if Esther switches bodies.
"I don't like this..." Elijah protests.
"No." Hayley interjects, cutting him off. "You don't get to ignore me for days and suddenly act like you're concerned, Elijah. Just for once, please, will you trust me that I will do something and it will get done."
"Besides, I'm going with her." I add. "We all know that if I'm faced with your mother, I won't be able to hold my tongue."
"Kelsey..." Nik starts, but I raise my eyebrows and hold out my hand, not really giving him a choice. He sighs and pulls the necklace out of his pocket and places it in my waiting palm.
"Thank you." Hayley and I say in unison, before brushing by them.
"Wait." Elijah speaks making us stop and look at him.
"I don't want to hear..." Hayley says as Elijah's voice overlaps hers.
"There's something else. A disciple of Marcel's was instructed to fetch another ingredient. Ask for Gia."
"Okay." Hayley nods, grabbing my arm and pulling me away.
"Who the hell is Gia?" I scoff at her quietly.
______________________
We arrived at the cemetery and went straight to the mausoleum Oliver told us they were located. I had called Marcel and had him tell whoever Gia was to drop off the ingredient with Oliver. Unfortunately, that ingredient is a huge ass python. When, we entered the mausoleum the witch is chained up by the wrist and covered in blood. She looks weak and tired.
"They worked her over pretty good." Oliver comments.
"We need to get her out of here." Hayley says advancing on her and undoing her wrists, allowing her to rest on the ground.
"What? Well, then what?" Oliver questions. "They'll know that I let her go. Look. You asked me to infiltrate Cassie's coven. I'm not going to blow my cover for some has-been, hippie witch, no offense."
I scoff and fold my arms. "She's an innocent person."
"I guess we could always make it look like you got jumped, tell Cassie that Lenore got rescued by her people." Hayley suggests.
"Let me guess." Oliver sighs. "You want to beat the hell out of me, make it look convincing?"
"Actually that honor would belong to me." I smirk at him.
"Okay. Just..." He starts sounding defeated. "Just not in the face, okay?"
I roll my eyes. "You heal, idiot. But, whatever." I huff before sending a blow to his side using my knee.
____________________________
Once Oliver was knocked out, Hayley and I turned to Lenore. She had regained most of her composure, but she was still injured.
"I'm sorry you were dragged into this." I tell her honestly, while flexing my hand to get rid of the soreness from punching Oliver.
"It's gonna by okay, I promise." Hayley adds.
"What's you guys dog in this fight?" She inquires standing up. "Neither of you are a Mikaelson."
"We sort of are, in spirit." Hayley shrugs.
"Yeah." I nod. "Definitely affected by their family drama."
"The werewolf mother." She replies in realization as she looks at me.
"And witch rescuer, ironically." I nod. "Listen. Is there anyway we can do the spell, or not?"
"After what that bitch and her lackey did to me, I'll do any spell you want." She confirms making me smirk.
"I like her." I nudge Hayley, still looking at Lenore as she walks out of the mausoleum.
_____________________
I made Hayley bag and carry the snake. I can't stand them, even if I'm harder to kill now. We followed Lenore back to her shop. She set up all the things she needs to preform the spell in her back room.
"So will this take long?" Hayley asks still holding the sack with the python. Lenore continues to prepare as she answers.
"You want me to soul brand the resurrected spirit of a 1,000-year-old witch." She reaches over and grabs the sack from Hayley. "It's best I take my time and do it right."
"Agreed." I nod.
"For what it's worth, I'm sorry." Lenore glances at me as she continues. "No one should ever have to lose a child."
"No." I tell her. "They shouldn't."
Lenore waves sage in the air. "You have the talisman?"
"Yeah." I answer pulling out the necklace that Niklaus handed me and I place it in her hand.
"So how does this work?" Hayley inquires. "You brand Esther with the spell, and then what?"
"The next time she jumps into a body, she'll be marked with a distinctive symbol on the back of her hand." Lenore explains continuing to work. "This way, you always know who she is."
"I'd sooner know why she's here." Hayley sighs.
"Me too." I agree. "When Esther kidnapped you did she say anything to shed light on why she is doing this?"
Lenore wraps the python around her neck making my cringe. "Love." She says.
"How hard did they hit you?" Hayley asks in disbelief.
"What besides love inspires such pain and cruelty?" Lenore replies taking the live snake off her shoulders and picks up a knife. "And Esther..." She slits the snake down it's belly letting the blood spill into her bowl, as I look away. Lenore takes the snakes heart and holds in her hands as she starts the spell. "Her love is... very, very strong."
Lenore whispers her chants as Hayley and I observe. Not long into the spell Lenore falls slightly forward and grabs her cauldron to steady herself. Her expression changes and she looks a little confused as she takes in her surroundings. Hayley and I scrunch our eyebrows and look at each other unsure of what's happening. I take a couple of steps back out of instinct, as Hayley remains in her seat.
"Are you okay?" Hayley asks her.
"Yes." Lenore answers, but I'm not convinced. Her whole demeanor has changed.
"Are you sure?" Hayley tries again as she stands.
"Just getting my bearings." Lenore brings her right hand to her face. Clear as day on the back of her hand shows a symbol. Hayley gasps as she takes steps back to join me at my side.
"The mark." Hayley mutters and I nod glaring at Esther, who has taken over Lenore's body.
"It's you, isn't it?" I inquire guarded. "Esther."
Esther starts to clean her hands on a rag. Hayley and I keep our gaze on her. My phone vibrates and I try to reach for it slowly.
"Go ahead." Esther says. "You can answer it."
"Nik." I say urgently. "We are at Lenore's shop."
Esther throws her hand towards me and the line goes dead. "That'll be enough."
"They're gonna come for us." Hayley tells her.
"My darling, it's been the idea all along." Lenore replies unbothered. She flicks her eyes to me. "It's so lovely to finally officially meet you. I didn't get the proper chance when you and Niklaus met me in the cemetery. Tell me, do my sons ever acknowledge the good you both bring to their lives? After all, it was you guys that gave them hope." I swallow thickly at my daughter's name, but I keep my composure. "And you, Kelsey, the promise of a child shows us all the possibilities of a future that could be. Children are meant to save us from the worst parts of who we are, a truth that makes my own circumstances all the more tragic, wouldn't you say?"
"Save me your sob story, Esther." I scoff folding my arms.
"It's a terrible thing for a mother to fail her child, as you well know..." I growl and take a step towards her, but Hayley grabs my arm and pulls me back. Esther ignores my attempt and continues. "But now I offer you both freedom, the gift of a new body, freedom from being a hybrid. I have the ability to return to you all that you have lost, Kelsey, Hayley, to make it so you can have a family of your own, more children of your own. Wouldn't that be nice?"
I look at her and the sincerity on her face and in her voice and I do the only thing appropriate in this situation. I laugh. Tears leaving my eye and my stomach hurting, kind of laugh. For the first time in months. Esther scrunches her eyebrows and Hayley nudges me.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." I sober up. "It's just.... you're a psychotic bitch. You're the reason I'm a hybrid. You sent your minions to kill me. Not to mention, you're the reason my baby is dead. I had a family and you stole that from me. I don't want more children. I want my daughter, that you had killed. So, you can take your sorry excuse of a offer and shove it up your ass." Esther's face drops and anger covers her demeanor. However, before she can say or do anything Nik barges into the small room from a door behind me and Hayley. Nik quickly walks between us and protectively blocks us from Esther.
"I assume I have the misfortune of speaking to my mother." Esther grabs some kind of powder substance and flings it across the table, stopping Niklaus in his tracks. "You hide behind your spells like a coward."
"I did not come here to wage war." Esther states as she grabs more powder and tosses it in the direction of the other door that Elijah attempts to enter through, holding him in place, like Niklaus.
"Everything you do is an act of war." Elijah counters. "If you touch them, so help me..."
"Kelsey and Hayley are free to go." Esther cuts him off. "I've spoken my piece. They know why I'm here. I have come to heal our family, Elijah."
"Well, that's a grim sentiment coming from you." Nik says before turning and glancing at Hayley and focusing on me. "Go now." He demands.
I shake my head, but he doesn't falter. Hayley grabs my wrist and pulls me away. I don't fight her, but I don't help either. Every bone in my body doesn't want to leave them, however I don't seem to have a choice. So, with one last look at Nik, I follow Hayley out of Lenore's shop.
________________________
Hayley and I wait for the brothers back at the Compound. Hayley sits with her elbows on her knees, while I pace in front of her.
"Would you sit down?" Hayley huffs.
"They should be back by now." I tell her.
"They'll be fine." She tells me, before smirking. "Why are you so concerned anyway?"
"What do you mean?"
"Well, it obvious you're not Elijah's biggest fan." She shrugs. "So, that leaves Klaus. When are you going to tell him you're in love with him?"
"This isn't the time for jokes." I snap at her.
"Who's joking?" She asks rhetorically. "There's obviously something there."
"There is not." I sigh, sitting next to her. "If there was he would have said something after we kissed."
"You did what?!" Hayley exclaims with wide eyes. "How did I not know about this?"
"It happened right before the witches kidnapped me and took the twins. And since then things have been chaotic."
"Have you bought it up to him?" She inquires.
"No." I shake my head. "But, he vamp sped right out of there without saying anything. It was clearly a mistake."
"You'll never know unless you talk to him." Hayley shrugs.
"I don't think I want to know." I mutter.
Niklaus and Elijah come through the entrance of the Compound, before Hayley can respond. I let out a breath of relief. Elijah gestures for us to follow them into the dining room. Elijah leans his back against the wall and Niklaus paces along the length of the table, while Hayley and I stand side by side by the table.
"Of course she used those damn birds to make her escape." Nik comments in annoyance.
"Besides mother's offer of rebirth, what else did she say?" Elijah inquires looking between me and Hayley.
"She played the blame game." I rolled my eyes. "She said you two were at fault for everything that has happened to us, including the babies." Nik stops walking and looks at me.
"Well, I trust you're not thinking of taking her offer." He says keeping his main focus on me, also sending glances at Hayley. I roll my eyes at his paranoia. I don't say anything and neither does Hayley, which only frustrates him. "Hayley, Kelsey, I'm talking to you."
"What do you want me to say, Klaus?" Hayley sighs. I snap my head in her direction. I had just assumed that she was against the offer. "I was just getting comfortable with being a werewolf leading a pack, so, when your mother offers to wipe the slate clean, excuse me if I'm tempted." Nik walks toward us in disbelief. Then, Hayley looks at Elijah. "By the way, thanks for your help tonight, Elijah. I'm sorry that it takes me being in danger for you to even talk to me."
"And you Kelsey?" Nik snarls with hurt written on his face. "Are you eager to have your slate wiped clean?"
"I know that your parents are a sore subject, but you don't get to talk to me like that." I snap at him, annoyed with his tone.
"Kelsey laughed in her face." Hayley sighs.
"You did what?" Elijah asks with the tiniest trace of amusement on his face. Niklaus raised his eyebrows in surprise.
"Your mother is the reason I'm a hybrid. She had me killed." I roll my eyes. "The fact that she thinks she can just come play savior is comical. Besides, I'm stronger like this and more equip to protect the twins. So, I'll tell you what I told her, she can take her offer and shove it up her ass."
"You didn't even consider it?" Nik inquires, looking slightly hopeful.
"Not for a second." I shrug.
I turn and nod at Hayley in signal that we should leave them to talk.