Burned » Kai Parker

27

The only person in the room chowing down on their meal with genuine relish was Klaus. Kai and I sat stiffly at the table amongst the Mikaelsons with shreds of patience.

"Something wrong with the food?" Klaus inquired, eyeing our untouched plates. "Do witches on your end of the country follow a different sort of diet? You know, I've heard some mortals do keto. From what I've gathered, it's miserable."

"Maybe they think you've poisoned it," Rebekah said, planting her chin in her palm with a bored expression. "Or they're vegetarians."

I balled my fists in my lap. The fact that we even had to sit through this dinner as if we weren't technically captives was a strike to my dignity. Who did they think they were, trying to engage us in meaningless small talk and push this false facade of civility? It was such crap. In reality, if I tried to leave this table, I'd get an Original baring fangs in my face.

My mood dipped with each minute that ticked on the grandfather clock. I was irritated when I wasn't able to reach my magic to cast crippling hexes, but I was downright livid when I noticed the bloody slash in Kai's lower torso. Even though I'd at least been able to take care of it, I was far from content. I shouldn't have to calmly negotiate with the hybrid that stabbed my partner, though ironically, it was Kai that insisted we stick to mediation.

Why couldn't he have suggested murder, I thought grumpily, while glaring at the uneaten steak on my plate.

"It's not poisoned," Elijah, the Original with an apparent affinity for formal wear, assured us. "I understand that these circumstances aren't ideal, but you should eat."

I directed my glare at him. "Do you do this a lot? Keep the peace on his behalf?" I gestured at Klaus, who started chuckling.

"I suppose it's a part-time job."

"Well, save it. If you really wanted to get on our good sides, you would've let us out of here already."

"I've told you that's my intention, but only once we're sure that your motives in New Orleans truly don't concern us." He shrugged. "While I may question Niklaus' haste in capturing you both, I agree with his caution."

"Thank you, Elijah, for your half-assed solidarity," Klaus remarked.

Kai rolled his eyes. "I've been here, like a broken record, telling you we have a mission totally separate from the interests of your family. I think you're purposely playing dumb now."

"A mission you haven't disclosed details of," Klaus clarified. "And frankly, Malachai, I'm more interested in why you thought this mission defied the rules of the treaty between my family and your coven. Stay out of each other's territories, wasn't that the key takeaway from it?"

"That treaty was written in the 1920s. You were a slightly less ancient vampire at the time and I wasn't even alive. You don't find this argument a little insane?"

"Treaties are insane, now? I don't think you'd be so bold with that take if I decided to settle down in Portland. Maybe I'll build a new home right beside the Gemini compound, since we're letting bygones be bygones." He glanced at his siblings. "What do you think, Rebekah? Elijah? Branch out to the west coast? It's about time I invest in a beach house."

"I prefer the east coast," Rebekah said. "But go on with that plan, if you're truly that committed to being petty."

He looked exasperated at his sister's lack of support. I gave her a curious look. There was Elijah, designated mediator of the group, and Klaus, the shameless instigator. Where did Rebekah Mikaelson fall on the scale? Somewhere in the middle? While she seemed to have lost patience with Klaus, I couldn't be sure that she wouldn't also resort to violence if Kai and I got bolder in our effort to escape this fucked up dinner. We had no allies here.