Millennium | Kol Mikaelson

Chapter 28

Catalina had a fun summer.

It was hard not to have fun, when Lucien was there.

She wasn't sure she trusted him, entirely. He could be pretending that he fully understood what she'd told him. He could still be plotting the Mikaelsons' downfall, because, after all, it would be hard to get him to ignore the damage they'd inflicted if he'd held a grudge for a thousand years.

However, she wanted to believe that some part of him was rethinking his whole plan. Catalina had ignited many doubtful thoughts, pointing out potential flaws. Not to mention that whatever he'd suffered, it was nothing compared to what she'd been through.

He'd never actually been attacked by Mikael, despite having to run from him. He'd never had to succumb to Klaus and Rebekah's rage after they parted ways. Time and time again, Catalina had been in direct mortal peril because of them. And if she didn't think they should all be murdered...

It didn't quite matter at the moment. The true test would come later on, when he did or didn't continue with his previous preparations.

Thus, in the meantime, they drank. Went to parties. Fed. Went out to eat at actual restaurants and criticized the food. And, to Catalina's delight, worked on the sireline delinking spell.

"We're still missing a piece," she said, after the twentieth witch they'd consulted (and killed). "Something about this spell isn't entirely adding up. We have many of the necessary binding agents, but there has to be a stronger one. I fear this may require a sacrifice, and I'm not sure who will need to die for it."

With frustration came anger. With anger came the need to release it. Lucien was not one who enjoyed constant fight training, but Catalina was. They'd started meeting in the mornings to practice, since Catalina worried that they'd be at a loss if The Strix decided to take matters into their own hands.

"We're going to have to consult them about finishing this spell," said Catalina breathlessly as she beat into a punching bag. "Which means we're going to have to see Tristan and Aya, and if they decide we're not essential to the plan anymore, they're going to rip the spell out of our hands and try to kill us!"

The punching bag (and Lucien) flew across the room.

"Settle down," said Lucien, grunting as he got back to his feet after slamming into the wall. "Tristan is well aware that you intend to help us. He never knew anything about my greater plan. All I ever allied with him for was this. The Strix Coven is unfortunately a necessity. Soon, that will be complete. Tristan knows that he needs you for intel. And he needs me for my cure to wolf bites."

"Cure to wolf bites?" she asked, wiping her brow before going to fetch the punching bag. "How'd you get that?"

"Tricky bit of science, isolating Nik's blood from mine, getting a few strains of venom and testing out reversal processes to make the antidote to it. Very time-consuming and costly. It's what I used to get Tristan to trust me in the first place. When we were meeting, I set up for a pack of wolves to attack us. We were both bitten. I brought out the cure, injected us both with it, and he realized that I was an asset. Don't worry, love, they can't kill us until after the link has been broken. Tristan knows as well as anyone who's relevant that you know Strix spells better than some of their own witches do. If something were to go astray, they'd need you to fix it. With it, you'll get your Nexus Vorti, and everyone will be happy."

"I don't suppose we're going to use this weapon you mentioned to get the Mikaelsons to the site of the spell?" asked Catalina, starting to punch again once she set the bag up once more. "You said Tristan called it a 'lock.'"

"The Serratura," said Lucien. "A boundary that cannot be crossed by the living or the dead. Tristan had the idea separately from the sireline delinking conversation. If it turns out that there is no way to complete the spell within a year's time— our deadline, by the way, since we know the Mikaelsons tend to get into conflicts rather often and in an unpredictable fashion— then we will lock them away so that no harm can come to them."