The Balance

Chapter 38

I walk down the stairs of the Mikaelson mansion, I got in late last night and Klaus put me in the room across from his.

Klaus and Elijah sit opposite each other in the living room as each of them read their own book. Klaus is reading "A Poison Tree" by William Blake, and Elijah is reading one of his mother's grimoires. A dead girl lays on the coffee table, her neck bleeding from puncture wounds in her neck, while they listen to classical music.

"So, this is what you do on your free time?  vampire book club" I ask.

Klaus continues reading, "Reading edifies the mind, love. Isn't that right, Elijah?"

Elijah nods, "Yes, that's quite right, Niklaus."

"And what's this business?" I gesture to the dead girl on the table.

"This is a... Eljiah gestures as though he's searching for a word, "...peace offering. "

Klaus sighs, "I presumed, after so much time desiccating in a coffin, that my big brother might be a bit peckish."

"And I explained to my little brother that forgiveness cannot be bought. I'd simply prefer to see a change in behavior that indicates contrition and personal growth." Elijah says annoyed. Klaus rolls his eyes guiltily, and Elijah gestures to the girl on the table, "Not this nonsense."

Klaus grins, "Well, I couldn't very well let her go to waste, could I?"

"Well, I suppose I'll go fetch the rubbish bin, because she's staining a two hundred-year-old carpet." I point out.

Elijah looks up from his book to see the girl bleeding out onto the table, where the blood drips onto the floor. "Ah, yes."

A few moments later I am scrubbing at the bloodstains in the carpet while Klaus continues to read "A Poison Tree." "Poetry about poisoned apples from dead trees. Looks like someone's worried about impending daddy-hood." I tease.

Klaus shakes his head, "Nonsense. Elijah's back. In his presence, all problems turn to pixie-dust and float away!"

I side-eye him and grin, and Klaus grins back.

Elijah joins them in the living room, "Strange, I don't recall any pixie-dust from the darkness of the coffin I was recently forced to endure." Elijah opens Esther's grimoire and flips through it

"What are you doing with Mother's spellbook?" Klaus asks.

"Well, in exchange for my freedom, I promised the witch Davina that I would share a few pages from Mother's grimoire. To help her learn to control her magic. I thought we'd begin with a little unlinking spell." me and Klaus look at each other in confusion.

Then it clicks, "Wait, you want to use her to unlink Hayley from Sophie Deveraux?" I ask.

Elijah nods, "Sophie brought us here under false pretenses. She doesn't just want us to take down Marcel and his minions, she wants to take Davina back. So, she yolked her own cause to ours with magic, threats, and half-truths. Well, no more. As of now, our deal with Sophie Deveraux is null and void." Klaus smile at him, "Niklaus, I need you to come with me. I need five minutes alone with Davina. You need to make certain that I am not interrupted." He points to me and thinks for a moment before giving his order. "You stay here and watch Hayley."

He turns and leaves the house.

"I know I'm here to help babysit the wolf girl but I didn't even get breakfast first. How did I get elected super-nanny?" I ask.

"More importantly, who put him in charge" Klaus reluctantly follows Elijah out of the house.

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