Perzys Āeterña | Hope Mikaelson

Chapter 7

They weren't able to call him.

The medical personnel had taken away everyone's phones to decontaminate the area. Their only option was to sit and wait, though Rhysaenya was more inclined to run away and just deal with the fallout later.

"Who is that guy talking to Dad?" asked Josie, seeing the man in the blue jacket speaking with Alaric.

"This creep we met in Kansas when you guys were in Europe," muttered Hope.

"Why were you in Kansas?" demanded Lizzie. "Oh, wait, let me guess– it involved you insinuating yourself into a situation where only you could be the hero."

"As a matter of fact, yeah," said Hope sarcastically.

"I swear to god, you will do anything to get attention."

"Said the narcissist."

"Said the–" she faltered, "other narcissist."

"If you don't shut up," said Rhysaenya lowly, "Headmaster's daughter or not, I'm going to beat the shit out of you."

"Actually, you know what?" said Hope. "Maybe I was jealous. Maybe I wanted what you had. A simple day with my family. I lost half of my stuff in that fire, including the only painting I made with my dad. Why would I do that to myself?"

Lizzie was silent. Hope had delivered the punch without need for Rhysaenya's fists.

They waited quietly as Hope and Alaric walked out to talk with the guy in the blue jacket. Rhysaenya could hear the man, 'Clarke,' saying he was part of an organization that kept monsters from public view. According to him, the plagues were the work of a mummy that was trying to retrieve the urn.

He needed their help to get rid of the mummy, which sounded suspicious to Rhysaenya, but Hope seemed willing to give them the aid they needed, which they discovered was only because this 'Clarke' guy worked for a company called Triad, bearing the same symbol of three triangles characteristic of Malivore, and based in Georgia where Landon and Alaric had had their memories wiped. The plan was to help Triad to see what else they could learn, which didn't seem like the best idea, but was also the only idea they had.

"Some people find it helps to clear their conscience before heading into battle," said Lizzie as they walked down the street to intercept the mummy.

"Like you'd know anything about battle," said Rhysaenya coldly. "It's really not the time for this."

"It's always time for the truth. Last chance, Hope. If you didn't start that fire to keep us from going, then why were you so mean to me after? I'll tell you why– because you were guilty."

"Girls!" hissed Alaric. "Quiet back there, please."

"I wasn't mean to you!" exclaimed Hope. "You were mean to me."

"Because you were telling people about my episode."

"Your what?"

"My episode. The one I had when our trip got canceled. You told everyone that I was witch bipolar."

"I would never do that!"

"Guys, seriously," said Josie, "what is the point of even talking–"

"Just drop the act!" said Lizzie. "I had my first... occurrence. My mom took me away to get help, and you decided to use it against me."

"I didn't even know!" said Hope. "I swear, I would never do that."

"Shut up!" said Rhysaenya, pointing ahead. "There it is. Think you guys can direct my fire right at it? I'd go into my dragon form but I don't think the buildings here would survive."