𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐛𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧- 𝐄.𝐌

13. Struggle

It was the middle of the night. The inside of the Abbatoir was quiet as was the world right outside the building. The building was fortified to protect Maeve from the world. While the world remained quiet, blissfully kept in dark about a silent yet destructive storm that was encroaching toward a particular person.

Elijah stood on the balcony looking at the world around. His hands rested firmly on the railing──strong enough grip that turned his knuckles white.

Truth be told no one had slept even a blink since Maeve first woke up and then was put into a coma──for her own good.

After a while, around two o'clock, everyone curled up in the room somewhere and slowly dozed off to sleep. Amara slept by herself on a chair closest to the monitors and Maeve, snuggled into a blanket. Ezekiel and Maverick sat at the round table, their heads uncomfortably set down on them. Kol was on the floor by himself snoring softly with his legs sprawled out. The corner closest to the bed, on the other side of Amara, Klaus and Caroline slept close to each other. Caroline's head rested on his shoulder while a single blanket was pulled over them.

Two days had passed since Maeve was put into coma. The news of Maeve's condition spread across the quarter inviting all eyes on them. The reaction was different in different people's eyes. Most of all, the news was received with celebratory enthusiasm. After all, when had the french covenant ever been known for being considerate of anyone? Elijah got the first experience of it on that day.

"Good morning...what can I hel──" the witch's words trailed off when her eyes settled on Elijah. "What does the original want?"

Elijah stepped forward and closer to the counter and pulled out a list. "All of this."

The witch eyed Elijah begrudgingly before she dismissed him bluntly, "absolutely not. You can go."

"And why may I ask?" inquired Elijah, with a surprisingly maintained calm posture as opposed to expected.

"This is a list of everything you need to make a healing potion. Something tells me this is particularly for the resident she-devil in your house." she flicked the list away on the counter top. "Take it somewhere else."

"Whoever you are, you are threading on a very thin line. I suggest you give me what I want because I know you have everything that I want or I might just take it upon myself to check off that list. Irrespective of the bloody floor of this fine workshop you've built for the tourists and to help your coven."

The witch smiled unfazed by his threat. "You cannot do anything to me Elijah. I know the she-devil doesn't have her magic anymore. She's just minutes away from withering away. We're just going to be watching and waiting for her to die."

Before Elijah to get another word in, someone sped into the workshop and snapped the witch's neck──killing her instantly. Elijah stepped away from the counter and turned his head to his left.

"Was that really necessary?" he asked.

Kol gave him a confused stare, "what? She didn't want to help and we don't have time."

"But killing her?"

"She's lucky I did it quickly." Elijah sighed defeatedly. He picked up the list and occupied himself by searching the wide and long shelves.

Kol followed his brother around the room still slightly confused about his reaction. "I don't understand. You killed so many because they weren't useful. I did it once and suddenly I'm the bad guy?"

"I never said you were a bad guy, Kol. Sometimes it is better to negotiate, threaten first and then take extreme measures."

"What I'm hearing is...had it not been me──you would have done it?" Elijah stared at Kol for a few seconds before he resumed his work. "I didn't hear a no. So I'll take that as a yes."