The Good Daughter

Twenty four

"And to top it all off, we have an entirely new magic problem. Some old ass witch is trying to possess Hope."

"That's insane." At least some attention was off me, right? I leaned against the railing.

"No. Elijah's determined."

I said that out loud. Damn. "Shouldn't the new favorite get the spotlight? Is that not how this works?"

"Excuse you, I'm still the favorite."

"Bullshit. You and I got docked for the Mikael situation. Then you bit some of them."

"They deserved it."

"What... what did they do?" I was almost scared to ask.

He didn't say anything for a moment. "Elijah and Freya killed this girl. I took care of her when her coven betrayed her." Marcel paused, his voice controlled. "She was a kid."

"What was her name?"

"Davina."

"Pretty."

"She was."

Marcel had a kid.

My god. He pulled a Nik. Or an Elijah.

And I never got to meet her. "I'm sorry." It didn't feel like enough. How was I meant to comfort him? To make this right?

He took a breath. Then another one. "I let the Mikaelsons back in the city."

"What?!"

"Hope's more protected here. We established a temporary truce."

Parker knocked on my balcony door, waving his hands.

Something was wrong.

"And that's working? I thought no Mikaelson was allowed back?"

"They promised to behave. They know what'll happen if they don't... we could use another vampire."

How could he ask that of me? "I can't. If I come back, willingly much less, they'll never let me go."

"We could get Freya to stop. I know her spell is making you sick."

"She can suck my dick."

"Morgan-"

"No. You didn't see Elijah. How far he's spiraled. He-he looked exactly like-" Mikael. The one and only time I'd ever seen that man. "Besides, I have to stay. My brothers need me."

"Your sister needs you more."

"She hasn't earned that right." I snapped.

"Maybe not. But Hope's just a kid. Someone who needs help. Like we did. You're going to abandon her?"

"Don't put that on me. I didn't ask for any additional family members."

"Yet you have another one just the same."

Damn him. "I'm not going."

"I think you will. Not for Elijah or Klaus. Not even for Hope. I think you'll do it for yourself. A part of you that never truly healed." Sounded more like he was speaking from experience. "Just think about it. Besides, if they tried anything when you do come, I'd stop it. I have the power now."

It would be nice for the headaches to go away... plus it might take the heat off me and I could protect my brothers better if I had eyes on my family...

Fuck. Was I actually considering this?

Marcel had a point. A very good one. I hated that he did.

Here was this girl, who through no fault of her own was in danger. She was Nik's blood born child, and apparently a new sibling in our little family tree.

Hayley asked me to help.

A mother pleading for her baby.

In doing so, I'd have to give up my freedom. My access to my brothers. But was I not just thinking about how it was safer for me to be far away from Stefan and Damon?

Then again, I'd be allowing Elijah to win this power struggle.

I'd have to apologize for words I did not mean but said all the same. "That's assuming they'd let me do anything to help."

"They will. They're getting desperate. We all are. This witch, this thing, is old magic. As in older than the Originals and she wants Hope. If you come home, their attention can be solely focused on fighting her, but Elijah's distracted and it's taking effort for Freya to keep attacking."

"So I should give up everything for Hope. My freedom, Marcel."

"Not forever. Just until we can win and Hope's safe. Then you can leave, I'll ensure it."

Parker tapped on the glass again, this time more frantically. "Hold on." I turned off my phone's microphone and slid the door open. "What is it?"

"Damon. He's gotten himself in trouble. We can't find him."

"Where the fuck are my wolves?!"

Parker swallowed nervously. "Every time one of yours gets close, Damon kills them. In the interest of-"

"I'm going." I pushed past him, unmuting Marcel. "I'll have to call you back."