Witchcraft and Shadows

Unsettling Revelations

"The persecution of witches is a dark chapter in human history, a testament to our capacity for cruelty and ignorance."

 — Anonymous

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Bonnie sat cross-legged on the floor, her eyes locked on the map of the United States, muttering incantations under her breath. The candle flames flickered around her, casting long shadows on the walls. Damon, meanwhile, had taken to folding the newspaper into paper airplanes and sending them out into the front yard with exaggerated gusto.

"Phasmatos Tribum, Nas Ex Veras, Sequitas Sanguinem," Bonnie chanted, her gaze fixed on a drop of blood on the map. "It doesn't feel right. Maybe I need a bigger map?"

Damon strolled back inside, the newspaper crumpled in his hand. "Maybe you're just out of practice and you suck at magic now."

Kai, who had been watching the scene with amusement, leaned in closer to Bonnie, his voice a whisper. "Ignore him, Bonnie. Pretend he's a white-noise machine. That's how I tuned out my siblings. Growing up with a ton of little sisters and brothers, you learn to focus on what matters."

He was so close now that I could see the slight shift in Bonnie's posture, her focus momentarily distracted by Kai's proximity. As if sensing the opportunity, Kai's eyes lingered on Bonnie, his gaze lingering on her lips. It looked like he was about to make a move.

"Easy there, big brother!" Damon interjected, stepping between Kai and Bonnie. "She doesn't know you yet. At least buy her a drink first."

"Or just keep your distance," I added from my spot on the arm of the couch, my voice dripping with sarcasm. "She's already got enough to deal with without you adding 'unwanted advances' to her list of problems."

Kai smirked, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "What, Cassidy? You jealous?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Please. I'm just trying to keep things from getting any more awkward. And, for the record, he's hot."

Kai's smirk widened. "Why, thank you. You're not too bad yourself, you know."

Damon rolled his eyes, clearly annoyed. "Can we please focus? We've got a mystical conundrum here, and I'd rather not spend the day listening to Kai's attempts at flirting."

"Speak for yourself," I said, crossing my arms and smirking at Damon. "I'm enjoying the break from your incessant whining."

FLASHBACK—MYSTIC FALLS, 1994

The scene shifted to a bustling Salvatore Boarding House, filled with the energy of Zach's eclipse party. Damon was engaged in a conversation with a younger Liz Forbes, who was showing him a picture of baby Caroline.

"May I call you Liz?" Damon asked smoothly.

"Sure," Liz replied with a smile.

"Your daughter is so adorable," Damon complimented.

Liz giggled. "Yeah, Caroline's high maintenance, but she's worth it."

Nearby, Zach was taking a Polaroid of Gail, who protested about the photo. "I'm so getting rid of that photo! Stefan, come, take a picture of Zach and me."

Stefan complied, snapping a picture of the two of them. Gail then grabbed a cupcake and peeled off the wrapper, while Stefan noticed the distinct puncture wounds on her arm.

"Hey, what happened to your wrist?" Stefan asked, concerned.

Gail looked puzzled. "...I don't know."

Damon, still chatting with Liz, glanced over and realized Stefan was onto something. Liz, holding a device in her hand, was curious. "So, how does this thing help us watch the eclipse?"