The Causes Of Destiny - Elijah Mikaelson

Chapter Seven: Unveiling the Secrets

Lily sat on the edge of her bed, her fingers trembling as they clutched the blanket. The dream—or was it a vision?—had left her shaken to her core. Every part of her being told her it was more than just a dream. It was a warning, a message. But what could it all mean? The mysterious woman, the light, the power she had felt inside her—it all left her head spinning.

Downstairs, she could hear faint voices. Ross and James must have been talking, though she couldn't make out what they were saying. Taking a deep breath, Lily pushed herself out of bed, pulling on a sweater before quietly making her way downstairs.

As she reached the bottom step, the conversation between Ross and James became clearer.

"I'm telling you, James," Ross said, his voice hushed but stern, "Lily's going to start asking questions. We can't keep this up forever."

James sighed. "I know. But do you think she's ready for the truth? I mean, after everything that's happened, she's barely keeping it together."

Lily's heart raced. She hesitated for a moment, then stepped into the room. "Ready for the truth about what?"

Both men turned to her, startled by her sudden appearance. Ross quickly exchanged a glance with James, as if silently communicating what to do next.

"Lily," Ross began, standing up slowly, his face softening with concern. "We need to talk."

Lily crossed her arms over her chest. "No more half-truths. I deserve to know what's really going on. After last night... and after everything I've seen since we came to New Orleans... I know there's something you're not telling me."

James opened his mouth to speak but hesitated, looking at Ross for approval. Finally, Ross gestured for her to sit down. "You're right," he said with a heavy sigh. "You do deserve the truth."

Lily sat down on the couch, feeling the weight of the moment settle over her. Ross looked at her, his expression serious and almost... sad.

"We haven't been entirely honest with you," Ross began, choosing his words carefully. "About what we are. About the world you've been unknowingly a part of for your entire life."

Lily swallowed hard. She could already feel the tension in the air, the gravity of whatever Ross was about to say. But nothing could prepare her for the next words that left his mouth.

"James and I," he said slowly, "we're not human. We're vampires."

Lily's breath caught in her throat. For a moment, the room felt like it had tilted, and she had to grip the edge of the couch to steady herself. "Vampires? You're serious?"

Ross nodded. "Yes. And we've been keeping it from you to protect you."

Lily shook her head, her mind racing to catch up. "But why? Why didn't you ever tell me?"

James spoke up, his voice softer. "We didn't want to scare you, Lily. You've been through so much already with losing your parents. We thought it was best to keep you away from all of... this." He gestured vaguely, indicating the supernatural world.

Ross continued, "But coming to New Orleans has made everything harder to hide. This city is... it's a hub for the supernatural. Witches, vampires, werewolves—they all have a stake here. And with everything that's happening, it was only a matter of time before you got involved."

Lily felt her pulse quicken. "Werewolves? Witches?" She looked between them, her mind reeling. "So all those stories, those legends—they're real?"

"Very real," Ross confirmed, his eyes serious. "And there's a delicate balance between the factions here. The Mikaelsons—the Original vampires—they control much of the city. But there's always conflict. Power struggles. You've already seen a glimpse of that."

Lily leaned back against the couch, her thoughts spinning wildly. She couldn't believe what she was hearing, but at the same time, it explained so much—why Ross and James had always been so protective, why they had never really explained their past.

"But..." she started, her voice faltering as her mind returned to the vision she had last night. "What about me? What aren't you telling me about myself?"

Ross and James exchanged another glance, one that made Lily's stomach drop. It was clear there was something more, something they still hadn't revealed.

Ross hesitated, then stood up and walked over to the window, looking out at the night sky. "There's a reason we've kept you in the dark, Lily," he said quietly, his back still to her. "We wanted to give you a normal life, to keep you safe from everything in our world. But there's something else you need to know."

Lily's heart pounded in her chest as she waited for him to continue.

"You're not just a normal human, Lily," Ross said, turning to face her. "You come from a very powerful bloodline. Your parents—they were witches."

The air seemed to leave the room. Lily's breath caught, her mind spinning as she tried to process the revelation. "Witches?" she whispered, barely able to form the word.

"Yes," James confirmed, stepping closer. "But your powers... they've been dormant your whole life. You've never known about them because we kept that part hidden from you. We thought it was best to keep you out of the supernatural world."

"But it's not something we can hide forever," Ross added. "Especially now that we're here in New Orleans. The city has a way of awakening things—magic, power... and danger."

Lily stared at them, her head spinning with everything they had told her. Vampires, werewolves, witches... her parents had been witches? That meant she had magic in her blood. A power she had never known existed.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" she asked, her voice trembling.

"We wanted to wait until you were ready," Ross said, his tone filled with regret. "But with everything happening now, we don't have a choice. You're going to start feeling it—the power inside you. And it's something you're going to have to learn to control."

Lily felt tears well up in her eyes, not out of sadness, but from the overwhelming weight of everything she had just learned. Her life had been a lie, and now, in the span of one night, everything had changed.

"I just... I don't know how to feel," she whispered, running a hand through her hair.

James knelt in front of her, his expression filled with concern. "We'll help you through this, Lily. You're not alone in this. We're family. And no matter what happens, we'll protect you."

Lily looked up at them, her heart heavy with the truth. She didn't know what was coming next, but she knew one thing for sure—her life would never be the same again.