The Long Lost Tribrid

18. Who else knows?

Hope's Pov:

I took a deep breath, steadying myself as the effects of Emily's blood coursed through my system. The room had fallen into an uneasy silence, the weight of unspoken words hanging heavy in the air. I knew I needed to process everything that had just happened, but more urgently, I needed answers. Answers that I knew I wouldn't find within these walls.

"I... I need some air," I said, my voice sounding strained even to my own ears. "I'll be right back."

Before anyone could protest, I was moving towards the door. I could feel their eyes on me - Emily's concerned gaze, Josie's worried frown, Lizzie's puzzled expression - but I couldn't bring myself to look back. I had to do this alone.

As soon as I was out of the room, I broke into a run. My feet carried me swiftly through the winding corridors of the castle, past startled pack members who quickly moved out of my way. I didn't slow down until I reached the castle grounds, the cool night air hitting my face like a physical force.

I knew where I was going. There was a spot, just beyond the castle grounds, where I had often seen Ryan during my late-night wanderings. It was a long shot, but something told me he would be there tonight. He had to be.

The forest was dark and quiet as I made my way through it, my enhanced senses on high alert for any sign of danger. But the only sounds were the rustling of leaves and the occasional hoot of an owl. It wasn't long before I reached the clearing I was looking for.

And there he was. Ryan stood with his back to me, his silhouette outlined against the starry sky. He didn't turn as I approached, but I knew he was aware of my presence.

"I figured you'd come," he said, his voice low and controlled. "Though I must admit, I expected it to take longer."

I stopped a few feet away from him, my heart pounding in my chest. "How do you know?" I demanded, not bothering with pleasantries. "How do you know who I am?"

Ryan turned to face me then, his eyes glinting in the moonlight. "The real question, Hope Mikaelson, is how could I not know?"

I felt a chill run down my spine at the casual use of my full name. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means," Ryan said, taking a step closer, "that your family's reputation precedes you. Did you really think you could hide forever?"

I swallowed hard, fighting to keep my voice steady. "I told no one but the queen's family. How did word get out?"

Ryan's laugh was cold and humorless. "Oh, Hope. You're so naive. Information is power, and in our world, power is everything. The queen may have promised to keep your secret, but secrets have a way of... slipping out."

"What are you saying?" I asked, though deep down, I feared I already knew the answer.

"I'm saying," Ryan replied, his voice dropping to a near whisper, "that your secret is out. And not just to me. There are others who know, others who are very interested in the whereabouts of the Mikaelson heirs."

I felt as if the ground had dropped out from beneath my feet. "Others? Who?"

"Let's just say that your parents have made quite a few enemies over the years. Enemies who would love nothing more than to get their hands on their precious daughters."

My mind was reeling. This couldn't be happening. We had been so careful, so meticulous in covering our tracks. "How... how long have you known?"

"Long enough," Ryan said, his eyes never leaving mine. "I've been watching you, Hope. You and your sister. Waiting to see what you would do, how you would react when pushed."

"The fight," I realized, the pieces suddenly clicking into place. "You provoked me on purpose."

Ryan's smile was cold and predatory. "And you played right into my hands. Your control is impressive, I'll give you that. But even you have your limits."

I felt sick to my stomach. "What do you want from us?"

"Me? Nothing," Ryan said, spreading his hands in a gesture of mock innocence. "I'm just the messenger. But there are others, Hope. Others who want very much from you and your sister."

"Who?" I demanded, my voice rising. "Who are these others?"

But Ryan was already backing away, melting into the shadows of the forest. "You'll find out soon enough," his voice drifted back to me. "Just remember, Hope Mikaelson. In this world, there's no such thing as a clean slate. Your past will always catch up to you."

And then he was gone, leaving me alone in the clearing, my mind a whirlwind of fear and confusion.

I don't know how long I stood there, frozen in place, Ryan's words echoing in my head. It wasn't until I felt the first drops of rain on my skin that I snapped out of my trance. Without thinking, my feet carried me to the one place I always went when I needed to clear my head: the enchanted lake's dock.

The lake was eerily still, its surface like black glass reflecting the stormy sky above. I sat at the edge of the dock, my legs dangling over the water, and tried to make sense of everything that had just happened. But the more I thought about it, the more overwhelmed I felt.

Our secret was out. The very thing Emily and I had feared most had come to pass. And worse, it seemed that there were people out there actively looking for us. People who, if Ryan was to be believed, meant us harm.

I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn't hear the approaching footsteps until Emily was sitting down beside me.

"I thought I might find you here," she said softly, her eyes scanning the lake before turning to me. "Hope, what's going on? You look like you've seen a ghost."

I couldn't bring myself to look at her. "Em... we're in trouble. Big trouble."

And so, as the rain began to fall in earnest, I told her everything. About my confrontation with Ryan, about what he had revealed. With each word, I could feel Emily tensing beside me, her breath coming in short, sharp gasps.

When I finished, silence fell between us, broken only by the patter of rain on the lake's surface. Finally, Emily spoke, her voice tight with suppressed emotion.

"I can't believe this," she said. "After everything we've done, all the precautions we've taken... How could this have happened?"

I shook my head, feeling utterly defeated. "I don't know, Em. I just don't know."

Emily was quiet for a moment, then reached into her pocket and pulled out a small, hand-rolled cigarette. "I think we could both use this right now," she said, a wry smile tugging at her lips.

Under normal circumstances, I might have hesitated. But tonight, with the weight of our newfound predicament pressing down on me, I simply nodded. Emily lit the blunt with a snap of her fingers - a small display of her magical abilities - and took a deep drag before passing it to me.

As the calming effects of the herb began to take hold, I felt some of the tension leave my body. Emily and I passed the blunt back and forth in companionable silence, each lost in our own thoughts.

"What are we going to do?" I finally asked, my voice small and uncertain.

Emily sighed, running a hand through her rain-dampened hair. "I don't know, Hope. But whatever it is, we'll face it together. We're Mikaelsons, after all. We don't run from a fight."

I couldn't help but smile at that, despite everything. "No, we certainly don't."

We sat there for a long time, long after the blunt had burned down to nothing. The rain continued to fall, but neither of us made a move to leave. There was a strange comfort in sitting there with Emily, facing the unknown together.