Their Raven

Chapter 14

Elana sat alone in the Salvatore parlour room, her fingers gripping the edges of the blanket draped over her shoulders. The fire crackled faintly, but its warmth didn't reach her. Her thoughts were too cold, too sharp, cutting through any semblance of comfort the room might have offered.

It was her fault. She's said it a dozen times in her mind already. Damon is dying because of me.

But the more she turned it over, the more a question began to surface: How did this happen?

She stared at the empty glass in her hands, a phantom image of the powdered substance flashing in her mind. It had seemed harmless when it was handed to her. A safeguard they'd said. To protect him.

But was it?

Elena leaned forward, elbows on her knees, and pressed her palms on her forehead, trying to piece together every detail of that encounter. It had been quick, too quick, and the words exchanged felt foggy now. Her desperation at the time had clouded her judgment, and now she couldn't even remember their face clearly.

She closed her eyes, focusing.

It had been a week ago, just outside the Mystic Falls cemetery. She'd been visiting her parents' graves, something she hadn't done in months. The weight of everything–her role in the supernatural chaos, her strained relationships with everyone around her had driven her to seek some sense of grounding.

And then they had appeared.

Flashback

Elena knelt by her parents' headstones, brushing away a stray leaf that had fallen against her mother's name. She didn't hear the footsteps at first, but the feeling of being watched prickled at the back of her neck.

"Beautiful day, isn't it?"

Elena whipped around, startled. Standing a few feet away was a figure cloaked in shadows from a nearby tree. Their voice was soft, genderless, and the faintest smile tugged at their lips.

"Who are you?" Elena asked, her voice sharp.

"A friend," they replied, stepping closer. Their features were nondescript—dark eyes, a neutral expression—but their presence felt unsettling.

"I don't need any friends," Elena said, standing and brushing dirt off her jeans.

"Don't you?" They tilted their head, studying her. "You've been struggling, haven't you? To keep everyone safe. To make the right decisions. I can see it—it's written all over your face."

Elena hesitated, her instinct to walk away warring with her curiosity. "What do you want?"

"I don't want anything," they said. "But I can offer you something. A way to ensure your loved ones stay safe. No more threats, no more risks."

Elena crossed her arms, skeptical. "And why would you do that?"

They smiled faintly. "Because I know what it feels like to lose everything. I wouldn't wish that on anyone—not even someone like you."

The words stung, but before Elena could respond, they reached into their coat pocket and pulled out a small vial filled with fine, reddish gold powder.

"What is that?" she asked.

"Insurance," they said simply. "Blow this in the face of someone you want to protect, or if you feel danger might come to that person. It's an ancient blend—harmless to most, but it wards off threats. Particularly... ancient supernatural ones."

Elena frowned, her distrust growing. "Why should I trust you?"

"You don't have to," they replied. "But I think you will. You've already lost too much, Elena. This is a way to stop the bleeding."

Elena stared at the vial, her heart pounding. She didn't trust them—not fully—but what if they were right? What if this was the answer she'd been searching for?

She reached out and took the vial, her fingers brushing theirs briefly. They smiled again, something in their expression unreadable.

"Good luck," they said before turning and disappearing into the shadows.

Present Day

Elena's breath hitched as she replayed the memory. She hadn't thought much of it at the time, too caught up in her desperation to see the cracks in the story they'd fed her.

But now, sitting here with Damon fighting for his life, it was clear: this wasn't insurance. This was a weapon.

The powder hadn't just harmed Damon—it had been designed to. The question was, why?

And who?

Elena stood abruptly, the blanket slipping off her shoulders. She paced the room, her mind racing. Whoever that person was, they'd known about Damon. And they'd known exactly what the powder would do.

Her stomach churned as another thought hit her: This wasn't random. They were targeting him.

But why Damon?

The door to the boarding house creaked open, startling her. She turned to see Bonnie stepping inside, her face tight with exhaustion.

"You've been ignoring my calls," Bonnie said, her tone clipped.

Elena swallowed hard. "I—I've been trying to figure things out."

Bonnie raised an eyebrow. "And?"

Elena hesitated. "I think... I think this was planned. Someone gave me that powder. They knew what it would do to Damon."

Bonnie's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean, someone gave it to you? Who?"

"I don't know," Elena admitted, frustration lacing her voice. "I didn't even think about it until now. But they called it insurance—said it would protect us from threats. I thought—" She stopped, her voice breaking. "I thought I was helping."

Bonnie's expression darkened. "Do you have any idea how reckless that was? You trusted a stranger with magic?"

"I didn't know what else to do!" Elena shouted, tears streaming down her face. "I was trying to protect everyone. I didn't know it would—"

Bonnie cut her off, her voice icy. "Save it, Elena! Because of you, Damon is dying! Stefan is already mourning for a brother he hasn't lost! The Mikaelson brothers, who I thought would be the last ones to help, are doing everything they can to help him, even willing to work with me. After days of sleepless nights I've been through, you've now just decided to drop this bombshell on me? You could have told me sooner! You need to figure out who gave you that powder and what their actual intentions are. Because if we don't, well, you can imagine the consequences."

Elena nodded, wiping her face. "I'll figure it out. I promise."

"Don't make promises you can't keep," Bonnie replied, turning to leave. "And if you don't, I will!
As the door slammed shut behind Bonnie, Elena sank back onto the couch, her heart pounding. The fire crackled softly in the silence, but her mind was already racing.

Whoever that person was, they'd used her—and Damon was paying the price.

But not for long.

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Bit late I know, I've come down with a fever so I'm bed ridden right now but I wanted to at least publish this chapter. I hope you enjoy