Their Raven

Chapter 16

In the grand hall of the Mikaelson Mansion, tension hung thick as Bonnie stood before Klaus and Elijah, arms crossed defensively, her jaw set with determination. The weight of Elena's confession bore heavily on her shoulders, echoing in her mind as she spoke her voice firm but tinged with worry.

"Elena told me she got the powder from a stranger" Bonnie began, her gaze flickering between the two Originals. "She claimed it was insurance... to protect us from threats. To protect Damon."

Klaus's laughter was cold, hollow. It echoed off the walls as he began to pace, his movements sharp, feral—like a predator caged to long "Protect Damon?" He sneered, his eyes flashing dangerously. "He's dying upstairs. Dying because of her stupidity. And you expect me to let her live after what she's done?" His hands clenched at his sides, the urge to tear something—someone—apart barely restrained.

Bonnie met his gaze unwavering. "We don't know the full story yet, Klaus. Killing Elena won't solve anything. It won't save Damon."

"She's right" Elijah's calm voice cut through the tension. He sat by the fireplace, the crackling flames casting Pickering shadows over his face. Despite his composed demeanour, his eyes betrayed his concern. "Revenge won't help Damon. We need to focus on undoing the damage. Kol should be back soon. Hopefully, he's found something useful." He looked at Bonnie, his tone softening. "Miss Bennett, I understand your urgency, but don't overexert yourself. Damon wouldn't want that."

Bonnie let out a weary sigh, her shoulders slumping s she sank into an armchair. Her fingers absentmindedly fiddled with the corner of a nearby grimoire. "I've looked through every grimoire and scroll I could find. I can't find anything. All I know is that it's killing him, and the magic in that spell is old—way older than anything I've seen before." She paused, frustration tightening her voice. "It doesn't make sense. Damon's a vampire. A spell like this shouldn't work on him."

Klaus stopped pacing his body going rigid. His eyes narrowed, his mind racing. "Which means there's more at play," he growled, his voice low and dangerous. "Something—or someone—is ensuring it does."

Elijah's gaze sharpened, is mind already piecing together the puzzle. "Do you have a theory?"

Bonnie hesitated her fingers tightening around the grimoire. "I think whoever's behind this isn't just targeting Damon. They're targeting his... abilities. Something about him makes him a threat, and they want to eliminate him before he can fight back."

Klaus scoffed, though a flicker of curiosity flashed across his face. "Abilities? Damon's a vampire with a knack for trouble, not some magical prodigy"

'Then why go to such lengths to take him out?" Bonnie challenged, her eyes blazing. "Whoever's doing this is playing a long game, and if we don't figure it out, Damon might not survive." Her voice cracked at the end, the weight of her fear evident.

Klaus's expression darkened, his jaw tightening. "If someone thinks they can take what is mine..." His eyes with his promise of violence. "They'll learn what it means to cross a Mikaelson."

The door swung open, and Kol strolled in, his usual cocky smirk replaced by a somber frown. An ancient tome was clenched under his arm, its leather cover worn and frayed. His eyes flicked between Klaus, Elijah and Bonnie, a heavy silence falling over the room. "Well, this just keeps getting more interesting," he drawled, through his tone lacked its usual playfulness. He held up the tome, his eyes lingering on Klaus. "I found something. And trust me, you're going to want to hear this."

Klaus crossed the room in an instant, his curiosity overriding his impatience. "What did you find?"

Kol's face was serious, his eyes cold. "Two spells. Both ancient, both deadly. One's meant to drain the life force from its victims slowly, painfully. And the other..." His voice trailed off, his fingers brushing over the crumbling pages. "The other is almost identical, but there's one crucial difference—this one is linked to a bloodline. A family cursed long ago. A family called Le Rouge."

The room fell into a stunned silence, the name hanging heavy in the air.

Bonnie's heart raced, her voice trembling as she spoke, "Le Rouge... I've heard that name before, my grams said it once."

Elijah's eyes darkened, his jaw tightening. "Of course you have. The Le Rouge family were ancient warriors... warlocks whose power was said to rival even the gods. But they were wiped out... or so we thought." His gaze shifted to the ceiling, as if he could see Damon lying helpless above them. "It can't be... Damon is.."

Klaus's face was unreadable, his eyes fixed on Kol. "What else did you find? Or was that it"

Kol hesitated, his voice dropping. "The second spell... the one that's used on Damon... its designed to kill the last of the Le Rouge bloodline. To erase them from existence."

Bonnie's blood ran cold, her voice barely a whisper. "But... Damon can't be... how is that possible?"

Elijah's face hardened, his mind already spinning with possibilities. "If Damon truly is the last of the Le Rouge...then we're dealing with more than just an ancient curse. We're dealing with someone who wants that bloodline dead... and they're willing to do anything to see it through"

Klaus's fists clenched, his voice a low growl. "Then we find them. And we kill them."

In a darkened room far from the Mikaelson Mansion, a witch stood over a map, her fingers dancing over the symbols drawn in blood. Her eyes gleamed with malicious delight as she whispered to the shadows, "They've figured out the name.. but it's already too late. The Le Rouge line ends with him."

She looked at the flickering candle eliminating a black and white photo of Damon in the early 1900's, her grin widens. "Soon, Damon Le Rouge... you will be nothing more than a memory."

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