WAR OF HEARTS ↠ KOL MIKAELSON [1]

1:13

[THE RISE: CHAPTER THIRTEEN]

Rhea looked up from where she was kneeling on the floor, struggling to catch her breath. She thought for sure the lack of oxygen was making her hallucinate. But as her eyes flicked across the faces of those around her, it became clear—this was no illusion.

"Ares?" Her voice came out as a hoarse whisper, disbelief lacing her words.

Ares grinned, that familiar, cocky smirk she had missed for so long. "Are you going to stand there gawking or come give your big brother a hug?"

Without hesitation, Rhea shot up from the floor and threw herself into his arms. The tears she'd held back for so long finally spilled over, and the pain of losing her brother began to fade as they embraced. The bond between them, unbreakable even in death, slowly mended the wounds in their hearts.

Ares pulled back slightly, his gaze hardening as he turned his attention to Klaus. "Touch my sister again, and I won't hesitate to kill you."

Klaus raised an eyebrow, unimpressed by the threat but said nothing. Marcel, ever the practical one, cut in. "I hate to interrupt this touching family reunion, but we've got a bigger problem on our hands."

"You mean Esther's plans to jump into Rebekah's body?" Ares asked nonchalantly, making everyone whip their heads toward him.

"How do you know about that?" Davina asked, her eyes narrowing in suspicion.

Ares shrugged. "I was dead, not deaf. I overheard Esther talking about it before I made my exit. The woman never stops scheming. Oh, and she also wanted me to pass on a message—she wants Finn back."

"Of course she does," Kol muttered, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "It's only a matter of time before mother gets bored and tries something even more catastrophic."

Rhea, still holding Ares's hand tightly, gave her brother a sidelong glance. "That's Kol, by the way. It's... a long story."

Ares smirked. "Figured as much. That might be a new face, but those snide remarks are pure Kol Mikaelson."

Kol rolled his eyes, but couldn't help the small grin tugging at the corner of his mouth. It was hard not to appreciate the return of someone he had once called a friend. Despite everything, Ares had been one of the few people Kol could stand in the tangled mess of New Orleans.

Klaus, however, wasn't in the mood for sentimentality. "A mother cares for her children. A monster does not. Once you accept that Esther is the latter, you'll stop expecting the former." He glanced briefly at Kol. "And for the record, I did mourn you when you died, Kol. I even attempted to avenge you. Because, in the end, we're brothers—always and forever."

Rhea stifled a scoff at Klaus's theatrics, rolling her eyes as she caught Kol's overwhelmed expression. It was clear her boyfriend was taken off guard by Klaus's rare display of emotion, and he simply nodded, unable to say more.

The tender moment was shattered when Klaus's phone rang. He looked at the screen before excusing himself, leaving the room with a brief nod to the others.

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After Klaus locked Finn away and left with Hayley, the rest of the group dispersed. Rhea, Ares, Davina, and Kol remained behind, the tension easing as the chaos settled for now.

Rhea turned to Davina, her eyes filled with guilt. "Davina—"

But the younger witch raised a hand, stopping her. "Rhea, it's fine. I understand. I saw how much your brother's death broke you. I get why you did it, even if it was risky."

A relieved smile crossed Rhea's face. "Thank you." She then gestured toward Ares. "Davina Claire, meet my brother, Ares Monroe."

Ares gave Davina one of his trademark grins. "If I'd known coming back from the dead meant meeting someone as stunning as you, I'd have done it sooner."

Davina rolled her eyes, though a slight blush crept up her cheeks. "So, not for your sister, then?"

"Of course for my sister, but meeting you is a nice bonus." He winked.

"You're such an ass," Rhea muttered, unable to hide her grin.

Ares smirked down at her. "Ah, but I'm an alive ass, aren't I?"

Kol stood back, watching the scene unfold with genuine warmth in his eyes. Seeing Rhea reunited with her brother, after all the pain she'd endured, filled him with a sense of joy he hadn't felt in a long time.

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NEW ORLEANS: DECEMBER 1914

Outside a grand, aging estate, a group of carolers sang 'Carol of the Bells' around a crackling bonfire. The wintry air carried the scent of burning wood and pine as Rhea, Kol, and Mary-Alice Claire made their way through the iron gates.

Mary-Alice paused by the fence, setting a porcelain doll's head atop a post, muttering a spell under her breath. Rhea sighed heavily, crossing her arms. "I still don't like her," she muttered.

Kol chuckled, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and pulling her close. "Relax, love. She's powerful, and we need her. You remember why we're here, don't you?"

Rhea rolled her eyes but nodded, her gaze still wary as Mary-Alice rejoined them. As they approached the porch, Astrid opened the door to let them inside.

Kol removed his gloves and turned to the two women. "Alright, ladies. You know what to do. Find what we came for."

Astrid handed Kol a lamp, her smile lingering a bit too long for Rhea's liking. She clenched her jaw but said nothing, though Kol could sense her frustration.

He smirked, cutting her off before she could speak. "Let me guess—you don't like her either?"

Rhea gave him a sly grin. "Now you're catching on."

They searched the house quickly, Kol rifling through jewelry boxes while Rhea inspected a cabinet of porcelain dolls. When they found nothing, their eyes landed on a bottle sitting behind the bar, a large diamond stopper catching the light.

Kol picked up the bottle, his smile widening. "You sly old bat."

Just as they were about to leave, Astrid and Mary-Alice appeared, much to Rhea's displeasure. Kol held up the bottle, addressing them. "Clean up and meet us at the cemetery. Rhea and I have a date with a dagger."

Rhea shot the witches a triumphant smirk as she and Kol headed for the door. But as they stepped outside, they were ambushed by Klaus and Marcel, each linking arms with their respective siblings.

Klaus smirked at Kol. "You're looking quite dapper this evening, Kol."

Marcel chimed in, glancing at Rhea. "Gloves without a tailcoat? Unusual, wouldn't you say?"

Rhea rolled her eyes, knowing where this was going. "Get to the point, Klaus."

Klaus's smile widened. "After some digging, we've uncovered a pattern of thefts—culminating here, at the Dowager Folean's mansion. Her most famous possession? The paragon diamond."

Kol and Rhea exchanged glances before Kol reluctantly pulled the diamond from his pocket and handed it to Klaus. With a nod, Klaus signaled the nearby witch to finish her spell.

As the woman turned the doll's head toward the house, sealing the witches inside forever, Klaus glanced back at his brother. "Merry Christmas, brother."

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