WAR OF HEARTS ↠ KOL MIKAELSON [1]

2:06

| THE STAND:
CHAPTER SIX |

Rhea's footsteps echoed through the darkened halls of the Mikaelson compound as she made her way to the upstairs study. She had meant to join Tristan at the Strix compound later, but her curiosity had gotten the better of her. She couldn't resist the chance to see the Mikaelsons in their natural habitat, especially with everything going on. The atmosphere in the study was tense, as usual—because, really, when weren't the Mikaelsons involved in some deep, emotionally charged conversation?

The hybrid's voice broke through the air as Rhea stepped inside, her entrance barely noticed at first. "Well, I want to meet this psychic witch," Hayley said, her tone sharp as she turned to Elijah. "Tonight."

Rhea let out a soft laugh, her smirk spreading across her lips like a shadow. "Well, as touching as all this is," she interjected smoothly, her voice cutting through the conversation like a knife, "tonight's events may not happen."

The room stilled. Klaus, who had been more than a little irritated by Freya's impromptu yoga session in his study earlier, shot a glare at Rhea but masked it with an exaggerated sigh. "Yes, Rhea. Please do come in," he said dryly, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Rhea's eyes flashed briefly toward Klaus before she turned her gaze to Freya, whose eyes had lit up in recognition. The two women had met long ago at the Christmas party she'd invited the Mikaelson witch to, and despite the years that had passed, there was a momentary warmth between them. "Hello again," Rhea said coolly, though her smile was faint and fleeting.

Elijah, ever perceptive, caught the edge of hostility in Rhea's words and the subtle shift in her body language. His mind began to race, trying to decipher what she was implying. The tension in the room grew thicker with every passing second.

"What do you mean, the events might not go ahead?" Hayley asked, her voice tinged with frustration. She had been trying to move past the resentment she felt toward Rhea after their standoff during the Davina debacle, but they had bonded over their shared hatred for the New Orleans witches. They were unlikely allies at best.

Rhea's eyes turned cold, her expression becoming entirely unreadable. "How do you think The Strix would cope if their leader is dead?" she asked bluntly, as if she were speaking about something trivial. Her words hung heavy in the air, and for a long moment, the four Mikaelsons exchanged uneasy glances, expecting a punchline to follow. But none came. The gravity of her statement sank in, and they realized she was deadly serious.

Elijah's brows furrowed in disbelief. "You're not going to kill Tristan," he stated, his tone flat, though a flicker of concern was evident in his gaze.

Rhea's gaze never wavered, and she turned her attention elsewhere, as if she wasn't even fully present in the room. Her expression remained emotionless, but there was something unsettlingly detached in her demeanor. Her eyes seemed glazed over, distant. Freya subtly focused on her, trying to determine if anyone was influencing her thoughts or actions, but there was nothing—Rhea was operating entirely on her own.