For Good | Hale- TO/TW [8]

18 | Bind Her

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Hope stands across the wooden altar from Stella. The Hale girl sets up a bowl and some herbs. She takes out the moonstone and places it in the bowl.

Stella is hesitant to give Hope the knife, but she does. The open grimoire beside her shows the spell to the world. Not that anyone is around to notice.

Hope slices the knife down her palm and holds her hand over the bowl. Her blood drips onto the white moonstone, staining it. She takes a breath, letting it hiss out between her teeth. "There's got to be an easier way to do this," she says.

Stella shakes her head. "Your blood is the key. I just need enough to soak the moonstone."

Hope nods and squeezes her fist, letting more blood drip from her palm. She watches as Stella goes over the spell one more time, horror flickering in her eyes again.

Stella gulps before she begins to chant. "Anima marcum. Iskoristi vuka. Anima marcum—"

"Wait," Hope says. "That word: marcum. What does it mean?"

Stella looks away.

"To mark?"

Stella turns to the page and reads, her voice rough and low. "'The drenched stone is heated and used to brand the afflicted.'"

"Brand me?" Hope asks, taking back her hand. "Where?"

"The palms of both hands, the soles of both feet." Stella leans forward to touch Hope's forehead. "And the site of the third-eye chakra." Hope's eyes flicker in panic. "And you can't pass out or ever stop breathing, ok?"

"And if I do?" Hope asks.

"Don't," Stella says, her expression hard. "If you want to stop at any point—"

"No," Hope responds. "Do it."

"Hope—"

Hope shakes her head. "Do it, Stella."

The Hale girl hangs her head before she picks up the moonstone with metal tongs. She holds it, warming the metal with her magic. The stone begins to smoke. "Anima marcum. Iskoristi vuka. Anima marcum. Iskoristi vuka. Anima marcum. Iskoristi vuka. Anima marcum. Iskoristi vuka. Anima marcum. Iskoristi vuka."

Suddenly, a blast of wind throws Stella back. She gasps as she lands on the ground harshly. Her arm is twisted at an awkward angle, causing her to hold back whimpers of pain. The moonstone falls beside her.

As she reaches for it with her other hand, someone snatches it up before her. She glares at her uncle Klaus as he turns to Hope. "I will not let my past become your future. Do you understand?" Klaus demands.

Hope doesn't answer.

"Do you understand?!"

"Who told you?" Stella asks, struggling to get to her feet. "Marcel?"

Klaus snarls, "He didn't have to. A thousand years of family has taught me to expect betrayal from those I hold most dear."

Suddenly, Klaus is thrown to the ground by the wind. He clutches his head as pain radiates over his body.

A voice cuts through the pain "What have you done, Niklaus?"

Klaus looks up to see Lexi standing between him and the girls. Hope had moved to Stella, both hiding behind the Original Alpha.

Klaus shakes his head, standing. He takes a step forward, prompting Lexi to step towards him. Her hand sticks out behind her. The girls do not move.