The Red Herring Revives: A Mikaelson Love Story

Chapter 36: No I'm Totally Kidding. But She Did Get Hurt

I don't know how long my eyes were closed for, but when I opened them, the door had been splintered open, there was a wet cloth on my face, and I was in somebody's arms.

"Iliana, Iliana, stay with me." Elijah pleaded.

I looked up and saw him stare down at me with worry, his eyes wet with tears. A feeble smile spread on my lips as I held my hand up to his face.

"You saved me." I murmured. "Thank you."

"I will always come to your aid." He promised.

"I know." I told him. "I believed in you."

~Cami POV~

Cami paced about the church where she continued to try and get a hold of Klaus whilst Kieran lay uncomfortably in his bed.

"Come on, come on, come on. Klaus, where are you?" She said in frustration.

"Mr. Mikaelson is currently indisposed." Cami backed away towards the church when a woman came out of the shadows with a grim smile.

"What happened?" Cami asked angrily. "What did you do?"

"I did nothing." The woman said with a shrug. "Someone completed your task for you."

"If you got what you wanted, then my uncle—"

"Will die soon in great anguish." The witch finished for her. "You see, dear, you failed to hold up your end of our bargain. You chose instead to side with evil as your uncle has done many times before you. But take heart. His punishment will atone for his attempts to prevent the Harvest. His suffering will purify him. You'd do well to heed his lesson, girl. To oppose us is to oppose the natural order. By choice or by force, the witches of the French Quarter will rise again."

~Iliana POV~

I had returned to the compound with Hayley, both of us in silence. I was still weak from the smoke inhalation, but I knew Hayley could tell there was something off with us. I only wish I was brave enough to speak my thoughts.

Suddenly, Elijah burst into the compound completely furious. He saw Marcel talking to a group of vampires and stormed towards him.

"MARCEL! WHERE IS MY BROTHER?" He roared.

"I don't know, I got guys out looking for all three of them right now." Marcel said helplessly which only enraged Elijah more. He began to pick up vampires, two at a time, and threw them against the wall.

"Elijah!" I called out in worry. "You have to calm down."

Elijah watched me for a moment before taking a deep breath to try and calm himself down. He then gestured for Marcel to continue, and I hoped his hothead had cooled a bit.

"Klaus threw one of his classic temper tantrums and snapped my neck." Marcel explained. "He tried to take on an entire coven of witches by himself. He got dropped. I don't know where he is or how to find him."

"Okay." I started, trying to formulate a plan. "We know what happened to Rebekah, she got jumped by the wolves, we know what happened to Klaus, he got jumped by the witches. At the very least, we know where to start."

"Every one of you will help me find them and I will kill all the witches." Elijah said pointing at the frightened vampires.

Elijah stormed away and the vampires quickly began to disperse, leaving just a frustrated and afraid Marcel behind. Elijah had saved me, which meant that he couldn't have gotten to Klaus and Rebekah. I was done being the one who always needed saving. That meant I needed to face my enemies straight on.

"Marcel!" I called out as I stalked up to him. "I want to speak to Fiore. You're gonna help me do it."

"And why would I?"

"Because I'm asking firmly."

"I don't owe you anything, Iliana." Marcel said with a frustrated sigh. "And frankly, right now, you're the least of my problems."

"I don't care." I continued. "I tried to befriend you, but you turned me away at every chance you got. But I'm done trying and I'm done with the damsel in distress act. That means I'm gonna deal with things my way."

"I don't appreciate being used."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"I know who you are, Iliana Gilbert." Marcel said with a glare. "Fiore killed your brother, you're on her hitlist and you wanted to use me to get away with it. Well, I'm sorry, I'm not a puppet to dance in your little game with Klaus and Fiore."

"Marcel..." I began with a sigh. "I'm sorry I made you feel used. That was wrong of me. I was desperate, but it's no excuse. However, that doesn't mean I didn't enjoy being your friend before—well before everything went crazy. But I need your help now and I'm coming to you honestly. Tell me that counts for something."

There was a pause more pregnant than me as Marcel analysed my apology and whether he deemed me worthy of help.

"Okay. I'll let her know you want to talk."

"Thank you." I said with a relieved sigh.

"She acts quickly, so be prepared."

"I've noticed." I pulled him in for a hug and held on tightly in the familiarity of my friend's arms. "Thank you. Really."

"Don't mention it." He told me with a grin as he pulled away. "Word of advice. Fiore is tough but she isn't evil. She would never harm your kid and she's not unreasonable. So think about that when you talk to her."

"Got it."

I smiled and headed for my room, I lay down on my bed and had a mini celebration at my one small step of progress.

"Not a dancer, are you?"

I sat up straight on my bed at the sound of Fiore's voice. She was stood at the door of my bed, arms crossed and a great smirk on her red coloured lips.

"You're here."

"I'm told you want to speak to me."

As Fiore began, her smirk dissolved, and her eyes had started to glow an unnerving purple colour.

"Speak."