After the incident on my date with Kaleb, Davina and I quickly packed up and, with the help of our magic, we left New Orleans without anyone noticing. Davina took us to her families cabin in the Bayou where Mikael spent his days training while Davina and I worked on the spell.
"I wish there was a way to guarantee the bracelet won't fall off again," Davina said looking down at the bracelet that was secured to her wrist.
"There's a spell I could do. It'll guarantee the bracelet won't leave your wrist unless you remove it yourself." I told her.
"You can really do that?" she asked me amazed.
"It's a spell that was passed down from my mother to me years ago," I told her. "I'm surprised your mother didn't teach you."
"My mother was too busy trying to sacrifice me to care," she said bitterly when her phone started to ring. She stepped outside to answer it as I started the spell.
"I know, I should have called you back. I didn't want you to worry. I just... things are complicated." Davina told the other person while she watched Mikael train. "I'm fine. I'll be back soon, I promise. And... thanks for calling. It's good to hear your voice." she hung up before coming back inside.
"Here you go," I said handing her the bracelet.
"Thanks." she said smiling as she put the bracelet back on.
"Davina, may I offer a bit of advice?" I asked her.
"Of course. Anything," she told me.
"It's about Cami. If I were you I'd take her memories of everything supernatural and make her leave." I told her and she looked at me shocked.
"What? No. Why would I do that?" she asked him.
"Normals humans who interact with our world only end up getting killed or turned into vampires. Or both." I told her. She looked down and I could see it in her eyes. She'd lost someone to this life. "Think about it," I told her before getting up and going to the doorway to watch Mikael. I watched him stand with his wooden staff, eyes closed, meditating. The bites from the wolves when he saved me were still fresh enough that I could see them, but they were healing.
"You don't look so good. Those bites-" I said but he interrupted me.
"Werewolf venom is to be purged by force, not acquiesced to." he told me and I nodded my head slowly.
"And what is that? A Viking bumper sticker?" Davina asked from next to me.
"Exactly how much longer are we going to be hiding here? Like cowards?" Mikael asked us.
"If you remember right, Elijah and Marcel saw you. If they know you're here, then Klaus does, too." I reminded him. So, I'm sorry, but until I unlink him from my friends, you're stuck here with me.
"So, I'm sorry, but until I unlink him from my friends, you're stuck here with us," Davina told him.
"Confrontation is inevitable, child. Your fear will prove to be our greatest disadvantage." Mikael told her.
"I'm not afraid," Davina told him stubbornly.
"Well, you should be. You are weak." Mikael told her.
"But I'm still in charge." Davina reminded him holding up her wrist and showing him the bracelet. "By the way, Danielle spelled it while you were...purging. It won't come off again."
"Ah, yes. Your magic. How well did that serve your friend when the wolves attacked? Hmm? Magic can only ever fight half your battles. Remember that." Mikael told us before turning and going back to his training.
"Teach me," I told him, drawing both Davina and Mikael's attention.
"Teach you what?" he asked me.
"How to overcome my weakness," I told him and he smirked.
After I'd changed into something more appropriate for fighting in, I joined Mikael to see him carving a symbol into another wooden staff he had made from a tree branch.
"What's that?" I asked him looking at the symbol.
"The crest of our clan." He told me before blowing on it to get rid of the excess shavings. "A reminder that we always carry the honor of our ancestors before we go to battle." He flung the knife into the wooden swing he was sitting on before standing and throwing the staff at me. I jumped and barely caught I it before it hit the ground.
"Hey!" Davina shouted at him as she watched. "She wasn't ready!"
"First lesson- always be on your guard," Mikael told me as I took note of the weight of the staff.
"It's heavier than I thought it would be," I noted.
"I was half your age the first time my father gave me the staff. I would have torn every muscle rather than let him see me strain. And, had I-" he attacked me, and I barely blocked his blow to my head. "He would have corrected me."
"Your dad sounds like an ass." I panted.
"Mothers love their children. Fathers make them strong." Mikael said as he continued to attack me and I struggled but managed to continue blocking his attacks.
"My mother had my life all planned out before I was even born and my father raised my like I was a soldier," I told him as I started fighting back.
"You're anticipating. Do not let me see your move before you make it." Mikael instructed. He continued striking my staff before finally knocking to the ground causing me to twist my ankle as I fell. "Get up."
"Give me a minute," I told him.
"The ability to end your pain is a warrior's true weapon. Master that, and nothing holds power over you. Now, on your feet." I tried standing before falling back down. "I said, On. Your. Feet." I grabbed the staff and used it to help pull myself up and leaned against it. "Good. Perhaps you've actually learned something today."
"Keep going," I told him. "I'm not done."
An hour later I was sitting in a chair inside the cabin gingerly removing the sock and shoe I'd put on earlier. My ankle was swollen and bruising.
"I told you, you should have stopped," Davina told me and I gave her a look. I hissed in pain when she gently touched the top of my foot. "We don't have anything that could help."
"Give me my phone. I know who we can call." I told her and she smiled before handing me my phone.
"Going to call your new boyfriend." she teased as I dialed his number.
"He's not my boyfriend," I told her. "But he is a witch that can help me heal my ankle."
"Well, well. If it isn't the beautiful Danielle." Kaleb said when he answered his phone making me smile.
Beautiful, huh?" I asked him.
"Gorgeous more like." he told me.
"I know I haven't called since our dinner," I said.
"Don't be silly, love. Are you alright? Where are ya?" he asked me.
"I'll text you the address. And maybe a list of some things you can bring me?" I asked, hopeful for his help.
"Alright, I'll be right there."
A few hours later, Kaleb was at the cabin looking at my injured ankle with the herbs I'd asked for.
"Yeah, I've heard about this! I've never actually seen it firsthand. It appears someone has knocked you head over heels, quite literally!" he said making me laugh lightly. "And I thought I'd have that honor!"
"Well, you know what they say. Third times the charm, right?" I asked him with a smile. He smiled at me before using his fingers to scoop up an herbal poultice that he made in a bowl and spread it over my injured foot.
"Ugh, it smells like-" Davina said making a face.
"-The wrong end of something quite dead? Yeah. It's just a little something I picked up from a shaman bloke in Uganda." he told us.
"I had a friend who traveled to Uganda a long time ago," I said.
"It's a nice place. Maybe after all this, we can go sometime," he said as he finished treating my ankle. "There you go!" I smiled at them.
"You, sir, are a miracle worker," I said before standing up. I fell back down and Kaleb caught me before I could hit the floor. I stared into his blue eyes. He sat me down on the bench next to him.
"It's magic, alright? It's not a miracle." Kaleb set my ankle on the chair so it could rest before looking around at the vials, herbs, and parchments with our magical writing on the table. "That's quite the spell you've got going here!" he noted and Davina chuckled nervously. "I mean, not to pry, but I figured you had your secrets after our last date ended in a werewolf bar brawl."
"Yeah, I never did apologize about that, did I?" I asked him.
"Aw, it's alright. I've never really liked dull girls, anyway. That said, what exactly is going on here?" he asked me. I shared a look with Davina, who shook her head. "You're still not the trusting sort."
"Kaleb, do you trust me?" I asked him.
"Are you slicked?" he asked jokingly. "Those sad eyes might fool some people, but not me. I know what you're after." I glanced at Davina in confusion and fear. "You've got a lecherous heart, Danielle! I won't be used, not for my body, nor my medicinal herbs! We can hold hands, that's it!" I smiled at his words and Davina laughed. "Whatever it is you're hiding, well, you can tell me when you're good and ready." The way he'd spoke made me think he knew something about me he shouldn't, but the thought was brushed from my mind as he moved my hair behind my ear. Neither of us noticed when Davina slipped from the room as we stared into each other's eyes.
"There's something about you that reminds me of someone," I said quietly, feeling Davina in the bedroom we'd been sharing since we'd gotten here with Mikael.
"I hope it's not my devilish herbs cause if that it I'll just walk out the door." he teased with a smile on his face causing me to laugh.
"No, it's not the herbs. He wasn't a witch." I told him, smiling. I couldn't help but remember how Kol would just talk forever about everything he'd learned over the years. "He was my best friend and the best man I could ever imagine being with."
"What happened?" he asked me quietly. I looked up at him and the pain of my death flashed through me.
"I was ready to spend the rest of my life with him, no matter how short it might have been," I said giving him a sad smile. "One of his older brothers didn't approve." My head started to feel a bit fuzzy and ran my hand through my hair. "What herbs did you give me?" I asked.
"Don't worry, Danielle Claire." I heard Kaleb say and I glared at him before passing out.
When I came to Davina was sitting next to the bed checking her phone.
"We have a problem." she showed me her phone.
HE KNOWS WHERE YOU ARE!
"Damn it!" I leapt from the bed and limped to the living room while Davina went to the room we'd gathered all our magic supplies and found what we needed. Kaleb was staring out the window and I joined him to see Klaus closing the door to the car he driven up in. I grabbed Kaleb's arm and pulled him from the window. "Trust me when I say the window won't be a safe place to be tonight."
"Who's that?" he asked me as I sat down on the ground and Davina joined me with the required herbs and a bowl.
"That is a hybrid pain in the ass." I quickly separated the herbs into my desired amounts and placed them in the bowl. "Incendia." Davina and I sat across from each other and closed our eyes.
"Keschede sede ni canun. Keschede senu ni. Excede canun infernum da ba nunc canun. Senon canu ni." I could hear Klaus moving around outside as we gave the appearance that no living person was in the cabin. This, of course, included Mikael from wherever he was
"Look out!" I felt Kaleb knock me over, breaking the spell seconds before I saw the window break due to the staff I'd used earlier crashing between Davina and I. I took a deep breath before looking to Davina to see her knocked unconscious.
"Enough games, Davina! Send out my father! Let's finish this." Klaus ordered. As much as I truly wanted to use Mikael to kill Klaus, I couldn't hurt Davina by helping Mikael kill her friends. I was about to assess Davina's injuries when I heard Kaleb struggling behind me. Knowing it wasn't Klaus, I turned to see Mikael holding the boy in a choke-hold.
"Release me! Or I will kill the boy right now!" he ordered. I looked to see the desperation in Kaleb's eyes as he attempted to fight against Mikael and clenched my jaw. I turned back to Davina, cupping the bracelet in my hands, and sent a silent plea for her to forgive me.
"DAVINA! Is this not why you brought him for? I'm not afraid!"
"Dinti tu e sedo per un dayen un trahen ble doce mozore. Un frantue e sedo per un dayen un trahen ble do sedo per." The bracelet began to glow between my hands and I looked to watch as the curse lifted from Mikael. Mikael released Kaleb before going for the door. "Are you okay?" I asked the boy while looking him over for any sign of injury.
"Don't worry about me, love. How's your friend." I turned back to Davina and placed my hands on her head before closing my eyes. I took a deep breath and released my magic to enter her and find any and all injuries. she hit her head, hard, bur aside from that I could sense no other injuries making me smile. I eased her pain before pulling my magic back inside myself. I released her head from my hold and collapsed into Kaleb, who'd moved next to me.
"She'll be okay." I said before looking outside. I'd looked just in time to see Klaus plunge Papa Tunde's blade into Mikael. My secret was about to be out.
