A/N: I have to respond to a guest review quickly. To the guest who asked how many chapters I'm planning - Currently I've only got a set plan up to chapter 16 and then I've got a few odd chapters floating around that I've not quite worked out where to put yet. Most likely it'll end up being the same length as the previous two although I quite like the idea of doing something longer just cause I'm enjoying the Tristan/Elena conspiracies and I don't want to stop.
I spent the next days in a state of confliction. Aya and Tristan didn't mention the offer and I didn't bring it up. I focused on trying to think of an actual plan, while taking advantage of the time to enjoy myself. It was rare to have free time that I could actually take advantage of. I mean, yes I was stuck inside whatever house Lucien placed me in so I essentially had nothing but free time but it wasn't time I could use, knowing that he could return at any time. I knew eventually he'd be back but Tristan had given me a reprieve and I intended to use it. Aya continued with her combat training and although I still hadn't had that many lessons, I felt that I'd at least be able to make a decent attempt at fighting off Lucien. Once. The element of surprise would help. Past that, I doubted I'd have much chance at all.
One morning, I came into the training room to see an unusually stressed looking Tristan.
"Hey… you okay? Did Aurora go nuts?"
"No…" He gave me a look that showed my sense of humour was not appreciated. "Lucien is making a fuss. There's only so long my witches can stall him."
"Right… so he's coming back…?"
"Not yet. The witches have told him that they are unable to locate what he needs because of the uniqueness of the situation. They suggested that having a physical link to you would help… so you're going to need to go see the witches today." I stiffened slightly. If the witches were genuinely trying to find a way to solve Lucien's problem, they'd be able to see my secret.
"Oh…"
"Something wrong? I doubt they'll find anything."
"I just… I don't like witches very much. Particularly ones who are helping my captor to find a way to turn me into a baby machine."
He touched my arm.
"It will be okay Elena, I promise. Now, Aya is waiting outside to take you to the witches. I can take care of the twins if you wish?"
"Please… they like you." It was true. Lilah especially had taken a strong liking for Tristan. I wondered if Tristan was right that she could sense their shared blood.
"I'll take good care of them, I promise." He kissed my cheek and gestured to the door. I sighed and headed out the front to the car. Aya smiled and opened the door for me. I got in and rested my head on the window, looking out. Aya got in the front and started to drive. I watched the scenery pass by and for a split second I thought I saw a flash of fur in the bushes. Ansel. I smiled to myself.
"Is that your wolf?" Aya asked. I jumped. I didn't realise she knew about him.
"He… he's a friend of mine, yes."
"You have all these men fighting for you, packs of wolves following you and… you still consider yourself weak?"
I stayed silent, unsure how to reply. We drove to a small secluded church and Aya led the way inside. As we stepped through the door, I let out a small gasp. Every single wall was covered in bones. They adorned the ceiling and some had been fashioned in chandeliers.
"Wow… what is this place?"
"Have you ever heard of the Sedlec Ossuary?" Aya asked.
"No…?"
"It's a church in Kutná Hora. Allegedly, the abbot of a monastery in the area was sent to the holy land and he returned with earth which he sprinkled on the cemetery. This encouraged people to want to be buried there to the point that… things got crowded. So they built a place very much like this one. This one is just less of a tourist attraction"
"So this is holy land? How come you can stand on it?"
"I'm not religious." She smiled slightly. "But because of the number of souls this place holds, it is of great power for our witches."
"It's… cheery." I perched on one of the pews. "These witches work for the Strix? How does that work?"
"They were orphans, outcasts. We give them a home and a place to practice, to grow. They're… consultants."
"Uh huh… is Lucien here?"
"No. The sisters said he was too distracting. If you'd follow me," she gestured to a door. I got up and reluctantly followed her inside. She led me down a set of stone steps to the church crypt. It was surprisingly spacious. There were candles set around the room, illuminating it in an eerie glow, and several figures wearing hooded black cloaks. At one end of the room was a tomb and on top an altar of sorts had been erected, a cluster of candles surrounding an assortment of objects such as a scrap of white fabric with a faded red stain on it.
"Ladies," said Aya. "This is Elena."
The figures turned as one, silent except for the faint rustling of their cloaks.
"Umm… hi."
"This is the girl?" asked one of the figures.
"Yes. I'll leave you to it." Aya left the room. The figures moved until they had formed a loose circle around me.
"Please, have a seat." I sat down on the dirt floor. "Ariane."
A witch stepped forward and sat down opposite me. Her hood slipped back a little revealing a young woman with pale blonde hair. She gave me a wary smile.
"Lucien mentioned that you might have knowledge of the spell that enabled you to fall pregnant," she said.
"Well… I had it performed on me… but it's kind of a blurry mess. I couldn't tell you any details I'm afraid."
"It's not necessary for you to remember," she said. "I am a seer. I can see into your memories and find what we need."
"Umm… is that really needed? Isn't there another way to do it?"
"This way is the easiest. It may not work, while I can absorb the memories that exist if someone has removed it from your mind I won't be able to. If that is the case, we'll try something else." She held out a hand. "Usually these spells are far more effective however I require an element of nature to draw on and water is my preferred conduit. This may hurt a little but I will try to make it as brief as possible."
I couldn't do this. She'd see the rings. She'd find out my secret. I was screwed!
She looked at me expectantly. I sighed.
"What do I need to do?"
"Lay down, dig your fingers into the dirt."
I did as I was told. Ariane placed her fingers on my temples. Around us, the other witches each took a candle and joined hands. I closed my eyes and tried to concentrate on anything but the rings. I didn't know if it would work but I had to hope.
The witches began to murmur, their voices perfectly in unison. My eyes rolled back in my head and a splitting pain tore through my brain. It felt like my skull was being cracked open and my mind unspooled. Images danced before my eyes, some faint, some blindingly bright. I let out a small cry.
"Shh Elena…" The words weren't really spoken, but it was like they were coming from everywhere around me. "I am looking into your past, your future. It will be painful, the truth always is. But it will pass, I promise."
The images blurred into one before becoming a single wall of white light. I whimpered as the pain grew, the blinding light building in front of my eyes.
Hands. Sweat. Two bodies locked in one. A tender voice, familiar and comforting.
"Ahh…. Please… please stop it!"
The taste of blood on my lips, rich and all consuming. Wild desire building inside of me, an animalistic hunger for more.
"No…"
Pain. Unlike anything I'd ever felt before. Hot tears on my cheeks. Rough fingers on my fragile skin.
"Not that… not that…"
The tears were real now, flowing on my cheeks as I battled the images. I didn't want to see this.
Screaming. Lilah crying, calling for me. Her hands reaching out for me. I reached for her and was pulled back, iron arms crushing me to Lucien's chest.
The images stopped.
"Ariane!" snapped one of the witches.
"She's not strong enough, she needs a moment."
"We only have her for today. We need to find the answers. Keep going!"
"If I go any further, she will die. Which will make the whole thing an exercise in futility. And I need a break as well, her memories aren't exactly pleasant."
The angry witch scowled but fell silent. I sat up, my breathing frantic, and wiped the tears from my eyes. I sat there silently. My body felt numb. The pain had gone entirely but I couldn't shake the feelings that the images had stirred inside of me. I wrapped my arms around my knees and rested my head on them.
Slowly my breathing returned to normal. The angry witch looked to Ariane expectantly, waiting for her to continue. Ariane sighed.
"Fine. But Cynthia, if she dies because of this, you need to explain it to Aya." She looked to me. "Elena, do you feel fit to continue?"
"Will… will I see them again?"
"The memories? Not those ones, no."
I reluctantly lay back down again, knowing I didn't really have a choice. Ariane returned her hands to their original positions and the other witches resumed their murmur. I tensed, anticipating the return of the pain and the memories that I had no desire to see again. At first they didn't come, but when they did it was at full force. I wondered if she'd been holding back before as now they came thick and fast, barely a pause between the end of one and the start of the next. My fingers dug deeper in the dirt and the images seemed to grow even quicker.
Klaus' face the night of the hybrid ritual, my blood on his chin, his fangs bared.
The birth of the twins, the first time I saw their tiny faces looking up at me.
Fighting Dahlia, the sound of the wolves tearing into her flesh.
Visiting Sophie, working on the spell with her.
"No! NO!"
Ariane jerked back like she'd been electrocuted. All the candles in the room went out.
"What was that?" demanded Cynthia.
"I don't know… it's like there's a powerful force around her… something strong and ancient…"
I lifted my head slightly. The ancestors? Were they still looking out for me?
Cynthia scowled and got to her feet.
"Did you at least get what we needed to know?"
"I got some things but I need time to make sense of them. However I don't think she will be of much more use to us. I'll take her up to Aya."
I got up slowly, my legs trembling. Ariane placed a hand on my back and carefully led me upstairs. I wanted to ask her what she saw but I dared not, fearing what she might say. I didn't speak as she handed me over to Aya or as Aya drove us back to the house. I was deep in thought. I decided that it was safest to assume that Ariane had seen my spell and the rings, that it was only a matter of time before Lucien found out. I knew that the witches were stalling him but inevitably they'd have to say something. I didn't have much time. I needed to find a way out and I needed to do it fast.
When we got back to the house, I went inside and followed the sounds of the girls to find Tristan. He was in the library, reading to the girls. He stopped as I entered and smiled.
"Hello Elena. You're back earlier than I expected."
"The sisters thought it might be detrimental to my health to stay any longer." I sat down.
"Did they manage to find out anything of use?"
"I… I'm not sure." I bit my lip. "Tristan, I'd like to make a deal with you."
He closed the book, his expression becoming serious, and handed it to Lilah who retreated to the other corner with Blair.
"What kind of deal?"
"I'm not sure… I know I need your help and I need it fast. What… would it take for me to ensure that?"
He looked over at where the girls were reading together.
"Now isn't the time for this discussion." He gently touched my hand. "Why don't we pick this up later? Come to my room tonight when they've gone to bed. We can… talk it over."
"Okay…"
"Don't sound so nervous Elena." He got to his feet and kissed my cheek. "I won't bite. Hard."
A/N: I managed to pump out this chapter thanks to a drunk guy messaging me with quotes from Matilda and waking me up. So… yay I guess?