[𝟷] 𝘾𝙍𝙊𝙒𝙉 𝙊𝙁 𝙏𝙃𝙊𝙍𝙉𝙎, 𝘕.𝘔. [EDITING]

「xxxvi」

36 | something wicked

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀WREN STOOD AT A WINDOW OF THE HOUSE NIK HAD BROUGHT THEM TO. It was beautiful. He had told her that it was built by himself and a team of workers while he stayed in this town.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀The house made her yearn for a place to call her own. A place where there were no worries, no murders or sacrifices or responsibilities to hold her back.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀She realized that she didn't want to be the Queen of New Orleans for the rest of her life. She wanted to travel and see the world, maybe settle down somewhere on the countryside.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀She wanted to live, not just survive.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"Love? Eloise is here." Klaus pushed open the dark door, stepping through. He eyed his mate as she stood by the window, her thin hands resting against the windowsill. She was staring off into space. "Wren."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Her shoulders flinched, eyes flickering down as she was drawn out of her reverie. "What'd you say?" She turned, raising her eyebrows at him.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"Eloise is here," Klaus repeated, holding out his hand for her to slip hers into. "She'll want us both present. She's a finicky little thing."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Wren wasn't impressed. Sighing, she walked beside him as he led her into the main room. A woman stood by the fireplace, looking into the flames with a thoughtful look on her face.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀She seemed very distracted, much like Wren herself.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Wren decided to be cordial. "Hello, Eloise, I'm Wren Romanov. I've heard much about you." Her friendly face tightened as the woman didn't turn around.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Eloise was quiet for a moment, but then she shifted. A small movement. She drew her eyes from the fire, looking to her left. "Sit," she said softly, "we don't have much time."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Wren was a bit taken aback, angered that the woman hadn't introduced herself.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Klaus led Wren by the arm, pulling out a chair for her at the round dinner table. He was used to this behavior from Eloise. She was always a strange girl.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"This is a very special bond, as I'm sure you both understand. You must never break it. Nature has taken it upon itself to create this balance, and should it be broken, dire consequences would befall you both."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"What kind of consequences?" Wren sat forward in her seat, straightening her posture.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"There's a darkness coming for you. The ancestors feel it, as do I. Her wrath will descend upon your home like none ever witnessed before."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Wren was beginning to get frustrated. This woman wouldn't answer her question.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Eloise was silent for a while. Her eyes rested on the table, where a handful of candles were burning. Their light was dimming.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀She kept mumbling to herself, eyes flickering back and forth as if she was reading words from a book. Finally, she stopped, eyes stilling. Her gaze drifted up and up, following Wren's thin hands and moving to her cloth-covered arms.