Forever Original | Alaric Saltzman

Chapter 32

Hilda couldn't sleep through the night.

It felt like everytime she closed her eyes, she saw Mikael. Or Esther. Or Alaric. Or Kol. The last two always seemed to be dying or angry at her, and she didn't like it.

So she remained sitting on her bed, knees hugged into her chest, her phone plugged into the wall as she watched video after video of the most bizarre things. She watched compilations of cute pets. The most epic fails of small children. Conspiracy theories about the Bermuda Triangle. She felt quite educated afterward but in reality, she felt as though she absorbed nothing. She'd only been staring at the screen out of fear.

When morning came, she got dressed and retrieved Kol, who was saddened to have to put on the manacles as they went down for breakfast. They found the compelled servants were already placing platters of pastries all over the table in front of Klaus, Elijah, and Finn, who were already up. Finn, to no one's surprise, was in manacles.

Hilda and Kol went to sit beside Finn, who was nearest Klaus. Across them sat Elijah, fiddling with the utensils in front of his plate.

"Now that the twins have graced us with their presence," said Klaus loudly, as if making an announcement. "I want to speak to you, Finn and Kol. Today— a new future awaits. Forget your animosity toward Elijah and myself. Think, perhaps, only of the bond you both share with our sister, Hilda. Join us, in the spirit of unity, against she who truly deserves your ire— our mother. Do this, and we will welcome you with open arms."

"Well," began Kol, reaching for the platter of beignets. Elijah pulled it away, and Klaus chuckled. "But, if you continue to oppose us," said the hybrid, "a denial of pastries will be the least of your concerns."

Hilda made a face and pulled the tray back for Kol, allowing him to take one of the beignets. "Thank you, Hilly," he said, looking at Klaus. "Listen, Nik, if all you wanted was my allegiance against our mother, you should have just said so. I'm reunited with my sister again, and that was all that I needed."

Klaus seemed pleased to hear this. "That's excellent news. Take this vow, then, to stand beside us as brothers."

Finn scoffed, looking at Klaus skeptically. "Brothers. Does that word even apply to us? After all these centuries of betrayal? It seems Hilda is the only one of our siblings who consistently cared about our wellbeing, and even she is blind to the wonders our mother can provide for her. When has loyalty to you ever been rewarded, Niklaus? The twins were constantly daggered for having a mind of their own— a fact, which, I remind you, we have known well since their birth. And on that note, where is our sister, Rebekah? She was blindly loyal to you for a thousand years and now? Nowhere to be found. Where did she go? How did she escape your vile machinations?"

Klaus began to laugh. "Your sources continue to disappoint. Were you not aware that our two sisters were traveling together for months? Rebekah and I had... I admit... a slight falling out but it's nothing that some time apart won't heal. I let her be free. And yet, you think me vile? What, then, do you think of the one who cursed us?"

"She was trying to make you all mortal again!" snapped Finn. "And you all refused her. It only proves how far you've fallen. But, I expect Rebekah will have a different response to her proposal. See, unlike the three of you, she always did cling properly to her humanity."

Elijah growled, holding up the knife beside his fork. "Rebekah is off-limits to you. You pursue her, and you will suffer."

That had made Klaus's statement completely void. It ignited a clear suspicion in Finn that made Hilda glare venomously at Elijah. The four siblings were staring at him in shock, on top of that. He never acted this way. Hilda knew what might be causing it.