Crossed [2] ➳ K. MIKAELSON

Chapter 26

Astrid's POV

After a pissed off Caroline wakes up, the four of us make our way to St. Louis Cathedral to hex my eldest brother-in-law. Payback's a bitch, asshole! 

We enter the building and climb up to the bell tower to find it almost abandoned. Based on the smoking candles on the table, I'd guess he was just here. God damnit!

"Where is he?" Nik questions, raising his voice with each word. "Is this a trick?"

"He said he'd be here, I swear." I reassure him, searching the table for any sign of where Finn might have gone. It doesn't take me long to find piles of ash and ingredients sprawled out under a mountain of papers.

"This is the remnant of a spell." I explain, gesturing to the items. "Ancient. It's impressive."

"Admire its artistry later." Nik mutters, rolling his eyes at me. "Tell me what he set in motion."

My sister-in-law climbs the staircase and peers down over us. Spotting something on the table, she directs my attention to a small, burnt piece of wood under a pile of ash.

Picking the item up, I hold it tightly in my hands, casting a spell to uncover it. Blood begins pouring from my nostrils, but I ignore it and continue. Eventually, the piece of wood becomes whole and unburnt again, revealing a set of Norse rune tiles etched into the item. 

"Runic tiles." Rebekah breathes out, narrowing her eyes at the piece. "And what's it mean?"

"It's a symbol...for baby..." I trail off, watching as the three lock eyes nervously. "That's it, isn't it? Your baby's still alive."

My sister-in-law rushes down the staircase, before she and Nik exit the room. I turn to my best friend, raising my eyebrows in confusion.

"You want to explain?" I ask her, crossing my arms against my chest. I need some answers, and Caroline looks like she's about to explode with information.

"Cami's not answering." my brother-in-law mutters, reentering the room with his sister. His girlfriend walks over to Nik in an attempt to calm him down. 

"Elijah will protect them." Caroline reassures him, rubbing up and down his arm in comfort. 

"Finn is channeling both our parents. He's too strong." He states, turning to me with a determined look. "We need to find a way to sever his link with them! How do we do that?"

"I can't sever the link." I explain, before an idea pops into my head. "But there is something we can try. It'll take power of our own. And a lot of it."

~~~

Let's hope this plan is going to work. If it doesn't, Finn will kill us all without having to lift a finger. As Caroline, Rebekah, and I set up candles for the spell, my cynical sister-in-law pops up. 

"So how will this work exactly?" she questions, placing down another unlit candle. I set down my last one, turning towards the witch.

"We can't get in without Finn's blood." I begin explaining, but am quickly cut off by my best friend.

"Well, how do we disrupt Finn from channeling their parents in there if we can't even get through the stupid binding circle?" Caroline wonders, crossing her arms against her chest. Well if you would let me finish, Care Bear. 

"We're not here to disrupt Finn's power." I detail, inwardly anticipating their backlash. "We're trying to overload it."

On cue, both women begin screaming, overdramatically waving their arms around in the air. Raising my hand to silence them, I continue my explanation.