Dark Moon | Klaus Mikaelson

Chapter 87

Klaus went a little overboard with the 'surprise pastries.'

"Oh, wow!" said Esmeray, seeing the table was basically exploding with food. "That's... a lot more than beignets, grapes, and strawberries."

"I reckoned it was the perfect gift," said Klaus happily, holding Hope on his lap so that she could access the table easier. "Now, my littlest wolf, you cannot call yourself a connoisseur if you have not sampled each and every one of these. Hmm?" He held up a beignet. "Here."

She bit into it and giggled, wiggling from the joy it brought her. "Mmm, it's so good!" She took another beignet and offered it to Esmeray, who took it gladly and nibbled on it. "They are good, aren't they?"

"Did I ever tell you two the story of my first beignet?" asked Klaus, and Hope shook her head. "No? You are in for a treat. Long ago, three French nuns came to New Orleans looking for a fresh start. And they came here. They marched right into our courtyard, and they presented your Uncle Elijah and me with these rather lumpy-looking, sugar-coated pastries. Well, needless to say, we were entranced. We set them up quite well."

Hope furrowed her brows. "Why did they come to you?"

"Because there was a time when we were regarded as royalty. You might even go so far as to say I was king, which would make you a princess."

"Ooh," said Hope, as if she now understood why he called her 'princess.' "That makes Mom and Esme queens, right?"

"Yes, it certainly does," confirmed Klaus. "We can say your Aunt Bex and Aunt Freya are princesses too. I suppose your Uncle Kol and Uncle Elijah can be princes..."

"Good morning," Hayley said behind them, examining all the goods on the table. "I guess apple turnover is fruit." She smiled slightly as Esmeray held up the platter of actual grapes and strawberries.

Klaus beamed. "Well, I saw no harm in indulging our daughter's sweet tooth. All things in moderation, of course."

"Okay," said Hayley, leaning down to kiss Hope's forehead. "Don't eat too many, you'll get a stomachache." She looked at Klaus and Esme. "Can we talk?"

The two nodded, and Klaus set Hope down in her own seat before the three adults moved off to the side, causing Hayley to squirm and rub her arms. "Have you either of you seen Elijah?"

They shook their heads. "I thought he was with you," said Klaus. "I haven't seen him since he left for Marcel's last night."

Hayley winced. "I think something is wrong. He... he didn't come back."

"I'll get started on a Locator Spell," offered Esmeray.

"And I will go see Marcel," said Klaus, narrowing his eyes and wondering if his sireling was to blame for this.

The werewitch met Freya in the lounge to start their spell. With a map of New Orleans spread out, they waited for Klaus to let them know whether Elijah was at Marcel's or not prior to beginning their spell.

"He's not at Marcel's," Hayley announced, holding up her phone when Klaus texted her.

"Then we will find him," Freya told her, offering Esmeray her hand. The two started to chant quietly, "Jälgida minu blóo mitt. Jälgida minu blóo mitt."

Freya's blood remained stationary on the paper. "He's cloaked by magic," she mumbled. "I can feel it."

Esmeray was about to suggest they try one of her spells next, when, on the small table where the jaw bone rested, they heard a cluttering sound. They saw that the salt circle remained intact, but the bone was now spinning in place, and a slight high-pitched squeal seemed to be coming from it.