Redamancy | Elena Gilbert

Chapter 20

Elena survived.

Rosalind went to her house the following morning for breakfast, having been invited alongside Damon and Stefan.

She'd arrived after them, and had glared at Stefan when he offered her his hand, trying to make amends for his poor behavior. Damon had to grab the back of her neck, pushing his fingertips into her pressure points to stop her from grabbing his arm and biting into it.

"Play nice," said Damon, urging her to sit down at the table. "Let Elena talk."

"Elijah and I had a long conversation," said Elena once they were seated. Rosalind was ripping her waffles apart with her fork while she listened. "He told me all the Originals are awake now. And that it was their mother Esther who was sealed in that coffin."

"As in the Original Witch?" asked Stefan.

Damon made a face when Elena nodded. "What? How is she even alive? Thought her hybrid freak show of a son ripped her heart out a thousand years ago."

"I don't know," admitted Elena. "I'm guessing she has a couple connections in the witching community. Elijah said that she wants to live in peace with her family, including Klaus."

Stefan sighed. "She was supposed to be the weapon to help us kill Klaus."

"Well, not anymore. At least not according to Elijah."

"That coffin was the only thing stopping Klaus from tearing us to shreds!"

"Maybe this wouldn't have happened if you hadn't taken them in the first place," hissed Rosalind. "Elijah must have known, no wonder he sided with Damon to help stall Klaus!"

"Anyone else feeling a little used right now?" muttered Damon.

"Look," said Elena calmly, "Elijah promised me that his family wouldn't hurt any of us." The doorbell rang, and she got up to see who was coming to visit. "I believe him."

She walked toward the door, and Rosalind huffed. "Well, we already had a guarantee Klaus wouldn't hurt Elena or me, and maybe we could trust he'd show enough restraint to not hurt the rest of you, but we don't know his brothers, and Rebekah already attacked me and Elena." She leaned her head back when she realized Elena wasn't talking to anyone. "Is someone here?"

"No," said Elena, coming back with an envelope in her hand.

"What is it?" asked Damon, noticing the envelope had her name written on the front in ornate cursive.

She shrugged and opened it, extracting a slip of paper. "It's an invitation. 'Please join the Mikaelson Family, this evening at seven o'clock. For dancing, cocktails and celebration.'"

Stefan made a face. "Who the hell are the Mikaelsons?"

"The Original Family," realized Elena.

"Genuine question," said Rosalind, who found it odd that Stefan hadn't immediately known they were the Mikaelsons, despite having spent the most time with the Originals out of all of them. "Did they only start using that surname now that Mikael died, or—?"

"Don't know, don't care," said Damon. "It's not bad enough they're moving into town, now they want a housewarming gift? Fuck that."

"Wait," said Elena, turning the card over. "There's a note on the back." She read, "'Elena, I think it's time that we finally meet. Esther.'" She looked up at them. "Their mother."

"Wow," said Rosalind teasingly (though her voice was tight), "already getting invited to meet their mommy and Elijah hasn't even proposed to you yet."