(3) Just Magic (D. Salvatore)

Chapter Eighty-Eight

Abby and Bonnie are walking up to the Old Witch House where 'not Cassandra' is standing, staring up at the sky. It's eerie for Bonnie. This is her friend, but she's not right. She lets out a breath and touches the side of her jacket, inside of which is the charred book. She was hoping to have time to repair it before Esther called on her and Abby but she ran out of time. She just has to hope for a moment in which Esther is not watching them. Behind 'Cassandra, Esther and Finn leave the house to join the others waiting for them.

"Who's the creepy, lurky guy?" Abby asks Bonnie.

"Esther's son, Finn, he's a vampire so..." Bonnie points to her ear to indicate he can hear her.

"Wonder what your Grams thinks about the part we're playing in all of this balance of nature stuff" Abby ponders. Bonnie snorts a little.

"She's probably on the other side, screaming about getting involved with vampire business"

"Bennett witches" Esther greets as Bonnie and Abby make their way up the steps to the porch. 'Cassandra' turns to look at them. "Thank you for coming. I can think of no better allies than the woman who sent Mikael into his long sleep and the girl who fought Niklaus so bravely"

"Why exactly did you invite us here?" Abby asks Esther as Bonnie lingers at her flank, wanting to run away from this situation, hopefully taking her friend with her, but right now that is not an option.

"You are the descendants of the witch Ayana" Ether explains. "She was a great mentor of mine and I think it's only fitting that I draw from her bloodline"

"So are you channelling our ancestors?" Bonnie asks her.

"I draw from the entirety of the Bennett bloodline, living and dead" Esther answers. "The connection affords me great power, although it is somewhat difficult to maintain, which is why I require you, mother and daughter. The bloodline made manifest. Tonight, my sisters, we shall bring peace to the spirits of nature that we serve and for that I thank you"

......

At the boarding house, Damon sits in an armchair, tapping his fingers on the arm of it as he stares across at Elijah sitting on the couch next to the fireplace. Opening the front door and finding Elijah waiting for him on the other side was a surprise, but given everything else maybe he shouldn't have been so surprised by his appearance. Stefan enters the house and lets out a breath.

"Any luck finding Cas?" He asks as he walks into the living room only to pause seeing the scene before him.

"Hello, Stefan" Elijah greets him.

"What is he doing here?" Stefan asks.

"He got a message from Cas before she went AWOL" Damon explains, pushing himself to his feet.

"I assume it was from Cassandra" Elijah corrects. "I already spoke with Alina and she denied contacting me telepathically...."

"Why him?" Stefan asks. "Why not you or Elena....or Bonnie?" Damon pulls a face, because, yeah, Stefan has a point. If Cassandra was going to contact any of them, then it would be the ones she actually trusts, which shockingly does now include Elena again.

"She asked that we help one another" Elijah offers. "She warned me about my mother's intentions and now I believe she is about to set it in motion...Cassandra warned me before, as Damon told me, she disappeared"

"And later reappeared at your mother's side" Damon adds. "Bonnie thinks there is something else going on though..."

"And Alina agrees" Elijah adds. "She's concerned for Cassandra. She can't contact her and she claims that a strange fog descended in the early hours" Damon sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose. He hates the idea of working with them, but for Cassandra, he really would work with his enemies. "I sent Rebekah to the old witch house and she sent a text an hour ago to tell me that it is where they are gathering...."

"Makes sense" Damon mumbles.

"So why are you here exactly?" Stefan pushes.

"I need you to help me stop my mother" Elijah admits to them.

"I'm a little embarrassed to admit, but when it comes to killing thousand-year-old resurrected witches, I'm a little rusty" Damon points out.

"Yes, unfortunately, even when killed my mother doesn't seem to want to stay dead. Not with the spirits of nature and the Scarlet Witch at her side"

"Cas is not there through choice" Damon defends, because he knows Cassandra, and he knows her mind and he knows she would never willingly work with Esther. Not when she pre-warned Elijah and with her friendship with Rebekah. She wouldn't side with Esther.

"So, what are we supposed to do?" Stefan asks them.

"The witches that released my mother, she's drawing her power from their bloodline, that line needs to be broken" Elijah explains.

"Broken?"

"Yeah, he means" Damon makes a cutting motion with his forefinger over his neck whilst giving Stefan a look.

"You want us to kill them" Stefan realises and lets out a breath.

"You know I'd do it myself, but, seeing me, they'd immediately know my intent. They won't expect to be harmed by the likes of you. In any case, you have until six minutes after nine to find them"

"Oh, how super specific of you" Elijah turns to give Damon a look.

"By 9:07, the moon will be full, my mother will have the power she needs to kill my family. Whilst Cassandra managed to warn me about the spiked champagne, I could not get to my siblings in time...So we all have our timeline? I suggest you get started" Elijah starts walking towards the exit.

"And Cas?" Damon pushes. Elijah glances over his shoulder. "How do we...?"

"Alina assures me that she can reach her" Elijah answers. "She just needs the opportunity and the time...." Damon nods a little. Time seems to be the main issue here. They don't have long enough for Ally to reach Cassandra, so stopping Esther before she kills the Originals will help because there is no way Ally will be in the best frame of mind to help if Kol is dead.