WAR OF HEARTS ↠ KOL MIKAELSON [UNDER EDITING]

1:05

[ THE RISE: CHAPTER FIVE ]

Rhea overheard Davina on the phone with Camille, the bartender Klaus had apparently taken a liking to. Although Davina promised not to reveal their location, Rhea remained uneasy. She glanced out the window and saw Mikael standing with a wooden staff, his eyes closed in concentration. Despite his injuries from the werewolves, he seemed determined to recover.

Heading outside to join him, she commented, "You don't look so good. Those bites—"

Mikael cut her off before she could finish. "Werewolf venom is purged by force, not given the chance to fester." His tone was matter-of-fact, leaving Rhea with her eyebrows raised in confusion.

"Viking 101 from the vampire who hunts vampires? Just what I wanted to do with my free time," she deadpanned. Mikael ignored her sarcasm and shifted to more serious matters.

"How much longer are we going to hide here like cowards?" His emphasis on the last word made Rhea roll her eyes in frustration.

Davina joined them, explaining, "Elijah saw you. If he knows you're here, Klaus does too. Until I unlink him from my friends, you're stuck here with us." Mikael sighed deeply, something Rhea had noticed him doing often.

"Confrontation is inevitable, child. Fear will only be our greatest disadvantage," he said, turning his gaze to Rhea. "You too, as angry as you are, you're still afraid."

"We're not afraid," Davina argued.

Mikael stepped closer to them, eyes narrowed. "You should be. You're both weak."

Rhea lifted her wrist, revealing the bracelet. "I think you're forgetting who's in charge here. While you were purging that venom, we made sure the spell on this won't come off again." Her voice was cold, a warning to the vampire who looked less than amused.

"Ah, yes. Magic," Mikael scoffed. "And how well did that serve you when the wolves attacked? Magic only fights half your battles. Don't forget that." He turned to walk away, but Davina stopped him.

"Alright, tough guy. Teach us, then."

"Teach you what?" Mikael raised a brow.

"Teach us how to be strong. By your standards, of course," Rhea mocked, but Mikael smirked in response.

▽▲▽▲▽

Davina had already sparred with Mikael, much to his dismay—she was better than he wanted to admit. But when Mikael took it too far, ordering Rhea to stand on a sprained ankle, Davina knew the training session had crossed a line.

"Your anger will be your downfall, Monroe," Mikael warned, his voice cold. "It blinds you, so you won't even see your death coming."

Rhea glared at him. His words hit too close to home, reminding her painfully of her mother—the mere thought of that woman made her stomach churn with hatred.

"Come on," Davina said softly, placing Rhea's arm over her shoulder and helping her limp inside the cabin. "We need supplies, but neither of us can leave in case someone sees us."

"I'll call Kaleb," Rhea sighed, rubbing her aching ankle. "I'll send him the address and a list of things to bring."

Davina nodded and stepped out of the room, giving Rhea space to call the blue-eyed boy. On the third ring, he answered.

"Rhea. Long time, no call. Everything alright?" Kaleb's voice carried a playful concern.

"Yeah, sorry about that. Things have been... hectic," she winced as she removed her boot, revealing the swollen, bruised ankle.

"Don't be silly, love. Where are you? You sound hurt."

"I'll text you the address. And a list of things I need?" she asked, already smiling at the thought of seeing him again.

"Got it. I'm on my way."

After hanging up, Rhea sat back, her heart fluttering as a small smile crept across her face.

"He'll be here soon," she told Davina, who had reentered the room. The younger witch gave her a knowing smirk.

"Uh-huh," Davina teased.

Rhea flipped her off, but both of them chuckled.

▽▲▽▲▽

Kaleb arrived at the cabin not long after. He crouched down beside Rhea, rolling up her jeans to inspect her injury.

"Looks like someone knocked you head over heels," he said with a grin. Rhea laughed lightly but stopped when he grew serious. "And I thought that would've been me."

Rhea rolled her eyes, but the rising beat of her heart betrayed her cool demeanor. "We'll see about that, blue eyes."

They exchanged a quiet, lingering gaze before Kaleb reached for a bowl of foul-smelling herbs. Rhea crinkled her nose. "Ugh. What is that? Smells like—"

Kaleb cut her off, amused. "Something dead? It's a little poultice I picked up from a shaman in Uganda. There you go." He finished applying the mixture, and Rhea sighed in relief as the pain began to subside.

"Is it fixed?" Davina asked, watching them from the doorway.

"It's magic, not a miracle," Kaleb responded. "It'll take some time."

Rhea chuckled nervously at Kaleb's subtle probing. "Thanks for bringing everything."

"You know," Kaleb said, leaning in with a teasing glint in his eye, "last time we hung out, it ended in a werewolf brawl. What's really going on here?"

Rhea hesitated, glancing at Davina for support, but the younger witch just shrugged and slipped out of the room, leaving the two alone.

Kaleb raised an eyebrow. "Still don't trust me, do you?"

Rhea sighed. "Do you trust me?"

Kaleb's smirk widened. "With those sad, tortured eyes? Please. I know you've got cruel intentions with me, Rhea Monroe. I won't be used for my pretty blue eyes, my body, or my herbs!"

Rhea burst out laughing, the sound light and genuine. Kaleb's smile softened in response. "We can hold hands, but that's it."

He paused for a moment, his expression growing sincere. "Whatever you're up to, you can tell me when you're ready."

Rhea gave him a grateful smile, warmth filling her chest as he gently brushed a lock of hair behind her ear. Flirting like this—feeling close to someone—it was a feeling she hadn't expected to experience again.

But as good as it felt, she knew better than to hope for too much. After all, the odds had never been in her favor