All the cards

37

Freya eventually woke up and headed to get some food, blissfully unaware of what had happened.
"Is Amity around?" She asked Elijah.
"No, why?"
"Because if we're getting back the pendant, we need to do it today."
"Well, she should be back shortly. She went for a walk with Isaiah."
"No, listen. She cannot know the talisman is missing."
"What?"
"We can't tell Amity. Her stupid, selfish ass of a dead husband got her a gift last night, through Izzy, and it upset her. If she finds out we've lost Finn too, it will destroy her."
"Well, she seemed fine this morning. Although, since Camille is transitioning, it's possible that she was just putting on a brave face for Niklaus."
"I'll get started on a locator-"
"No, I think I know where the pendant is. And possibly the Serratura too. Stay here. When Amity comes back, keep her occupied. Don't give her the time to focus on her grief."
"Hurry back." Elijah nodded and walked away.

Freya went in search of her sister's granddaughter to enlist her help in distracting Amity.
"Hey, Freya." Amira smiled, looking up from Hope.
"Sweet grand niece."
"What do you want?"
"We need to keep Amity occupied."
"Why?"
"Because your grandfather is a selfish, egoistic ass."
"Don't hold back?" Amira said.
"Sorry. It's just... last night he somehow managed to give Amity a gift through Izzy."
"Oh no!" Amira gasped. "My grandfather's a monster."
"It was something that must have reminded her of their life together and it broke her. You should have seen her last night. He can't keep doing this to her."
"That doesn't sound like grandpa." Amira shook her head. "He wouldn't do anything that would stop her from healing and moving on. He's been encouraging her to move on every time he saw her."
"Who else would it be?"
"What did he get her?"
"A crown." Amira frowned.
"There's no way it would have been grandpa. He'd know that would hurt grandma more than it'd help."
"Well who else would know about what the crown meant to your grandparents? Who else would Izzy trust enough to take something from for his mother?" Amira thought for a while before realisation dawned on her.
"Someone who doesn't want to see grandma with another man. Someone like my own father."
"Your dad?" Freya frowned. "Right, Benji."
"When he was a kid, right after grandma had to go away with the rest of your siblings, dad went through this whole denial period. He was eight, and he didn't really understand what was going on. Only that the last time he saw his mother, his father wouldn't let her in the house. He started lashing out, avoiding grandpa, causing chaos across the town. Aunt Starr said he'd disappear almost every day, and that one day she followed him. He kept going to your family's old home. One day he found a letter addressed to him. Grandma wrote it. She figured he might need an explanation. Dad must've read us the letter thousands of times, but one bit said that no matter how much time passed, she'd always love him and dad. She would never forget them and that they were irreplaceable."
"You think your father's taking it literally?"
"I think dad just has a lot of unresolved feelings that have been festering inside him his whole life."
"Well, we can't let Amity know that. Pretty sure that would kill her more."
"What would kill me more?" Amity called standing at the doorway.
"Grandma! You're home!"
"What can't you let me know?"
"Nothing."
"It's obviously something." Amira bit her lip trying to make her lie more realistic.
"Well... aunt Freya and I, well we were just talking and- we think you let Elijah off way too easily."
"I thought we'd already established that you inherited your father's lack of skill at lying?"
"Did Izzy feed?" Amira ignored her and Amity turned to her sister.
"Yes. What are you guys hiding from me?"
"Nothing!" Freya rolled her eyes. "You know, Nik asked for a boundary spell. Would you like to help?"
"For Cami?"
"I believe so."
"He means to force her to drink blood."
"He doesn't want to lose her too." Amira defended. "She's the first person in a very long time that he's fallen in love with."
"But vampirism isn't always a gift. Sometimes it's a curse."
"If Isaac were turning, would you be okay with letting him die?"
"Isaac and I are just friends. It's nothing like Nik and Cami. And if he didn't want to finish the transition, I wouldn't force him. I would be far from okay with it, but I would never force him."
"Nice to know you're a fan of free will." Amity turned around and saw Isaac. "Sorry, you guys don't really have a door outside and, uh, you kinda disappeared last night. I figured I'd come and see if you were okay."
"Perfect." Freya said. "Maybe you can take Amity to get a bite to eat."
"I don't think that's a good idea." Amity looked at Freya and then at Isaac. "Not right now."
"Sure." Isaac said, looking concerned. "Is everything okay?"
"Let me walk you out." Amity offered, putting Izzy down in Hope's playpen. She walked past Isaac and he followed.
"As just your friend," he started. "What's wrong?"
"Sometimes things are fine and good. Like yesterday. Things were going good. But then I remember again and I just miss him. I miss my-" she stopped, breaking off. "I miss Izzy's dad."
"I guess knowing that he's watching over you doesn't help all that much, either."
"Not really."
"It's okay." Isaac said. "I know he's the love of your life, no matter how long it's been. And I promise to keep the whole serenading stuff to a minimum." Amity smiled.
"You're very sweet."
"Hey, what are friends for, right?"
"Whatever happened your friends? Cameron and Zane?"
"Oh, they're around. Things have been weird since Sophie died. She was... a huge part of the group."
"I'm sorry."
"Don't be. You didn't kill her."
"No, I did not." She shook her head. He smiled kindly at her.
"I'm sorry you lost your husband. I know you really loved him."
"Thank you." She hugged him, gratefully.