All the cards

58

Freya led me out of the room and we were faced with Kol and Finn fighting. Again. I sped between them, pushing them apart.
"Enough." I kept my grip on them. "That is enough."
"His little wench cursed me. I'm stuck in this body." Finn tried to get out of my hold and I turned to him.
"So what? You're a vampire, Finn. Deal with it." I turned to Kol. "Go to Davina. Keep her out of Finn's sight." I let go of him and he nodded, walking out with her.
"We have the white oak." Freya said, walking down the stairs and I let go of Finn.
"Amity, you have to help me." Finn said. "I can't be a vampire forever."
"You don't get to start life anew in another body. You don't get pretend you didn't do anything wrong. You're stuck in your own body." I glared at him. Freya raised her hand to the fire pit, lighting it on fire. She threw in the white oak but Finn rushed over, plunging his hand into the pit.
"Brother!" Elijah said, as he pulled out the bullet.
"The little witch has condemned me to this! To remain a beast."
"No that was your beloved mother. Davina has just made sure you can't take over and ruin someone else's life." I said.
"I can't bear an eternity with no hope of escape." He looked between Elijah and I, pleadingly. "And a thousand years ago, Amity, neither could you."
"Faced with the same choice a thousand years ago, you chose to destroy the last of the white oak. Why should I let you keep that piece now?"
"Amity-"
"Besides, it's no secret you harbour no familial feelings towards our siblings. How do we know you won't use it against us?"
"I won't." I waved my hand and I held the bullet. Finn looked surprised for a moment, but he recovered. "Amity, please. If you won't help me, then let me keep the bullet. Forever is a burden that nobody should have to bear. You, more than anyone should understand."
"Don't." I glared at him.
"You can't keep the white oak in the house, Amity. It is already a beacon drawing your enemies to you." Lucien was standing in the background. I listened out and heard Amira and Isaac in the ballroom.
"Amity..." Finn looked pleadingly at me.
"There's a third option." Lucien continued, and I turned to look at him. He didn't meet my gaze. "Entrust it to the one who loves each of you the most." I glanced at Freya and she seemed to come to the same conclusion.
"I can cloak myself. If it has to exist, at least I can take it far away. Hide it under a thousand spells, somewhere where no one else will ever find it. No one will find it, Amity, I promise, and I will only bring it back when we all agree we're ready to." She looked at Finn. "Until you're ready... for release." I held on to it tightly but sighed and gave it to Freya. She was powerful in her own right, and if I hid it, I wasn't sure I'd ever bring it back. I turned and walked out, heading to the ballroom.
"Hi." I said, walking in.
"Hey, grandma. Is the drama over yet?"
"Yeah, pretty much."
"So you can actually spend some time with your boyfriend now?" She teased.
"Yes, exactly."
"About time." I rolled my eyes, and walked over to Isaac.
"Come on, we need to go. Lucien's still here, and so's Finn. Kol and Davina left earlier."
"Yeah, we caught that bit. You're really not going to reverse Davina's spell? Keep Finn locked in his body?"
"He doesn't get to escape from his sins with a new body." I said, harshly. "Anyways, we should go. Now that my siblings are no longer in imminent dang- ow!" I grabbed my head with the unexpected pain.
"Amity? Amity!" Isaac moved forward, grabbing me to stop me from falling. "What is it? What's wrong?" I straightened, wincing once more.
"Mal." I said. I grabbed Isaac and took him home, before appearing in Mystic Falls. Mal was at the grill with Matt. I sped to his side, confused. He was sitting at the bar. "What is it?" He looked up at me, blood leaking out of his eyes. "Oh, god. What happened? Are you okay?"
"I can't- I can't fight it, Zia. Not any more."
"Come on." I grabbed him and took him to the mansion Nik had built in town. It was empty, like I needed. I shoved him onto a bed.
"It hurts." He said, and started sounding delirious. "I can't do this anymore."
"Mal! Focus. Focus, little brother. Okay, I'm here. What happened?"
"I have to- it hurts." He groaned and I placed my hands on either side of his head.
"Come on, little brother. Come back to me. Here, shh shh." I whispered and I pushed through his mental shields- tried to get to him but there was some resistance. An outside influence. I grit my teeth.
This is not your fight. Stop.
I didn't know where the words came from- they were more of a command. An order. Not a suggestion. I'd only heard the same voice a handful of times.
"No. Not Mal. Not my brother." I continued pushing forward.
Stop. He is mine. He has his purpose just as you do. Do not go against me.
"Mal, come on. Come back to me, brother. Follow my voice. You are in control. Fight it. Fight it." I groaned, trying to find my brother in the midst of the pain and the walls. I saw a glimmer.
Very well. Have him. I'll collect what I'm owed elsewhere.
I pulled on the small glimmer of hope and light and he woke up, his eyes wide. Frightened.
"I'm here, Mal. I'm here." I assured giving him a hug.
"Zee." He whispered, breathing heavily. I stayed with him until he calmed.