All the cards

59

"This is what happened last time." Mal started. We were talking about what had just happened. "I think I'm supposed to go dark, Zia. With you light and I dark, we're a perfect contrast. Lia's free to do whatever. Dark, light, either side is available. Millennia ago, faced with the choice to choose dark over light or light over dark- I wasn't seduced by the idea of forging my own path. I was... influenced. You and I were made to be yin and yang, two sides of the same coin. Zee, if I'm not dark- what if Lia is in danger? What if nature turns on her?"
"She won't. Nature'll turn her sights elsewhere. She won't try the same trick twice, but it would be naive of us to think there won't be any consequences."
"You came."
"Of course I did. You're my little brother, Mal. I will always come."
"I'm sorry." He said.
"You don't apologise." I frowned. "Are you sure you're feeling better?"
"No, really. When I forced Lia to help me find a way- those were my thoughts. I might have been forced to turn dark, but it was my idea to turn Lia dark- to kill you."
"It wasn't your fault, Mal. You were smart. In the wrong hands you can do a lot of damage, but in the right hands, you can do a lot of good. And now you get to truly choose who you want to be. You can use all that ambition, all those ideas you have swimming around your head to help people."
"Don't tell her. Don't tell Lia about any of this. I don't want her to know."
"She deserves to."
"It was my fault, Zee. No matter how you put it, I turned her into a weapon, and then I tried to use her against you. And if she finds out, she'll think it wasn't really my fault and then she won't have anyone to blame. That's going to eat her up. She has a lot of anger, and better I'm her outlet than her bottling it in."
"We'll find a way to help her-"
"Please, Zee. Please."
"Fine. For now. Not for long." I said and he nodded. "Now, what do you say, you tell me what you put this town through?"
"Everyone's gone. Just the human sheriff left, so he's really been my target. I've just been messing a little. Harmless pranks, really."
"Of course." I laughed along.
"And you? You and the human together yet?"
"Yes, actually. And we got the final white oak bullet so my siblings are safe. Nik and Hayley were supposed to send Hope and Izzy to Mary's but I suppose there's no point anymore so they'll be back home soon. And thank you, for warning me about Finn."
"I just wanted to surprise you."
"You were not doing it for my benefit. You were doing it to make things difficult." I rolled my eyes.
"Yeah, that too." He smirked.
"So, how long have you been helping Davina, and why were you helping Davina?"
"Because she was interesting. You care about her and she cares for you but she doesn't care much for your family. Except for Kol. And perhaps Amira."
"Doesn't explain why you were helping her?"
"She was ambitious. She wasn't mad with power. Not like-" he broke off. "She was just interesting."
"Oh, Mal. Being back in New Orleans probably wasn't easy for you, was it?"
"I could feel her. Her energy. She's not dead, but she's not quite alive." I wrapped my arms around him again.
"I'm sorry little brother."
"I know I said some things... blamed you. It's not true. It wasn't your fault."
"Two apologies in one day. Perhaps I should check to make sure you really are okay."
"It wasn't an apology." He denied.
"Kind of sounded like an apology."
"I didn't say sorry."
"You expressed remorse."
"How is your boyfriend doing? Perhaps he needs a little mischief in his life."
"Fine, I'll back off." I laughed. "What was your life as Chris like?"
"Not good."
"Is that why you don't talk about it? Isn't there anyone who'll miss you?"
"Chris didn't have the best life. Parents really didn't give a crap, he didn't care much for school. The only friends he had weren't actual friends. More acquaintances really."
"Take me to where Chris is from." I said and he raised a brow. "I want to see where you were raised."
"Definitely no."
"I can find my own way."
"Yes, but you respect my privacy well enough."
"Oh little brother, you should know by now. When it comes to the three of us, privacy just doesn't exist." I grinned smug. "And if you and Lia can butt into my life, I sure as hell can butt into yours." My phone chimed with a message.
Everything okay? Where are you?
"The boyfriend?" Mal asked.
"Yes, actually. He's worried. I kind of just disappeared on him." I said, ringing him.
"Hey, are you okay? What happened?"
"Hi. I'm fine- Mal was calling me. Turns out he needed my help."
"And you're sure you're okay?"
"I'm fine, I promise."
"Okay, good."
"I'm sorry today was crazy."
"Hey, that's okay. Everything's fine now, right?"
"Yes. Everything's fine."
"Okay. I'll see you tomorrow, then?"
"See you tomorrow." I smiled and hung up.
"You really like him." I rolled my eyes and stood up. "Where are you going?"
"I need some blood. There's packets in the fridge."
"That's disgusting."
"Well you're the only other source here and I'm not biting my brother."
"So go to your boyfriend!" He called after me.