The Burning Flame

Chapter 16: Esther's Scheme

As everyone gathered back into the main room, Elijah guided Elena over to where Emily was."So how was my mother?"Elijah asked, surprising Emily, who looked at them sharply.

"Intense."Emily said truthfully, turning slightly to face them.

"And for what reason did she need to speak with you in private?"Elijah asked and Elena raised an eyebrow at her twin, who shot her a heated glare.

Before Elena could ask Emily what she did now, Esther appeared on the staircase and a waiter walked by the trio, but stopped when Elijah grabbed two glasses of champagne, giving them to Elena and Emily and then grabbed one for himself. Elena pursed her lips when she saw the way Emily looked at Esther, who smiled at the Doppelganger.

"Odd."Elena muttered under her breath.

"Emily."Elijah said sharply, drawing Emily's and Elena's attention back to him."Should I be concerned about my Mother's intentions?"

"She just wanted to apologise for trying to have me killed."As soon as Emily said that, Elena knew her twin was lying. Emily was a bad liar.

"So it's true, then?"Elijah asked to be sure."She's forgiven Klaus?"He added.

Elena wondered why he was pestering Emily, only to realise that he knew that Emily was lying right to his face and was trying to see if she'd either slip up or give in and tell them the truth.

"It's true."Emily flat out lied to Elijah's face, again, just before Esther started her speech by getting everyone's attention through clinking her glass.

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen."Esther said, getting everyone's attention."Waiters are coming round with champagne."Esther stated."I invite you all to join me in raising a glass."Esther added and everyone started grabbing said glasses of champagne."It provides me with no greater joy than to see my Family back together as one."She said once she saw everyone grab a glass, including her children."I'd like to thank you all for being part of this spectacular evening."She raised her glass."Cheers."

"Cheers."Everyone echoed and started drinking except for Elena, Emily, and Elijah.

"Cheers."Elijah said, turning back to Emily, along with Elena, to both girls and they clinked their glasses together.

Both Elijah and Elena raised their glasses to their lips, but didn't drink the champagne. They both eyed Emily, giving the Doppelganger one last chance to stop whatever it was that Esther was truly planning by seeing if she'd drink the champagne.

When Emily actually did drink the champagne, they did as well, only instead of drinking all of it, the couple took a small sip, but that was all that needed for Esther's plan to work.

The moment the champagne hit Elena's tongue, she wanted nothing more then to spit it out, but not to be rude in front of everyone, she swallowed the taste grimly and shivered slightly.

"I don't believe I like pink champagne."Elena mumbled to Elijah, who glanced down at her curiously, before holding his hand out for the glass, which she gave to him."If you'll excuse me, I'm going to go talk with Rebekah and Liah."Elena said louder so that Emily heard her and moved away from the duo and went to find Liah and Rebekah as everyone went back to their conversations or went back to dancing.

"Liah."Elena said softly as she came to stand next to Liah."Where's Rebekah?"Elena mumbled softly."I have to talk to the both of you."Elena said in a serious voice.

Seeing how anxious Elena look, Liah politely excused herself from the conversation she was having and left with the other brunette to find Rebekah. It didn't take them long to find Rebekah, because they found her having a heated conversation with Kol.