ᴛʜᴇ ǫᴜᴇᴇɴ⚜𝓔. 𝓜𝓲𝓴𝓪𝓮𝓵𝓼𝓸𝓷

⚜Chapter 14⚜

Long Way Back from Hell

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For there to be betrayal, there needs to be trust first.

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"Isa?" Her head immediately shot up as she heard her mate's voice. She rushed to him as soon as she saw him entering the compound.

"Elijah? How are you here? Did they let you go? Wh-?" She fumbled as she tried to find the right words whilst frantically looking over his body for signs of injury. He placed his hands on her arms to calm her down.

"I'm fine." He affirmed gazing into her eyes as he cupped her face. The look of concern and fear was washed over by relief on her face before she threw her arms around his neck and breathed in his intoxicating scent.

"I was so scared for you, Elijah. So scared." She mumbled over and over again and he nodded while holding her tightly. He knew how worried he had been for his family and her.

"How did you escape from them?" She asked as she pulled back before her eyes fell on ink that seemed to be etched into his skin, "Are these...names?" She asked with furrowed brows as she removed his collar to reveal more.

He rolled his eyes, "Yes, the pesky little witches have set up a riddle for us. They are enjoying their time while they torture our family." He spat.

"What for?"

"If we are to find Rebekah, Niklaus, and Jeremy then we have to solve this riddle, only I have no idea how to." He answered as her eyes widened.

She was about to say something when her mind took her to Kol and she realized that she had to inform her mate of his brother's death. Remorse and guilt took over her features.

"Isa, what is it?" He asked softly before his eyes finally took in the condition of the courtyard, it was a wreck. It looked like a hurricane blew up in the place and it was all created by Isabelle herself.

"Isa?" He called out once again before a tear slid down her cheek and she met his worried gaze with her own glassy one. He immediately cupped her face and begged her to tell him what was wrong.

She gulped, "It's Kol." She croaked out; unable to say his name without bursting into tears.

His eyebrows immediately furrowed together in concern, "What about him?" He asked lowly.

"The witches, they..." She felt like someone had cut through the insides of her throat as it was difficult for her to get the words out, "they-" She burst into tears before she could say more. Elijah's worry and fear rose up to its epitome in his chest as he tried to calm her down.

"My love, you're scaring me. Please, tell me what's wrong?" He demanded as she tried to catch her breath whilst furiously wiping her eyes.

"They killed him, Elijah. They killed Kol and I couldn't save him." She cried out before falling into his arms with sobs as he felt like someone had stopped his dead heart all over again.

His younger brother...Kol...was dead.

He gulped through his dry throat as he tried to register the news before his own eyes betrayed him and it was difficult for him to stand straight.