Daring Spell (The Originals/Book One)

Crescent City

St. Anne's Church was opening for business.

Father Kieran was leading the mass. "Thank you all for coming. It means more than I can tell you. We gather today for the first public service of our newly reopened church. St. Anne's can finally once again be the heart of our community, where we can congregate as a people united. Here, this hour, we come together to praise God and give thanks. The events that took place at our church were tragic. And it is that hope in our hearts, and with the help of many benefactors, that allows us to be here today. So, we gather with renewed spirit, made stronger, committed to the ideals of peace and love." At the back of the church, I could have sworn I saw Bastiana. "Amen."

"Amen," the congregation spoke together.

I looked back to the place I had seen Bastiana.

She was gone now.

~

After the mass, I walked outside to see Kieran greeting the people leaving. "God be with you. Thank you. God be with you. God be with you."

Bastiana stood in front of him, taking his hand. "Oh, I doubt that, but I do appreciate the thought."

"Bastiana!" Kieran said in shock.

Bastiana still held his hand, hexing him. "Toursion fou, mort de l'espirit. Give your nephew Sean my regards when you see him in hell."

Bastiana started to walk away.

Kieran looked at the 'X' over his thumb.

In shock, angry, I followed her. "Bastiana!"

A woman with red hair stood in front of me. "Ah. Auria Rayvnne. Just the witch I was looking for."

"Who the hell are you?" I asked.

"I'm Genevieve," she answered. "I'm one of the resurrected witches, along with Bastiana."

"Then take that hex back," I told her. "Before it's too late. He doesn't deserve this."

"No, he doesn't, does he?" Genevieve asked. "But, then, how will I get what I want?"

"And just what the hell do you want?" I asked. 

"That depends," Genevieve told me. "I want two things. Klaus Mikaelson and you."

"Me?" I asked, crossing my arms over my chest. "What the hell do you want with me?"

"Most witches hate you for trying to stop the Harvest eight months ago," Genevieve told me. "But the ancestors understand. They know you were just trying to protect four teenage girls from death that you didn't know if they would come back from or not. But we're past that. You have faith and power, and you stayed to fight. Now, all you have to do is choose which side you're on. You choose to side with the vampires, you'll die along with them. You choose to side with us, the witches, your own people, all is forgiven. To oppose us is to oppose the natural order. By choice or by force, the witches of the French Quarter will rise again. You've been given a second chance, Auria. Take it. I'll leave you to consider your options."

Genevieve walked away.

I was in too much shock to move.

How was I supposed to choose between that?