Grace // Klaus Mikaelson

37

We have made it to Friday! 

Today marks the start of my mid-semester reading week, and to be honest, it has been a long time coming.  This has been my second semester entirely online, and I guess, like other students (and likely lectures), the novelty has worn off. I don't particularly hate it, but I never really wanted to do remote learning. I engage far better when there isn't a screen between the person and me talking to me. Writing really provides a nice creative outlet, and when 'Grace' trailed off in 2018, I never could have imaged the engagement that is occurring today. 

I realise I am updating far more frequently than I normally do, but hey, when the chapters are written, I would rather you guys be reading them than just sitting there in my drafts. 

Please keep up the commenting (the guessing and speculating is amazing, and it's nice to see that you are enjoying Grace's journey as much as I am writing it). So without further ado, I present the next chapter, which may or may not answer some of your burning questions and queries. 

Emma xox

26th August 2010

"...Ignitium."

"No..." She whispered at first, but then her voice raised in fear and fury. "No! Grace, you can't. No."

"Dos Ex Salvo." Grace finished off, the smile wiped from her lips but not her eyes.

Gloria opened her mouth once more, a torrent of insults and pleas falling from them, but Grace silenced her with the tightening of her palm.

"Phasmatis Ignitium Dos On Salvo, Phasmatis Ignitium Dos On Salvo."

Gloria's eyes widened as Grace completed the spell, and unlike the salt, a great flame descended upon. The witch went up like dry tinder, engulfed in a large plume of fire so hot that even Grace stumbled back.

Ash tumbled off into the air, but a body did not fall to the floor - it took Grace a second to realise there was nothing to fall. Gloria was gone.

As the fire died down, Grace suddenly fell to the floor in pain; her chest flared as did her head. Her eyes felting like they were simultaneously shoved into her skull expelled from their sockets - it was an unnatural and painful experience, but above all else, extremely nauseating.

She was unsure if it was the toll of the magic or something else - perhaps a parting gift from Gloria. Gasping for breath, she eventually managed to find her feet again.

"Stefan!" She called out, rushing to his side. Cupping his cheeks, she gently shook him to - his eyes were blurry and unfocused. Leaving him for a second, she dashed around the table, undoing his constraints. As the final one came loose, he sat up with a frightening gasp. "Stefan, what happened?"

"Gloria, she had me under a paralysis spell." Stefan's had span around as if he expected her to walk back in at any moment.

"It's alright, she's gone," said Grace, her eyes landing on the scorched patch of the floor.

"Grace?" Stefan asked wearily.

"Apparently, she was right - I can use magic."

"And you..?"

"She had it coming the moment she threw a glass at me," Grace laughed nervously before she realised that Stefan was still looking at her rather seriously. "Can we not talk about it?" She asked, her hands landing on one of the hooks still embedded in his forearms. "Can you...I don't know, get these out?"

He need not answer; with two swift pulls and gritted teeth, they were discarded onto the floor.

"You killed someone with magic; they are two things we need to talk about."