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CHAPTER 15: THE YEAR WAS 1919

❝ how poetic. ❞

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ENOLA FELT AS SMALL AND INSIGNIFICANT AS HUMANLY POSSIBLE. She understood how it can actually ache in places she didn't even know she had inside of her. And it doesn't matter how many new haircuts she gets—or gyms she join or how many glasses of chardonnay she drinks with her girlfriends—she still go to bed every night going over every detail and wonder what she did wrong or how she could have misunderstood and how the hell for a brief moment she could think that she was ever that happy.

Enola had never felt more small and insignificant until this very moment. As Elijah and Marcel were doing everything in their power to find Klaus and Rebekah, she was forced to sit around and wait. She stood on the balcony just above the courtyard as Marcel threw out commands to police officers. She had wondered why they were involving the humans in this fight against the witches, but she knew first hand how competent law enforcement could be if you let them do their job.

Enola watched them disperse around Marcel as Elijah entered the compound. He had left a few hours ago to Lafayette Cemetery where he was sure to find a witch who would give him what he wanted. Unfortunately by the look of things, he didn't get his way. Though he did look more determined than before which was good for them. This meant he must've got something from the witches. If not the location of Klaus and Rebekah, what could it have possibly been?

"Anything?" Elijah questioned.

"They're putting eyes and ears out everywhere. Daywalkers are working every contact we've got. Cops, dock workers, guys in the treme. Word is out." Marcel informed. "Anyone trying to earn favor with me gets a lifetime of it if they find them."

"Good," Elijah nodded. "I need a pen and paper."

Elijah began to storm up the stairs with Marcel close behind. Enola joined them in their short trek down the hall. They each gave her a nod of acknowledgement as they stormed into the study with minds full of concern and confusion.

"Am I taking orders from you now?" Marcel questioned. "Or are we in this together?

"Pen and Paper, Marcel." Elijah repeated as he began to peel off his suit jacket.

"I want her back just as much as you do," Marcel reminded. "Both of them."

Marcel began rummaging through the desk for a pen and paper as Elijah began unbuttoning his dress shirt. Enola furrowed her brows, eyes flickering around his bare chest and torso. A list of names appeared to be tattooed across his body, making her confusion all the more prominent.

"Hayley!" Enola called out.

"Yeah?" Hayley peered into the room, freezing in the doorway at the sight of Elijah. "What is happening?"

"Help me make a list of these names," Enola muttered

"Okay . . . " Hayley agreed hesitantly. She began slowly circling Elijah in confusion and curiosity. Her eyes finally latched on an annoyingly familiar name. "Sabine?" She looked up at Elijah for answers. "What is this?"

"I believe they represent the names of the women that Celeste inhabited for the past two centuries," Elijah answered.

"It's called a devinette. It's old school. Kind of a riddle. Witches use them to teach their kids." Marcel informed, handing Enola a pen and a pad of paper. "Solve it and it disappears."

"Why? What's the point?" Enola frowned.

"Celeste forced me to make a choice between yourself and my siblings and now she means to mock that choice, taunting me with a childish game. The longer the game, the more they suffer." Elijah scowled. "To find Niklaus and Rebekah, we need to solve this riddle. The solution lies somewhere in these names."

"The name next to Sabine—Annie LaFleur. She's a witch that was shunned from her coven just over a year ago." Marcel pointed out. "Never knew why, but I can find out."

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"She killed herself?"

After Elijah and Marcel set out to locate this Annie character, Enola and Hayley were left to their own devices. Until Elijah finally called to share the horrid news. Though none of them were particularly surprised that this was a dead end. Everywhere they looked, the witches appeared to be one step ahead of them.

"Yes. Drowned herself in the Mississippi to be precise." Elijah informed. "Celeste had clearly tired of the body and was ready to take Sabine's."

"How do you know that?" Hayley frowned.

"She leapt to her death from the very location Celeste and I had our first kiss," Elijah muttered, scowl prominent in his voice.

"How poetic," Enola hummed. "In a creepy, vendetta kind of way."

"All these names, these lives, stolen so that Celeste might take her revenge." Elijah sighed. "I suppose we have no choice but to see where they take us. I have to call you back."

"Elijah, wait." Hayley rushed out.

"What is it?" Elijah frowned in concern.

"Ask Marcel if he knows anything about a name on that list—Brynne Deveraux." Hayley pleaded. "Sophie said that it was her family's bloodline that put the curse on the Crescent wolves, but Celeste said she was the only one that could break it. If Brynne Deveraux was actually Celeste when she cast the spell, then maybe Celeste can still break it."

"I'll see what he knows," Elijah promised.

"Oh, and Elijah?" Enola began. It was her turn to stop him from hanging up. "I'm really sorry. If I had known that Celeste made you choose who to help—"

"I still would have chosen you," Elijah answered. "My brother would have my head if I were to let anything happen to you." He paused as if considering something else. "And you are my family as well. Never forget that."

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Every witch Celeste had possessed had committed suicide. Every witch except for one. Clara Summerlin. She died of influenza in the epidemic of 1919 along with a woman by the name of Genevieve. Enola had found a picture of them together.

Her eyes narrowed on Genevieve. Though the picture was black and white she could vaguely recognize this woman. She had seen Genevieve in present day, lurking on every street corner with that vibrant red hair and sharp blue eyes. She had just assumed that this strange woman was a tourist. But Genevieve knew Clara—Celeste—back in 1919 along with Papa Tunde. It was no coincidence. Genevieve must have been one of the resurrected witches.

"Elijah," Hayley greeted, glancing away from the laptop for a moment. "Look what we found."

"Shh," Elijah put a finger to his lips as if to quiet them down. "You were right about the Deveraux witch."

Marcel suddenly entered the room. They had given Enola and Hayley the task of researching New Orleans history. While Enola did the actual work, Hayley paced the room back and forth until Elijah and Marcel finally returned from their quest of tracking down leads that led nowhere.

"Find anything about Clara the mystery witch?" Marcel questioned.

"Yes, actually. She was a nurse at the Fleur-de-lis Sanitorium with this Genevieve woman. They both mysteriously died of influenza back in 1919 when they had showcased no symptoms prior." Enola explained. "I think Genevieve is one of the resurrected witches. Recognize her? Top row, second from the right."

"No, I don't." Elijah frowned. Marcel froze. "Marcel? Do I need to remind you that Niklaus and Rebekah are somewhere suffering horribly? If you know something, talk."

"The Sanitorium," Marcel sighed hesitantly. "That's where you'll find them."

"Are you sure?" Hayley wondered. "How do you know?"

"I just know," Marcel shrugged vaguely.

"How do you know?" Elijah pushed skeptically.

"If I'm right, you need to know exactly what we're walking into." Marcel began anxiously. "We did something—Rebekah and I. I think the witches are trying to use it against her. It's something that you're not going to like."

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They all stood in absolute silence. No one knew quite what to say about Marcel and Rebekah committing the greatest sin of all. They had the witch Genevieve send a message to Mikael that would divulge their location. When the deed was done, Rebekah used a dirty rag soaked in the blood of one of the influenza patients and forced it on Genevieve's mouth. Clara had witnessed this, forcing Rebekah to act rashly again. They couldn't let any one know that They were the reasons New Orleans burnt so many years ago. And now their secret was on the verge of getting out.

"For the better part of a century, I have wondered how father found us, what foolish mistake that we had made to destroy our time in the one place that we could finally call home." Elijah ranted. "Did you know, I even blamed myself for a time, Marcellus?"

Elijah did not let Marcel speak. He used his enhanced speed to whisk across the room to pin his enemy to the wall. He was shaking in rage as his hands tightened into fists. He had been all over the world and the only place that he felt they belonged was stolen from them because of their father. Now he knew it wasn't because of their father. And it was all because of Marcel.

"Elijah!" Hayley gasped in shock.

"Niklaus treated you like a son." Elijah seethed, shoving Marcel further into the wall. "And Rebekah—"

"I loved her!" Marcel defended. "I still love her. All we have ever wanted was to be together, but as long as Klaus was around, that was never going to happen." He closed his eyes and took a deep breath to calm down. "But hey, I guess you wouldn't know anything about that, huh?"

"This isn't going to solve anything," Enola spoke up. "Klaus and Rebekah are still missing."

Elijah held onto Marcel for a moment longer. Then he finally dropped him to the ground. Enola was right. Fighting wasn't going to solve anything. They still needed to find Klaus and Rebekah which should be much easier now that they've got a location in mind. Fleur-de-lis Sanitorium.

"When Niklaus learns the truth, there will be no end to his rage," Elijah informed stoically. "I will not let my sister suffer that wrath."

"Then we need to get to them before he learns the truth," Marcel decided.

Enola and Hayley watch in silence as Elijah and Marcel storm out of the room on a mission that would ensure the safe return of Klaus and Rebekah. However, if Klaus ever found out the truth of what Rebekah has done, there would be no safe return for any of them.

"Enola?" Hayley began slowly.

"Yeah?" Enola frowned.

"Do you think Celeste would be at the Sanitorium?" Hayley wondered.

"Probably," Enola nodded. "Genevieve is only successful because of Celeste. She would probably want to keep a close eye on her little project."

"Then what do you say we witch-nap her?" Hayley smirked. "Get her to break the curse on the Crescents."

"I say," Enola began slowly. "We better hurry before Elijah gets his hands on her."

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AUTHORS NOTE.
sorry for the short and boring chapter. i promise the next one is better. there is plenty of enola and klaus content there. until next time. my loves!!!