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CHAPTER 23: THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAILS

❝ you can't win. ❞

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ONCE UPON A TIME, THERE WAS A MAJESTIC KING AND A BEWITCHING QUEEN. They lived in a colorful kingdom where music and art were celebrated. They did not foresee having a child. But they lived in an enchanted land where all things were possible.

In time, the majestic king and bewitching queen were blessed with a beautiful baby girl for whom they wished only peace and happiness. Still, they had demons who pursued them. There was a ruthless beast who wanted to take their kingdom for her own. Armed with a pack of untamed creatures, she drove the other magical beings from the land. And let's not forget the wicked sorceress with enchanted stones that weakened the king on every full moon, making the queen feel completely and utterly helpless.

Seeing the shadow their enemies cast upon their home, the majestic king and bewitching queen were driven to send their beloved princess away. Convincing all who remained that she was forever lost. In their sorrow, they turned away from the world. The castle closed its doors and the kingdom fell. Some say that the only light that shines in the castle illuminates the shadow of the once mighty king and enchanting queen in the room meant for their child.

But as the ruthless beast took rule over the fallen realm, little did they know that the king and queen would not rest until their enemies were vanquished. For they believed that one day, they would heal the kingdom and bring their beloved princess home. So that she might live happily ever after.

An angry shout could be heard over the deafening sound of opera music. Klaus launched an empty canvas across the room in a fit of rage. His eyes narrowed into dangerous slits at his dear brother who lingered in the doorway, having witnessed his little temper tantrum.

"I suppose we should call this your white period," Elijah commented, eyeing the empty canvas.

"I'm missing a crucial color in my palette," Klaus claimed. "That of my enemy's blood."

"Well, I recommend a Venetian red with a dash of rust." Elijah hummed sarcastically.

"It has been months. I have adhered to our plan—sit and do nothing, sell our grief." Klaus growled, frustration nipping at the back of his mind. "My child is safely away. My fiancé is suffering from postpartum depression. Another full moon is upon us. Another night of pathetic weakness as the moonlight rings steal my strength." He tightly closed his eyes in a pathetic attempt to calm his frustration. "The inertia is killing me. I need to act. I—I—I need to spill blood."

"Then you will be pleased to know that I have located the last of the twelve rings forged with your blood," Elijah nodded.

"Then it is time," Klaus smirked evilly.

"And none too soon," Elijah interrupted. "I'm concerned about Enola."

"She was doing well enough after the engagement," Klaus whispered.

"And then?" Elijah pushed.

"And then a week passed and she stopped getting out of bed," Klaus sighed. "And then a month passed and the trips to the bayou began."

"Have you tried speaking to her?" Elijah frowned.

"Sadly, like her lovely fiancé, she prefers to fight her demons alone." Klaus sighed. "She disappeared to the bayou before the sun rose."

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Enola returned from the bayou late. Klaus was still in the art studio. She entered their shared room under the illusion that it would be empty. Imagine her surprise when she finds the door to the nursery left ajar. She knew for a fact that the door had been closed when she left. They had both refused to touch the room since their daughter had left them. She was left with an unbridled fury as she stormed over. She swung the door open so hard that she nearly yanked it off its hinges. Still, the occupant was unbothered by the interruption as they continued to pack the room up. She wasn't even surprised at who the intruder was.

"What do you think you're doing, Elijah?" Enola snapped.

"Welcome back," Elijah muttered, not bothering to glance up. "What is it? The third night this week?"

As a hybrid, Enola had full control over the transformation. She was frustrated to learn that she didn't have a choice to turn during that first full moon. She had gotten used to the pain though. She believed it was what she deserved. She was punishing herself. So she would disappear out to the bayou, break every bone in her body, and run until she could no longer move. It was the only way she could release her anger at the moment. The only way she could feel something. Even if it was rage.

"I don't need a caretaker. Hybrids are invincible." Enola remained, eyes flickering around wildly. "What are you doing, Elijah?"

"As we have discussed, our illusion needs to be flawless." Elijah recited, lifting a teddy bear out of the crib. "Now months have passed. It is the appropriate time."

"What's next on the appropriate list?" Enola scoffed sarcastically. "Klaus and I hold our heads up high and say we're ready to try again?"

"I understand that this is difficult for you," Elijah sighed, finally looking up.

"What is difficult is knowing that Francesca Guerrera is still breathing after she plotted with the witches to kill my baby," Enola growled in frustration.

"You will have your vengeance," Elijah announced. "I promise you this."

"Well, until then, this is my room." Enola spat, yanking the teddy bear away from Elijah. "And I will tell you when it's appropriate to clean it out."

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Enola and Klaus sat in the dining room with Hayley and Elijah. A family meeting had been called that was bound to uplift the spirit in their household. Especially when it came to vengeance. The final pieces to their plan were finally falling into place. The only thing that had been holding them back was the missing white oak stake. It had gone missing the night they had lost baby Hope. They assumed the Guerrera werewolves had stolen it in their claim for the city. But if that was the case, why weren't they attacking? Because they didn't have it.

"We have the Guerrera's where we want them. We have them waiting and we have them worried." Klaus announced. "And now we know they have no defense against an original."

"We don't know that," Hayley argued.

"I'm willing to gamble," Klaus decided.

"It is too risky," Elijah agreed with Hayley like always. "The stake didn't just disappear. Someone has it."

"One enemy at a time," Klaus shrugged. "In the end, we will slay them all."

Klaus grimaced under the light of the full moon as Enola rushed over. They hadn't shared many words as of late, but you could see the love and adoration they had for one another. They showed it time and time again, not through words but through actions. They were both hurting these past few months and had been struggling to communicate. But that didn't mean that they didn't care for one another. It just means that they grieve in their own ways.

"If we're going to do this, we need to do this now." Enola announced, giving Klaus a gentle rub on the back.

"Fine. We are taking the twelve original rings." Elijah caved. "Now four of them sit on the hands of the Guerrera brothers, one on Oliver, one on Francesca, three with her home security detail and the rest scattered amongst lackeys. Each ring is distinguishable by its setting—gauche, like those that wear them."

"If they believe they can get the stake, they will come for me when I'm weak." Klaus sighed, leaning into Enola. "Each ring we retrieve will strengthen me, but I will be at a disadvantage."

"Ergo any hope of our success depends entirely upon our working together." Elijah finished, looking between Klaus and Enola. "The two of you can no longer afford to retreat in separate corners."

Klaus slowly stood before turning to face Enola with a look of determination. His hand went up to gently caress the apple of her cheek. He stared at her with so much love she didn't know was possible until she met him. It made her feel so guilty about how cold she had been acting these past few months. She would completely understand if he wanted to call off the engagement. But no matter how horribly she treated him, he made it clear he wasn't going anywhere.

"This is our fight," Klaus spoke softly. "Are you ready for battle, little monster?"

"Just promise me Francesca doesn't make it out alive," Enola pleaded.

"Her head will be delivered to you on a silver platter," Klaus agreed. "I promise."

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Francesca sat in anticipation. She had sent one group of werewolves to the compound to subdue Klaus and Elijah and sent another group of werewolves to the abandoned factory where Hayley and Marcel were lying in wait with a white oak stake they didn't actually have. She hadn't heard from any of them in a while. She was beginning to grow anxious.

A sudden shout sounded from outside. Francesca stood almost immediately. She peered through the large bay window in an attempt to see through the darkness outside just as she was joined by her brothers. She gasped in both shock and horror when the window was suddenly coated in a thick layer of blood. The fear slowly began to set in when the front door slowly creaked open and a decapitated head rolled through.

Enola stood on the front porch covered in blood. Her amber eyes shone as a beacon of chaos and destruction in the darkness. She had been waiting for this moment for months. She could tell that she wasn't who they were expecting. They thought Klaus would come for them eventually, but her? They forgot all about her. Until now.

"It's fine," Francesca reassured her brothers with a haughty smirk. "She can't get in."

"Can't I?" Enola hummed nonchalantly.

"Don't bluff me," Francesca scoffed with an amused eye roll. "You can't win."

"You mobsters are so arrogant," Enola chuckled dryly. "Al Capone thought of himself as invincible back in the day and in the end, he was sentenced to Alcatraz for which of his crimes? A failure to pay his taxes. I suppose the devil is in the details." Her eyes flicker across the foyer. "My, my, you have a beautiful home here. I was so pleased when the city took my suggestion to protect its heritage status and invoke eminent domain." Her smile only widened at the look of horror Francesca now wore. "So I suppose that means this house now belongs to the public, and as such, anyone can enter without invitation."

Francesca tensed when Enola slowly stepped past the threshold. Her amber eyes brightened as she broke every bone in her body with ease. She launched at the first Gurrera brother, tearing him to shreds in under a minute before moving on to her next victim. Even with their moonlight rings they were no match for her. An angry mother who had lost her child because of them. When the walls were painted red with the blood belonging to the Gurrera brothers, she set her sights on the one person she had been looking forward to killing all along.

"No, no, no, no, no!" Francesca begged, cheeks damp with horrified tears. "Please—I will do anything. Just leave me alone!"

Enola stalked forward like a predator stalking its prey. Her sleek black fur was almost as intimidating as the look in her amber eyes. She didn't waste time listening to Francesca's broken pleas as she tore the woman a part with nothing but her teeth.

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Klaus was finally able to relax. He sat on a stool ready for inspiration to come. His brush was just inches away from the canvas when a loud crash echoed throughout the compound. He immediately dropped the brush in alert before standing to his feet. He followed the loud noise into the nursery where he found his fiancé tearing the room apart in fury with a hint of sadness.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Klaus called out, grabbing Enola by the arm. "Talk to me."

Enola couldn't breathe. She couldn't think. She couldn't feel. She had tried her best to hold onto her sanity, but it was slipping through her fingers like sand through an hourglass. She no longer knew how to keep her rage and sorrow to herself. She began to think Elijah was right. Now was the appropriate time to get rid of any trace Hope had left behind in the compound.

"I killed her," Enola breathed shakily. "I killed Francesca."

"What happened?" Klaus questioned softly.

"She looked me dead in the eye and begged for her life as I tore her apart," Enola confessed. "I don't feel bad about it, but I don't feel any better. I don't feel any peace. I don't feel anything."

"It is perfectly natural what you are feeling," Klaus spoke earnestly.

"Nothing about what I am is natural," Enola shook her head.

"As a hybrid, you'll begin to experience feelings with a greater intensity." Klaus informed as gently as possible. "It will take time to master control."

"I don't want control. I want to be human." Enola confessed. "I was a mother. Now I am a monster."

"You are many things, my love, but a monster is most certainly not one of them." Klaus defended.

"Then what am I?" Enola wondered. "Because I am definitely not myself."

"No. You are not yourself." Klaus agreed. "But that is life. People change. All the time. And there is absolutely nothing wrong with that."

"Why are you so nice to me?" Enola inquired. "I have been nothing but difficult these past few months and you are there every time to hold my hand and tell me everything is going to be okay."

"I love you. No matter what." Klaus promised, pulling Enola into a tight embrace. "And if I have to sit through yet another temper tantrum then so be it. There is no place I would rather be than by your side."

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AUTHORS NOTE.
and i am back! january felt like it lasted an eternity. i figured that i would wait to start uploading act two once the first act hit ten thousand reads. and now that it has, i will be updating much more regularly. i do not like to keep my readers waiting. inconsistency is something i greatly dislike when it comes to wattpad. like when you finally find a really good book but it has not been updated for years. or when someone has a really good idea but it is written poorly. anywhore,, i hope you all enjoyed this chapter. the next one should be coming soon. thank you so much for reading. until next time, my loves!!!