CHAPTER THIRTEEN

"Kresley" Elijah acknowledged me with a sharp nod before his eyes swiftly left mine. I gulped, my head dropping until I was staring at the floor. Kol gave my hand another squeeze before dropping it and positioning himself in front of me. I looked back up and he gave me a soft smile before addressing his siblings.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, looking between his brothers with a frown.

"I happen to live here." Finn said, raising his eyebrows in challenge.

"I wasn't talking to you, dimwit." Kol said sharply before crossing his arms over his chest and nodding towards Elijah, "What is he doing here?"

"Kol, a pleasure as always." Elijah addressed his younger brother with a forced smile, "I apologise for my sudden appearance. If I had known that you were here with my mate, I would have called ahead to warn you of my impending presence."

My stomach dipped when he mentioned me. Biting my lip, I looked up and startled when I noticed Elijah's eyes on me. I blinked away my shock and took a deep steadying breath as I met his gaze. We watched each other for a moment before Kol cleared his throat and our eyes darted towards him.

"I am afraid that Elijah is not here for a visit." Finn said and for the first time, I noticed the heavy concern on his face. I did not know him well and yet I could practically feel how tense his body was with stress.

"What happened?" I asked, the words flying from my mouth without permission. I stepped around Kol and I looked between Finn and Elijah, my brows furrowed in concern. The worry I felt for them felt so extremely natural that it shocked me.

Finn signed, closing his eyes as he announced, "Rebekah is missing."

My whole body froze at his words. For a small second, even my heart failed to beat. I looked up at Finn, a man I barely knew, with wide, horrified eyes. Only Kol knew my history with Rebekah and I felt confusion rippling from Elijah and Finn. Right now, however, I couldn't care less.

"Rebekah is missing?" I whispered, my voice cracking slightly when I said her name.

"She failed to show up to dinner with us." Elijah said sharply as he adjusted the sleeves of his suit jacket.

I raised an eyebrow. I had not known that Elijah would be attending the dinner with Rebekah and Finn.

Kol let out an unworried huff, "This is Rebekah we're talking about! We hardly ever hear from her, let alone see her. It is no surprise that she skipped a family dinner and I hardly blame her for it."

"She would never skip our dinners, Kol. Something must have happened to her." Finn shook his head seriously and his words felt like a gut punch. "We all allow Rebekah to do her own thing and have minimal contact but she always picks up the phone when we call her."

"What do we do?" I asked helplessly, running a hand through my hair and tugging at the strands, causing pain to elicit on my scalp.

"Your assistance is not required." Elijah told me coldly, "This is a family matter."

"Don't speak to her like that-" Kol began but I interrupted him.

"You know what, fuck you." I told Elijah with a confidence that I found in the wake of Rebekah potentially being in danger, "Whatever pain I have caused you is completely inconsequential at the moment. Your sister is missing and I am very capable of helping."

Elijah watched me for a moment, his expression unreadable. Then, he nodded his head and said, "We need to do a locator spell."

"I can do that." I said confidently.

Elijah nodded before pacing further into the house towards the kitchen. Finn followed him and I took a deep breath out the moment they had both left the room. Kol tenderly touched a hand to my cheek and I looked up at him with sad eyes.

"Don't worry, Kresley," Kol told me softly, sending me a reassuring smile, "Bekah is probably just being dramatic. She absolutely loves attention."

"I know she does." I whispered sadly, leaning into his side, seeking his comfort.

"Are you sure that you can do this? Perform a locator spell?" He asked with concern, his thumb gently tracing my cheek.

"I have to." I said with determination.

"Have you ever performed one before?" Kol asked and I shook my head.

"No but I know how." I answered, "I can do it, Kol."

"Okay." Kol nodded, accepting my decision.

"Just perhaps keep a bucket of water on hand incase I nearly burn the house down." I whispered and he cracked a small smile.

"But it would be so funny if you burned Finn's house down!" he pouted.

"I'm pretty sure that Finn would not agree." I replied as he dropped his hand from my face, grabbed ahold of my hand and led me into the kitchen.

***

I took a deep breath as I stared at the map that covered the kitchen table. I could already feel the magic from deep within me awaken, as if it knew that I would soon be needing it. I desperately hoped that it would behave because despite what Kol, I think that burning down the house would be a tragedy.

"I need something to track her with." I told the brothers, "Can one of you provide blood?"

"I can!" they all said at the same time, holding up their wrists.

I shot them each a concerned look, "You all seem concerningly eager to bleed."

"Whose blood do you want?" Kol asked, handing me a kitchen knife.

"Excuse me?" I said, feeling somewhat baffled by the question. I looked down at the knife with mild horror. Did they seriously want me to choose who to slightly injure?

"Take your pick, darling." Kol said again, gesturing to himself and his siblings.

"I'm going to pretend that you didn't just say that." I told him, a faint blush covering my cheeks.

I grabbed his hand and held it over the center of the map. With a wince, I quickly dragged the knife against his skin. Hurting him made me feel ill but I pushed past the feeling and watched as three droplets of blood landed on the map. I audibly sighed in relief as the cut healed and Kol pulled his hand away.

Now that I had everything I needed, it was time to perform the spell.

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes and I summoned the magic from within me. I held my hands over the map and began to whisper the spell. I opened my eyes just in time to see the small puddle of blood slowly move. But just as soon as it started, it stopped and I felt a prickly pain in the center of my forehead.

I grabbed my head and let out a sharp sound of pain.

"Are you okay?" said a voice and I was surprised to find that it had been Elijah who had asked.

"I'm fine," I said looking down at the map in confusion, "Let me try again."

I held my hands back over the map and repeated the spell, grimacing once more at the sudden pain in my head.

"Are you doing it right?" Kol asked, his brows furrowed in confusion.

"Yes?" I said uncertainly as I tried again, "I think that someone is blocking me. I can't find her location."

Elijah let out a long sigh, "So Rebekah has been taken by witches, then."

"They must be cloaking her whereabouts." Finn nodded, his face pale.

"Thank you, Kresley, but I am afraid there is nothing more you can do." Elijah said sadly.

"Wait!" I said before he could leave, "I can do it!"

"It doesn't matter how powerful you are, Kresley," Kol informed me softly, "If a witch is hiding her location then there is no way that any witch can track her."

I let out a helpless noise, running a hand through my hair. Panic filled me at the thought of Rebekah being in danger. I needed to help her no matter what. Frustrated tears filled my eyes as I began to pace the kitchen.

"I'm not just any witch, though, am I?" I whispered to nobody in particular, "I'm her mate! If anyone can find her then I can!"

I stopped in front of the kitchen table once more with a renewed determination. I looked down at the map for a moment before hovering my hands over it. This time, I did not focus on the blood. Instead, I focused on the way Rebekah made me feel. Images of our time together played over in my mind and I desperately sought the thread of fate that bound me to her. I let out a gasp when I found it and my eyes flew open.

All three brothers were all watching me with wide eyes and I sent them a small smile. "I know where she is."

"Then let's go and find her."

A/N: I hope that this chapter was worth the wait!

What do you think has happened to Rebekah and where do you think she is?

Originally published: January 4th 2025