CHAPTER TWO
' a deal with the devils '

Elijah had always considered himself a relatively well composed person, someone who thrived under pressure.

Tonight however, as he burst through the ballroom doors with a dramatic flair only a Mikaelson could muster, some might disagree. He could feel the weight of curious gazes on him, all wondering what had provoked this sudden entrance.

"Elijah." Elena called, her voice cutting through the crowd as she chased after him. Whether he was too caught up in his panic to hear or simply ignoring her, she couldn't tell. But she was certain that disrupting the ball like this would surely attract his mother's attention, something they definitely wanted to avoid.

As she finally caught up with him she grasped his arm, pulling him to a halt. "People are looking." she warned him, eyes darting to the various guests looking on with both concern and intrigue.

He followed her gaze, realising with a sigh that in his haste, he had caused quite the commotion. "My apologies Miss Gilbert, it was not my intention to cause any alarm."

Her eyes softened as she took in his distressed state. "I understand Elijah," she said, releasing his arm. "But you have to stay strong. For her."

He nodded, taking a deep breath to centre himself. His thoughts were consumed by images of his soulmate in danger, a pain deeper than any torture he had ever endured. Clenching and unclenching his fists, he used the sensation to anchor himself back to reality. The chatter of the ballroom and the soft chords of the violin eventually flooding back.

With newfound clarity, he refocused on the task at hand. "Are you certain Miss Bennett will agree to help?"

Elena nodded without hesitation. "Of course. I know Bonnie, she wouldn't want any more innocents dragged into this fight."

He allowed himself a small smile at the reassurance, determination powering him as he split from Elena and made his way to the bar where two of his siblings were gathered. Kol leaned against the polished counter, arms crossed, while Rebekah fidgeted with the hem of her dress, her eyes occasionally darting towards the dance floor.

"Is it time for a family reunion already?" Kol teased upon noticing Elijah, a raised eyebrow taking in his disheveled state.

"Where are the rest of our siblings?" Elijah asked, cutting straight to the point. "We must act quickly. There's a threat far closer than we anticipated." He placed a hand on Rebekah's back to guide her with him, her expression swiftly shifting to one of concern. "What's wrong, brother?"

"Not now, I'll explain everything after we have found Niklaus and Finn." Elijah moved with purpose across the ballroom, Rebekah following closely as Kol trailed behind.

"Elena is fetching Bonnie. We are to meet them in the kitchen as soon as possible." He further explained, glancing back towards the dance floor where he could see the two girls speaking in hushed tones.

"What the bloody hell does that doppelgänger wench have to do with anything?" Rebekah asked, her exasperation evident as she exchanged a bewildered look with Kol.

"And isn't this Bonnie the town witch? If it's a spell you need why not go straight to mother?" Kol added, his confusion apparent.

Elijah remained silent, instead scanning the room in search of his brothers.

"Oh okay, so you're not going to answer our questions?" Kol teased, his grin reappearing. "I guess you won't care that I just saw Nik and Finn back at the bar, then."

Elijah's head whipped around to find that Kol was right. The pair were nursing drinks, engrossed in conversation. He rolled his eyes at Kol's snickering as he made a beeline for them, grabbing their arms once he reached them and dragging them towards the kitchen. Decidedly ignoring their puzzled stares, and praying that Rebekah and Kol were following.

. . .

"Bonnie has a spell that can help us track the source of the danger," Elijah explained, his gaze sweeping over his panicked siblings once he had finally rounded them all into the same room. Admittedly, it had taken longer than he intended, mostly due to Kol's habit of repeatedly wandering off. He had just finished reiterating everything Elena told him about their mother's intention to find their soulmates using the doppelgänger's blood and kill them through their shared connection. "We'll need to combine our blood with Elena's. It's the only way to pinpoint the location."

Finn nodded, his brow furrowing. "And what if this simply leads us into a trap?"

Elijah met his brother's gaze, a fire igniting within him. "We cannot let fear dictate our actions, Finn. If we hesitate, we risk losing everything."

The siblings shared a moment of silent understanding, even Kol quiet for once. Just then Elena returned, Bonnie in tow, the latter's demeanor focused and determined.

"Are you ready?" Bonnie asked, her voice steady as she approached the group. The air crackled with anticipation.

"Let's get this done," Elijah said, stepping aside to allow Bonnie to set up her materials. She quickly arranged five bowls before them, each one waiting to be filled.

"Now hold on," Klaus interrupted, his sharp words cutting through the tense atmosphere with a strong sense of paranoia. "Are we really supposed to trust the witch who has tried to kill me not once, but twice?!"

Just as Bonnie sighed deeply, preparing to have to defend herself, Kol spoke up on her behalf. "Oh, please, Nik. As if everybody here hasn't tried to kill you at least once."

"To be fair, Finn hasn't." Rebekah pointed out, much to Kol's annoyance.

"Exactly!" Klaus exclaimed, lifting a hand to pat his eldest brother on the back. "I always knew you were my favourite Finn."

Finn looked absolutely mortified, the weight of his mistakes and his mother's manipulation lay heavy on his shoulders. Yes, he initially believed he and his siblings should die. But now understanding the depth of his mother's lies, his opinion had changed. His only wish currently was to find his soulmate and show her all the love he was certain she deserved.

Risking a glance up, he made eye contact with Elena. Her expression held no malice. Only kindness could be found amongst her soft gaze. And as their eyes locked, his desperate where hers were sympathetic, she subtly shook her head. A silent promise that his secret was safe with her, and Finn didn't think he had ever been so thankful.

The atmosphere grew somehow tenser as Bonnie approached Elena and drew blood from her wrist, allowing a few drops to fall into each bowl before moving on to each of the Mikaelson brothers.

Rebekah stood towards the back of the room, a sinking feeling in her heart at the idea that if their mother succeeded, her siblings would be forced to endure the same pain she once did. She hoped, for their sake, that they would never have to.

As the bowls filled, Bonnie's hands trembled slightly, a sign of the power she was about to wield. "This will work," she assured them, though they could all sense the weight of the spell.

With each bowl containing a mix of blood, Bonnie positioned them around an old map spread out on the bar. She took a deep breath, her voice steady as she began to chant, the words flowing like a melody steeped in ancient magic.

As the final syllables left her lips, a pulse of energy radiated from the bowls, intertwining with the map. Each sibling leaned closer, their eyes widening as the blood began to shift, forming glowing paths on the paper. Paths which all led to the same destination.

Kol stared in amazement. There right at the end of the path was his soulmate, his destiny. Although there was one thing even more shocking, "All our soulmates live in the same city? What are the chances..?"

"Who cares? We need to leave right now." Klaus shouted, his momentary shock already wearing off as he stormed out of the room. Presumably to pack a bag.

The others shrugged, following suit. Leaving Elijah behind to stare at the map alone, his brow furrowed. "It's rather strange, no? That all our soulmates somehow ended up in the same place." he said to no one in particular.

Glancing up, he was met with the smirk of the bennett witch. Alongside a smug gaze which clearly knew something he didn't. "How very strange indeed." She responded cryptically, causing him to tilt his head.

He didn't have the time to question her though, as Kol's voice rang through the house. "Elijah, if you aren't here in five minutes we're leaving without you!"

He rolled his eyes and pushed the strange interaction he'd had a few seconds prior aside as he made his way out of the room.

. . .

As they set off in Klaus' car, the ballroom faded into the background, replaced by the urgency of their mission. Elijah felt the weight of his family beside him, the strength of their bond igniting a fierce determination. They would face whatever awaited them in London together.

Though as they drove out into the night, Elijah couldn't shake the feeling that the true battle was just beginning.

A/N: first of all, we ignore that Bonnie wasn't actually at the ball in the show because my girl deserved an invite!!
second of all, TWO UPDATES WITHOUT LITERAL MONTHS BETWEEN THEM??it's a new charlie era

Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed!

Words: 1589
Originally published: May 14th 2025