An hour later, Beatrix still couldn't believe what she'd just agreed to.

Hayley and Marcel had already been revived by then, and Marcel had left to look for Freya. The Heretic had been occupied in her thoughts when Marcel and Freya came in without Rebekah, who was meant to have arrived in New Orleans that night.

"Where is Rebekah?" demanded Elijah.

Freya cast him a distraught look. "Get to the St. Louis Cathedral and wait for me. I need to call Klaus. Beatrix— get everything ready for a locator spell."

"Got it," said the Heretic, glad to get her mind off of Caroline and the apparently alive twins.

Elijah, Hayley, and Beatrix sped away immediately, Marcel waiting behind to take Freya with him once she called Klaus. They wasted no time in getting up to the belltower. Beatrix grabbed the biggest map she could find and put it on the table, setting a wide array of candles on the four corners to hold the map down. She took a bowl and beckoned for Elijah to drain his blood into it. Without hesitation, he bit into his wrist and let the crimson liquid drain in.

Minutes later, Marcel and Freya arrived. "So, where is Klaus?" said Hayley.

Freya didn't look pleased with the answer. "When I told him about Rebekah, he said he'd pursue another lead."

Elijah looked very disappointed to hear this. "Forget Niklaus. You both will find her."

"Are you sure you got enough ju-ju for a worldwide locator spell?" asked Marcel as Beatrix and Freya linked hands across the table.

"She's our family," said Freya. "We're not going to lose her." The two closed their eyes and began to chant, "Le six ce strul no cruv. Le six ce strul no cruv." They unlinked only to join palms under the bowl of blood and pour it ont the map. As soon as this was done, their hands locked again. "Le six ce strul no cruv. Le six ce strul no cruv..."

This proved useless. Rather than going to a location, the blood simply seeped all over the map. "Damnit!" Freya hissed.

"So much for witch-GPS," sighed Hayley.

"I assumed they'd cloak her," Freya said shakily. "I didn't expect a spell this strong."

"The witch that lured Rebekah in," murmured Beatrix. "With the help of the Strix Coven, too. Fuck... this is going to be a lot more difficult than we expected."

"The Strix trust me," Marcel offered. "If they know where Rebekah is, I can find her."

Elijah shook his head. "There is no time. You need to stop Davina from activating Lucien and Tristan's weapon."

"We need to find Rebekah!" Marcel insisted.

"Marcel, I will not rest until my sister is found!"

He conceded. "Alright. I'll handle Davina." He sped away.

"In the meantime, please tell me we're gonna kill someone?" said Hayley hopefully.

"Oh, we're going to kill many someones," said Elijah. "But first, if we are to start a war, let us determine where our allegiances lie." He nodded to Freya and Beatrix, and he and Hayley sped away.

"What did Klaus say?" inquired Beatrix. "Why... why didn't he come?"

"He insists there is some other lead to look into," said Freya, rubbing her temples. "No idea what it could be. But... I did notice, he was being rather quiet when he spoke. Almost like he was with someone."

Beatrix's heart skipped a beat. "You think... with someone?"

Freya nodded, and Beatrix frowned. "But... but Klaus doesn't sleep around like that," she said in confusion. "He always tells me these things. He still hasn't wanted to talk to me..."

Freya winced. "I won't pretend to know my brother as much as you do. But something is up."

The Heretic cleared her throat. "Yeah... let's just get on with this, then."

At least, trying to locate Rebekah was a good distraction from Klaus, but it brought no answers. For four hours, Beatrix and Freya went through every version of locator spells they could, trying different variations with herbs and blood, even with trinkets that belonged to Rebekah. But nothing worked.

"The spell is too powerful to penetrate from where we are," Beatrix growled, covering her face. "I'd need to be right there in front of her to siphon it away, and that might not work, if they protected it against that, which they might have, considering that Lucien has been in kahoots with Tristan."

"There has to be something!" Freya insisted, digging through her grimoires. Her phone chimed on the table. "Can you check who that is? Maybe they found something."

Beatrix went over and peered at the screen. "What? They— they invited Lucien, Tristan, and Aurora to Thanksgiving dinner? Aurora— Aurora as in—"

"Oh no," breathed Freya, covering her mouth. "The other lead. She— she's Rebekah's first sireling."

"So... so she arrived in New Orleans... and now she's... she's with Klaus?"

Beatrix was angry. Though she'd only heard Aurora's name from Elijah because Klaus refused to refer to her by it because of how hurt he was by what she did (which, apparently now, had been Elijah's doing), she recalled that Klaus harbored quite a great deal of animosity for her. How was it that now he'd taken her to his bed?

Freya covered her face and let out a frustrated half-scream. "This— this is just— no. If she's this lead, we have to go get it out of her directly."

"I agree," said Beatrix, waving her hand to extinguish the candles. "Some torture ought not be bad for her."

Freya smirked. "Yes. Let's go."

The Heretic grasped onto her arm and the two sped to the Mikaelson Compound. Beatrix had to admit— she was feeling rather uncertain about the prospect of meeting Aurora. Klaus had spouted many hateful words about her, but even now that the truth had come out regarding Elijah having compelled her to break it off with Klaus, Beatrix still couldn't imagine how he'd want someone like her back. She was problematic and loony, wasn't she?

Beatrix nibbled on her lip when they arrived at the entrance. Deep inside, though she'd never admit it, she felt jealous. Not because Aurora had Klaus's affections, but because he had his attention. She might consider Kol and Rebekah to be her best friends, but after all this time, the truth was that Klaus was her closest and most trusted friend— the one who always got her out of a spot of trouble and who she could trust. Even though she'd opened up most to Elijah and even though she got along with Kol and Rebekah all the time compared to Klaus, he was the one that at the end of the day, she went back to. He was the first Mikaelson she'd met, and though he'd fought with her more than anyone else, he had never once abandoned her in her misery.

Freya strode in, and Beatrix followed, forgetting her nerves regarding the prospect of meeting Aurora. "We're welcoming our enemies to the dinner table now?" Freya said as they made themselves known. "Convenient, given she's the one who has the answers I want."

Aurora scoffed when Freya gestured to her. Radiant and beautiful, but with an air of madness. "Oh, for heaven's sake!" she said, standing to her feet. And, also, rather short. "Now I have to deal with the long-lost sister? Nik, please spare me your family's rage and paranoia. It is exactly this kind of lunacy which led me to steal Rebekah in the first place."

"What did you do with her?" Freya demanded.

Aurora fake pouted. "Oh, I'm sorry, love, but this prophecy has you all acting as fools. And I've no intention of risking my life to foolishness. Now, I can't trust Rebekah with any of you." She faced her brother, who was glaring at Beatrix. "And I certainly can't trust the silly dear to endure on her own, so I decided to put her someplace safe. Imagine a spot where no harm could come to her. Where, in fact, no one could possibly even track her down..." she turned to Beatrix. "Not even you, Heretic. Rest assured, Rebekah is perfectly fine... at the bottom of the ocean."

Klaus narrowed his eyes at her. "You're bluffing." When the redhead shook her head, he slammed his fist onto the table. "Tell me you're bluffing!"

"Oh, you should all be thanking me!" she said dramatically. "Rebekah's never been safer! She has plenty of company down there. There's all the little crabs, and octopus, and—"

Klaus got to his feet, but Tristan sped to Freya, holding a knife to her throat. "Harm my sister, and I'll be forced to return the favor."

Klaus simply turned to Beatrix, who flicked her wrist and send Tristan flying back into Elijah, who caught him and pinned him to the wall. When Aurora got up to retaliate, Beatrix flicked her wrist again, forcing her back into her seat.

Lucien let out a little chortle of amusement, sipping his drink. "Oh, this escalated very quickly..."

"Shut up, Lucien, or I'll tear your tongue from your head!" spat Klaus irritably.

Lucien rolled his eyes. "Be careful with your threats, Nik. Anything should happen to me, I won't be able to protect your precious Cami."

Aurora's face grew to bear a murderous expression. "Okay, that is the second time I've heard her name! Just who is this Cami?"

"You have bigger problems," Freya growled at this, thrusting her hand and wrist to the side and snapping Aurora's neck.

"Freya!" chided Klaus, though he didn't seem to be disappointed.

Elijah dragged Tristan back to the table and shoved him into his seat. "Niklaus... which of these two vulgar parasites would you first like to torture?"

Klaus shrugged. "Well, it's half a dozen of one and six of the other, isn't it? Why don't you take the stable boy? Tristan and I are long overdue for a good catch up."

"Perfect," said Freya. "We'll take Aurora. I'm sure Hayley would love to come have her fun."

Klaus smirked, and leaned down to whisper menacingly in Lucien's ear. "Oh, and if anything happens to Camille..."

"I'm quite sure Lucien's aware," said Elijah. "Devastating error."

Beatrix wove her hand delicately over Aurora's body, levitating it toward the ballroom as Freya took out her phone and called Hayley. The hybrid arrived just as Beatrix shoved Aurora back into the wall. Freya and Hayley made their way in, and Beatrix brought her arms up, casting a Silencing Spell around the room.

"Wake her, Freya," said Beatrix as she and Hayley crossed their arms. "Let's see what this little bitch has to say."

The witch twirled her fingers and soon, Aurora began to twitch, taking a deep breath before opening her eyes. She looked up at the three women as if excited. "Oh, are we to play a fun game?"

"Actually, yes," said Hayley. "We're going to have a lot of fun."

Aurora gazed up at her with false fondness. "The other of Niklaus's child. Ooh, I was really hoping I'd get to meet you."

"Feeling's not mutual," Hayley stated blankly.

Aurora was unfazed. "Oh, okay. So, then what, pray tell, are we doing here?"

"Simple, darling," said Beatrix, casting her a wry grin. "You tell us where to find Rebekah, or we kill you."

"Ooh," giggled Aurora like this was the best game ever. She stood and lunged at Hayley, who immediately punched Aurora in the face and set her spinning away, her heels skidding on the floor.

"Where's Rebekah?" Hayley snarled, kicking Aurora back. The redhead did not answer, and instead, tried to go for her again, but Hayley whacked her back with her forearm, sending her into the wall. "I'm gonna ask again— where is Rebekah?"

Aurora looked back at them, her nose bleeding. She wiped it off before raising an eyebrow. "You're quite strong... for an infant."

"Funny, you think I'm strong," said Hayley with amusement. "Imagine what Beatrix is going to do to you."

This did not seem to unsettle Aurora until Beatrix swept forward and put her in a chokehold, waving her palm in the air and causing Aurora's face to break out in painful boils, making her let out a grunt of pain as she gasped for air.

She spun around and shoved Beatrix back, but Freya was ready, and thrust her hand out to make Aurora scream and clutch her head, her face downward as if to hide the boils on her face. She must have mustered all the energy she could, breaking through and lunging at Hayley, backhanding her across the face and dodging a strike to punch Beatrix, who recovered fast enough to join Freya in raising their arms to cast another spell on the girl's brain, causing her to let out a loud cry of agony, falling to her knees.

When the two witches released the spell, Aurora took a few seconds to pant and recover, but she suddenly began to giggle loudly. "Woo!" she cried, as if she was having a good time. "Haha— that actually hurt! Oh, I haven't felt pain since the 1700s! Kind of tickles!"

Beatrix glared at her. "Well, darling, we're happy to deliver more of that."

Aurora's smile fell. "I think not."

She lunged at her, but Hayley grabbed her by the hair and yanked her head back. "How about a werewolf bite, you psychotic little bitch?"

"By all means!" giggled the redhead. "If only I can laugh in your face when Nik heals me."

Hayley kneed her in the stomach before shoving her back into the wall. Before she could get up, Beatrix moved her arms in a slashing motion, keeping Aurora immobilized.

"Yes, maybe Klaus would heal you," the Heretic said sympathetically. "But... he wouldn't heal your brother, would he? So maybe, Hayley can bite him instead."

This obviously ticked her off. "No one should dare harm my brother— seeing as you're all going to need him if you want your precious Rebekah back."

Beatrix crossed her arms. "Ah, yes... and why is that? I did hear that you and your brother have the oddest relationship... he's like, obsessed with you? Maybe back then it was an endearing sort of thing but now, we call that a mental illness."

"You'd know all about mental illness, wouldn't you, Heretic?" sneered Aurora. "You all think I'm crazy but I'm nothingcompared to you. Why, Nik told me all about your little tantrums and no humanity binge. I've never been weak enough to turn mine off. I deal with pain like a strong woman."

Beatrix gritted her teeth. Why had Klaus told her? "The thing is, darling, everytime I have one of my little episodes, I bounce back stronger. You? You'll always be a conniving, snot-nosed little brat whose lover doesn't want her anymore."

Aurora's eyes seemed to darken. "Really? Because that's not what happened hours ago when I was in his bed instead of you. Lucien tells me you stabbed him in the back. You and I... we're not so similar. At least I was being compelled by Elijah. You... did it off your own accord."

Beatrix made to lunge at her, but Hayley held her back. "Tell us what you did to Rebekah!"

Aurora cast them an evil smile. "While I did ensure she was dropped in the ocean... I don't know precisely where. I had some old friends do it for me... and then I killed them. I separated the coordinates... I got the latitude, and Tristan got the longitude. Put them together and X marks the spot! So, tell me, girls— who has the advantage now?"

The Heretic would have liked nothing more than to kill her and watch the maggots eat away at her body, but clearly, both Tristan and Aurora were needed alive for now.

"Longitude and latitude," mused Lucien when they were forced to reunite at the table to discuss their findings, following Hayley's departure to return to Jackson and Hope. "Lovely."

"Well, despite our differences," said Tristan, "I believe great strides were made today." He held his glass toward his sister, who tapped hers in return.

Elijah cast him a cold look. "Tristan, I can't murder you at this very moment, but I could just as easily tear those eyeballs from your skull and feed them to your sister.

"Elijah!" said Klaus sternly. "These are our guests."

Aurora smiled. "Nik, it's so sweet of you to defend us."

The hybrid stood. "You know, I doubted my brother's wisdom in bringing us all together today, but he was right. We must confront the harsh realities we all face and make difficult choices to ensure our collective survival."

Elijah, Freya, Lucien, and Beatrix shared a concerned look, because it seemed as though Klaus was going to side with the de Martels. How fucking fantastic.

"And I have every confidence that my choice," he was saying, "will be the right one."

In an instant, he'd snapped Tristan's neck and come to stand beside Aurora, who'd gotten up with a gasp. "Were you anyone else," he sneered at her, "the servants would already be mopping your blood from the floor. If you do not bring my sister home, Tristan will die slowly, and in tremendous pain."

Aurora glared at him mutinously. "You betray me after all your promises of love?"

"I meant to keep those promises!" spat Klaus. "It was you who shattered them when you took Rebekah!" He lunged at her, coming right up in her face. "Now I have your brother— a sibling for a sibling. I want Rebekah back."

Aurora sneered at him. "You will regret this." In a state of rage, she swept her hands down the table, causing wine, food, and flowers to spill everywhere, some of the dishes breaking. A scream later, she'd stormed out of the compound.

"After everything today, you just let her go?" snarled Freya.

"Aurora should be easy enough to control," said Elijah, who looked glad at this turn of events. "We have Tristan now."

Klaus nodded and turned to Lucien. "You will take me to Camille, and you will surrender the medallion, or you will meet an end so cruel, the devil will weep."

But before they could leave, Beatrix grasped Klaus's arm. "You and I need to talk first," she said sharply.

"I haven't the time, Beatrix," he said, shaking his hand away.

She grabbed him again. "You will now! Why the bloody hell did you tell Aurora about my issues? What right did she have to know? The only reason the lot of you know is because you bore witness! I chose to tell Lucien, I chose to reveal that to Kai long ago— you don't just go about telling people about matters concerning me! That's my ruddy choice!"

Klaus cast her a hard look. "I haven't the time," he repeated, brushing his arm away and sweeping Lucien out of the compound.

Beatrix let out a frustrated growl, and Elijah pulled her away. "Pay him no heed," he stated. "Niklaus is merely trying to protect you."

"Protect me?" Beatrix scoffed. "Protect me? He's been an arse to me!"

"Do you not see how Aurora reacted upon hearing Camille's name?" Elijah said. "He is trying to keep her from discovering the bond between you two!"

"It's not that serious, Elijah! We're just friends, and he's been ignoring me for awhile before this— before Aurora arrived!"

Elijah gripped her shoulders. "I want you, Beatrix," he said bluntly. "I want you, but I am not good for you. Therefore, I withdrew myself, didn't I, to ensure I won't hurt you? Niklaus is doing the same. He knew she would arrive, at one point. And after what happened with Kai, he is not going to let himself harm you."

"But—"

"Listen to me. My brother looks at you in a way I haven't seen him look at another woman in a long time. Therefore, if my brother desires you, I will not stand in his way. He and Kai bear many similarities, and the one that stands out is that they never made you their second choice. You kept them both sane. And so, in his own way, Niklaus is trying to keep you sane. He had no right to tell Aurora what he did, but I believe he did it to not let her become aware of his feelings for you. By remaining distant, he has kept Aurora from hurting you as a method of revenge. If she were to learn how close you are—"

"Elijah, why do you all insist Klaus has feelings for me? If he did, he would tell me! He's the type that takes what he wants— he doesn't hide and play games! He's blunt!"

The Original shook his head. "I know my brother, Beatrix. I insist— he has grown fond of you once more. And I will not stand in the way of that. I wish to remain your friend, and I wish for you to be happy. Listen to me when I tell you— Niklaus is trying to protect you from the chaos that will erupt if you remain close to him. I don't pretend to understand exactly what he intends to accomplish with this, but—"

His phone chimed, and he brought it out. His face paled as he read the message that appeared on the screen. "Camille is missing," he stated, his voice softer.

Beatrix swallowed hard. "Aurora," she breathed. "It.. has to be."

Elijah nodded gravely. "Do you see now, what I meant?"