known logically that Amalie existed. But knowing something and seeing it were two different things.

"It really is you," she said, her voice full of something that almost sounded like wonder, but disbelief clung to the edges of it. Like she was still trying to convince herself.

"Yeah..." Amalie murmured, feeling a little of that same disbelief herself.

Rebekah was gorgeous. But not in the ordinary, Hollywood-perfect way. She had the kind of beauty that belonged in history books, the kind that made poets write sonnets and artists beg for the chance to immortalize her in pain. There was something almost tragic about it, the kind of face that looked like it had seen centuries of love and war and loss.

Amalie recovered quickly, though. She let her gaze drift back to Caroline and Tyler, the moment of awe slipping away as she frowned. "What's going on?" She asked.

Rebekah tilted her head slightly, almost like she was studying Amalie more than she was processing the question. But then, after a second, she answered, almost offhandedly, like it wasn't worth worrying over. "Nik is in the gym, threatening the doppelganger, and getting the witch to fix his hybrid problem."

Her voice was distant, but her gaze wasn't. She was still memorizing her. Her eyes traced over Amalie's face, lingering in a way that made it clear she was cataloging every detail, like she was trying to reconcile the real version of Amalie with whatever images she had built in her mind.

"You mean, he's here and he didn't come visit me first?" Amalie asked, lifting a brow. She injected a bit of humor into her voice.

Rebekah smiled at that. "I wanted to," she admitted. "That was the first thing I wanted to do when I woke up."

She said it so simply, like it was obvious. Like, of course, that had been her priority.

And something in Amalie shifted. Because there was no hesitation in Rebekah's voice, no question of whether or not it had been worth it. No one had ever said something like that to her before, and actually meant it.

###

"How did you know all that stuff about Mikael?" Jeremy's voice cut through the tense silence, his gaze shifting toward Ana as they sat in the backseat of Katherine's car. The hum of the engine filled the space, a steady undertone to their conversation.

Katherine, perched in the driver's seat, glanced at him briefly in the rearview mirror but said nothing. Jeremy didn't care if she was listening; he wasn't about to wait any longer to ask.

Ana sat beside him. She was quiet at first, her fingers fidgeting restlessly in her lap. She'd been doing that a lot lately—more than usual. It was as if her restless energy had grown worse, an unease she couldn't shake.

"Ghosts talk, Jeremy," she said finally, her voice soft but steady. She hesitated, then glanced out the window as the scenery blurred by in the night. "Most of it's just rumors—half-truths and nonsense that barely makes sense. But when you've been around for a while, you start to figure out how to decipher what they're telling you."

Jeremy frowned, watching her carefully. "How do they even know about him?" He asked, leaning back against the seat.

"It's a big thing amongst witches," Ana replied, her tone quieter now, almost reluctant. "A witch entombed him in Charlotte in the 90s."

Jeremy raised an eyebrow. "Why would witches care about Mikael?"

Ana paused, her gaze drifting to her hands as they twisted together. For a brief moment, her expression flickered—an almost imperceptible shift, like she was wrestling with something unspoken. "Witches care about a lot of things," she said vaguely, though her voice carried a weight that wasn't there before.

Ana sighed and leaned back against the seat, her fingers finally stilling. She could feel Jeremy's curiosity like a tangible presence, but the truth wasn't something she was ready to face herself, let alone share. Ghosts carried whispers of many things—ancient secrets, forgotten names—but she had always seemed to understand them in a way others didn't. The knowledge had come naturally to her, a strange instinct she hadn't questioned.

She had never wanted to think too deeply about why she could hear the whispers more clearly than others or why some ghost had called her a "listener." But the mention of witches stirred something in her—a faint echo of a life she hadn't fully lived.

"Are you sure it's the right place?" Jeremy asked, pulling her from her thoughts.

"Yes," Ana said firmly, her tone leaving no room for doubt. She hesitated again, then added more softly, "I wouldn't have told you if I wasn't sure."

Jeremy nodded, his jaw tightening. He believed her—he always had. But his concern for Amalie lingered, gnawing at him like a dull ache. "What if telling them where Mikael is...what if it puts Amalie in more danger?"

Ana's expression darkened, her eyes dropping to her lap. That was the thought she couldn't escape, the guilt that had clung to her since she'd spoken Mikael's location aloud. "I know," she said, her voice barely audible. "I feel like I betrayed her too."

Jeremy turned toward her, his face softening. "Then why did you do it?"

Ana met his gaze, her dark eyes filled with conflict. "Because Katherine would've killed you," she said simply, the words heavy with resignation.

Silence hung between them, broken only by the sound of tires on the road. Ana stared out the window again, her reflection faint against the glass. Her fingers began fidgeting once more. It wasn't just the guilt weighing on her. Something had shifted within her recently, a restless energy that felt like a storm gathering just beneath the surface. She didn't know what it was, but it made her uneasy.

"You okay?" Jeremy asked after a moment, his voice softer now.

Ana blinked and turned toward him, forcing a faint smile. "Yeah," she lied.

The car hit a bump in the road, jostling them slightly. Katherine snorted from the front seat. "Touching as this little heart-to-heart is," she said, her tone dripping with sarcasm, "we're not stopping until we get there. So save the melodrama for later."

Jeremy rolled his eyes but didn't respond, turning his attention back to Ana.

They were heading to Charlotte, following the breadcrumbs Ana had reluctantly given them. Jeremy occasionally leaned forward to give Katherine directions when needed, his voice curt, but other than that, the car was silent. The tension was thick, the weight of what they were about to do pressing down on all of them, though Jeremy doubted Katherine felt it the same way.

authors note.

i know it's been a fat minute since i've updated this. and i know this chapter isn't the best. i wasn't completely sure how to write rebekah and amalie meeting, but here it is. their development will be kind of slow burn-ish. and i've decided to split this episode into two chapters because a lot will be different than the original especially the whole vicki situation because i really hated that storyline but i hope you guys liked this chapter, let me know what you thought

also, i'm really proud of myself because i've updated all of my books this week