Bloodlines and Betrayal

 The Sleeping Queen

The Salvatore house was a blur of movement. Bonnie slammed open her spellbook, her fingers skimming over pages filled with ancient incantations. Stefan paced near the fireplace, his mind racing. Damon leaned against the wall, arms crossed, his usual smirk absent.

And Adrian?

Adrian stood at the foot of Elena's coffin, staring at her peaceful face behind the thick glass.

She looked exactly the same as the last time he'd seen her—trapped in an enchanted slumber, her body untouched by time. Her long brown hair cascaded over the white sheets, her lips slightly parted as if she were about to wake at any moment.

But she wouldn't.

Not unless they found a way to break the spell.

Bonnie slammed her book shut. "We don't have time for this! If Lucian is right, and Elena is some kind of key, we need to wake her before he gets to her."

Stefan rubbed his temples. "We tried everything. Every spell, every ritual. Nothing works."

Bonnie's jaw clenched. "Then we're missing something."

Damon raised an eyebrow. "Yeah. Like maybe the original witch who put her in there."

Adrian's voice cut through the room. "No."

Everyone turned to him.

His golden eyes were locked on Elena's face. "There's another way."

Bonnie's brows furrowed. "How?"

Adrian hesitated. He had never told them the full truth about himself—about what he really was. About what Lucian had made him into.

But now wasn't the time for secrets.

He turned to Bonnie. "I can wake her."

Damon scoffed. "Oh yeah? And why haven't you mentioned that before?"

Adrian's jaw tightened. "Because it comes with a price."

Bonnie's stomach twisted. "What kind of price?"

Adrian exhaled, stepping closer to the coffin. "The magic keeping Elena asleep is bound to her bloodline. If we force her awake, it could… break her."

Stefan frowned. "Break her?"

Adrian's eyes darkened. "The magic won't let her wake peacefully. It'll fight back. And if we're not careful, it could rip her mind apart."

Silence.

Bonnie swallowed. "Then what do we do?"

Adrian ran a hand through his hair. "There's a ritual. A dangerous one. One that forces the magic into me instead—I take the curse, and she wakes up."

Damon straightened. "Wait. You mean you'd take her place? You'd be the one locked in eternal sleep?"

Adrian nodded.

Bonnie's heart pounded. "That's insane. There has to be another way."

Adrian's gaze remained steady. "There isn't. And if Lucian gets to her first, we won't get another chance."

Stefan shook his head. "Adrian, that's suicide."

Adrian smirked slightly. "Trust me. I've died before."

Damon muttered under his breath, "Oh, for the love of—why is it always the noble sacrifice crap?"

Bonnie was already flipping through her book, her hands shaking slightly. "We have to do this fast. If Lucian really wants Elena, he won't wait long before making his move."

Adrian placed a hand on the glass coffin, his fingers barely touching the surface.

His voice was low. "Then let's wake the queen."