Enemy Fire | J. Saltzman - Legacies [3]

F O R T Y - F O U R

"So...how was witch camp?"

That was a stupid question, Aaron. Obviously, Lizzie had to be saved, so it wasn't great. Or maybe she had fun and wanted to go back? He should move or something, anything to not just watch her make a sandwich.

Since the incident, Aaron has been trying to find ways to atone. Sometimes, he wakes up in the middle of the night and races to wash his hands. There's no blood or grime anymore, but he can still feel it. He can still hear Stella gasping for breath in his ear and see his own sword drenched in her blood.

Excalibur now lies in a locked box beneath his bed, the key with the new guidance counselor.

Stella saved his life. Fenrir would have killed him—should have killed him—but the eljun leaped in front of him and took the killing blow. A girl who doesn't even like him. A girl who deserves to hate him for the way he acted, for the arrogant jerk who greeted her earlier in the year.

Aaron just did what he thought was right. He thought that if he could push Stella away, when Ragnarok came, it wouldn't hurt when the inevitable happened—when the wolf and Aesir clash again. Their roles are set as much as he hates it.

Then came the twins. Josie could barely look at him while Stella was out cold like she blamed him. She should, but it doesn't make the blame hurt less. Even with Stella up and about, Josie avoids him though her girlfriend does the opposite.

Before the trio of girls left for Lizzie, Stella had stopped by his room, dumped her cat in his arms, and said that she'd call them even if he watched Sir Arthur Meatball during her absence. It was jarring to say the least. No discussion, no mention of the life debt he owes her, just the cat who wouldn't leave him alone.

Maybe the cat was his punishment. He'd accept that.

That only leaves Lizzie. Lizzie Saltzman, who was only just starting to warm back up to him before she disappeared from his life. Had anyone told her the details of what happened? That he caused all of this pain because he just wasn't good enough to best a god?

She does not seem upset as she hums to herself, slathering peanut butter on a piece of bread. "It was fun at first, then I figured out it was a cult, and we dealt with it," she says, offering him a grin before she bites into her sandwich. "Then we had some group hallucination thing," Her eyes dart down his face. "And now we're here because Hope stole Stella's car. But, don't worry, I have a plan."

"Plan?" He asks.

"A plan," she grins. "As her best friend, I need to stop Hope from jumping back on the Landon train as quickly as possible. It's hard since, you know, she's a teacher and everyone I know is a student, which makes my job a lot more difficult. You know people, right? Anyone worthy of the Hope Mikaelson?"

Aaron frowns, shaking his head. "No, not that I know of."

"Pity. Someone needs to screw the grumpy out of her." Lizzie shrugs as she takes another bite. "And as long as I'm planning Hope's rebound, I don't have to think about anything else." Her expression falters.

His heart pounds against his ribs. "Yeah, um, about that... Did they tell you what happened?"

"I was on a cult high when Josie explained," Lizzie says as she turns around to wash off her plate and knife. "But, yeah, I know about it. How Stella somehow disappeared again without us realizing, and then you and Jo decided to try and save her yourselves, then Stella almost died, and the gods took my dad's soul." Her words turn clipped the longer she speaks. "That about right?"

"Lizzie, I'm sorry—"

"I don't want to talk about it." When she spins back around, she wears a false smile. It hurts to look at, like the sun on a hot day. "You have nothing to be sorry for."