Burnin' Up | J. Saltzman - Legacies [1]

S I X

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Stella walks up to Hope as Landon strolls away. The elder witch stares at his retreating figure, a new look in her eyes. "So," Stella drawls, pausing next to her cousin. "You like him."

Hope shakes her head as if to rid it of thoughts. "He didn't want to lie," she replies. She holds up the blue orb as proof. "Maybe I misjudged."

Stella nods, surveying the grounds. "I'm glad you found a home here, Hope," she says as she turns to her. "But you have to start trusting people, or else it will never be home to you."

Hope scoffs and crosses her arms. "That's what Landon says. I trust people outside my family and they disappoint me."

The orb in her grasp glows blue.

"You trust your family, and they disappoint you too," Stella replies. Hope glances away as pain flickers over her expression. "No one is perfect, and one day, they will all disappoint you. It's your choice to get over it."

Hope picks her head up, inhaling sharply. "Is this one of those conversations where you talk about me but you're really talking about you? Because I'm down."

Stella lets out a bitter laugh. She rubs the back of her neck as she goes silent. "I went to visit Carter this morning," she admits.

Hope straightens her back and surveys the side of Stella's face. The Hale girl only stares at the yard before her. She purses her lips. "My dad wants to help, but it's different. I can't just talk to him about this. She died in my arms, and there was nothing I could do. She cheated on me, and I still love her."

Stella turns to face Hope. Her expression is a mask of indifference coupled with concern. "Don't wait with Landon, because you might lose your chance."

Hope stares at Stella for a moment before she sighs. "There's something else you're not telling me."

Stella opens her mouth, but she pauses. She turns slightly, letting herself focus on her hearing. "Do you hear that?" She asks.

Hope frowns and focuses on her ears. That's when she hears the distant groans and the punches. She smells the blood—Landon's blood.

Both witches run onto the field. It is Stella who finds Jed, the disgraced ex-alpha of the Salvatore pack, standing over Landon's bloody body. "Hey!" She yells, thrusting her hand forward.

Jed flies back and crashes into the rose bushes. Hope drops down to Landon's side, holding him up by the waist. He groans as blood pours from his mouth. Stella can tell by the way he stands that he has bruised ribs. His eye is swollen shut.

Jed gets to his feet, thorns littering his skin. His yellow eyes glare at Stella. "You're gonna pay for that, witch."

Stella narrows her eyes at the werewolf. Without a second thought, fire engulfs her hands as she rolls her wrists. She tilts her head to the side tauntingly as a smirk graces her lips. "Hope, take Landon away. We're about to have some roasted dog for dinner."

Hope and Landon back away.

Stella's smirk turns deadly. It is not the smirk of a Hale—a wolf ready to pounce; It is not the smirk of a Mikaelson—a legend ready to wreak havoc. It is the smirk of a long-dead man—a man who had no mercy for his children.

Jed's eyes fade. Fear flickers in his expression.

"What's wrong, Jed?" Stella asks, her voice light. "Scared of little old me?"

Jed looks back at Hope. "Stop her," he says, backing away from Stella as she steps forward. "Hope, stop her!"

Stella lets her hands drop, the flames sputtering out. Smoke rises from her fists as embers flutter to the ground. "Next time you start a fight," Stella says with a voice as cold as winter. "remember me."