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

E I G H T

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Stella roams the halls of the Salvatore School, her magic wavering. Ever since she left Josie in her room, her magic has been out of control. She bumped into a potted plant and it died; it burst into flames and burned so brightly that not even ashes remained.

She took a walk to calm herself. The air around her clung to her skin like leather. It felt like she was suffocating every moment she was away.

This crush is getting worse and worse.

She realized it was a crush only recently. At Carter's grave, Stella realized she felt the same way about Josie as she first did about Carter. Every time Josie walked into a room, smiled, laughed, Stella would walk, smile, laugh with her. She couldn't bear the thought of someone hurting Josie. Not if she can help it.

As she drags her hand along the wooden walls, Stella's magic floats around her. It clings to the walls and her mind as she tries to focus. She had walked into the party only to find the siphoner missing. That had put a damper on her mood. What's worse is she found Penelope looking down at the partiers like a queen.

"Think, Stella," she whispers to herself. "Where would Josie be?"

The Hale girl walks all over the school. First, she goes to the dorms to find Josie's room empty. Then, Josie's favorite nook in the library. She even went to the dungeons and Dr. Saltzman's office. Nothing.

It is times like these she wishes she got some of her parents' werewolf gene.

With every failed attempt to find the siphoner, Stella's magic gets more out of control. Plants die around her, pencils fly into walls. She can feel the fire running through her veins like a call to the wild. She needs to find Josie. Fast.

"Josie!" She calls frantically. Every heartbeat brings her closer and closer to insanity. "Josie!"

Finally, Stella walks back into the party as tears gather in the corners of her eyes. She can't stand it—the not knowing and the uselessness. She needs help.

Her eyes find the witch she hates the most. But it does not matter if they find Josie. Stella runs up to Penelope and drags her out of the room. "Hey!" The witch yells as she struggles.

"What did you do?" Stella demands, fire already balling in her fists.

Penelope's expression drops. "What? What do you mean?"

"Where the hell is she?!" Stella exclaims. "She's not at the party or in her room. She's not even with her dad. Where is Josie?!"

Penelope stares at her with wide eyes before she begins to squirm in Stella's grip. "Stella, let go," Penelope says, trying to pry her hands off.

Stella grunts in frustration before ripping her hands away from the witch. Penelope rubs her bruised arms as Stella runs in the other direction.

The witch follows a similar power, a power she should have thought of before. She follows it all the way to the gym where she sees Hope sitting alone.

The moment Stella grabs Hope's arm, the older witch screams. "Stella!" She yanks her arm away, her skin blistering.

"There's no time," Stella says, her voice unsteady and full of panic. "I—I can't find Josie, and my magic is out of control. I need your help."

Hope does not have time to search Stella's eyes for any sign of external magical influence. She only follows as Stella runs from the school in the hopes that Josie was only outside.

Instead of finding Josie, she finds Alaric and his dead-newly-alive wife. He throws the woman against a tree, yelling, "Where is she?"

"Dr. Saltzman," Hope calls as Stella skids to a stop. The man turns to see both witches. "What's going on?"