Just Like Fire | J. Saltzman - Legacies [2]

F O R T Y - O N E

Stella stands before the stone basin, her eyes staring deep into the crystal ball in her hands. Darkness swirls around the inside as her fingers tap along the edges. "This is ok," she whispers to herself. "Everything will be fine. Just do the spell, and everything can go back to normal."

Approaching footsteps make Stella drop the ball into the basin, spinning on her heels with her hands outstretched. "Who's there?!" She glances around with shaking breaths. "Show yourself!"

"Just me." Lexi steps into the clearing with her hands held in her air. Stella sighs and lets her muscles relax. "No need to be afraid."

"Easy for you to say," Stella replies, turning back to the crystal ball. "You aren't about to explode from black magic. I'm just...on edge."

"I can tell." Lexi walks up to the basin, looking down into the blood staining it. "Stella, we don't have to do this."

"Yes, we do."

"There is always another way—"

"Nyx took away that option." Stella looks up with a glare. "We don't have a choice, Mom. I don't have a choice. It's either this or..." She looks down at her hands. "I'm not going to risk it."

Lexi sighs. "You still haven't told me what that consequence is. Care to share?"

Shifting her weight, Stella pinches the bridge of her nose. "It doesn't matter because it's not an option. This is the only way I can keep everyone safe, even if that means following what Nyx wanted. Sometimes we have to work with the bad guys—you know that."

"You do realize that everyone includes you, right?" The stains in the stone begin to smoke. "Stella, calm down."

Instinctively, Stella places her palm over the basin. The smoke grows denser before completely disappearing along with the bloodstains. "Sorry," she says sheepishly.

Lexi brings Stella closer, cupping her face gently. "You never have to apologize to me, but you have to let me in so we can fix this problem."

"Right, the problem I caused." Stella pulls away, taking a few steps back. "It's my problem. I have to fix it before it gets worse. I mean, I already killed Lizzie."

Lexi shakes her head. "That wasn't your fault. That was Nyx."

"Who I let free." Stella lets her head hang down. "That stupid Merge wouldn't have happened if I had just..."

"Just what?" Lexi asks. She keeps a close eye on Stella's back as she inches her hand closer to the crystal ball in the basin. "Let Josie get all that black magic? How do you know the same thing wouldn't have happened?"

"I don't but it's easier to blame me for the reality than blame nothing," Stella says with a sigh. "It's just...There wasn't a right choice."

A sudden hissing makes Stella turn. "Mom, don't—" She throws her hands forward before Lexi can touch the ball. The blonde flies back with a snap from the magic bursting from Stella's palms. As her hands start to shake, Stella groans and pulls her arms close to her chest as she drops to her knees, willing her skin to return to its normal color instead of the unnatural darkness creeping in.

A long snake hisses from the basin, slithering in and out of the bowl and clutching the crystal ball. It wiggles its tongue out at Stella, almost grinning.

Stella's eyes move to the other side of the clearing. "Mom?" She whimpers as tears flood her eyes. Crawling over, Stella nudges Lexi, but the blonde does not move. "Mom, wake up." She shoves again. "No, no, no, no... Come on, please? Mom!" Blood stains her hands as she shakes her head furiously, trembling in her spot.