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

T W E N T Y - F O U R

The two witches trudge through the woods, coming upon the clearing containing nothing but rotting grass. "So, we need three things: the apex of the celestial event that trapped me here, some Bennett blood, and the duplicate ascendant, which is the first thing I went looking for when those burnouts woke me up," Kai says.

Stella rolls her eyes as her breath comes out in pants. "Did you find it?"

"No answers for free. I assume you come carrying the Bennett blood?" Stella stops and purses her lips. Kai pauses a few feet ahead and turns to her. "How is it possible that you came to a prison world without the one thing you need to escape it?"

"We got double-crossed, remember?" Stella says. "This wasn't exactly planned."

"Ok, so what exactly are you bringing to this partnership?" Kai asks, getting in her face; Stella can feel his breath on her forehead. "Because where I stand, I'm the only one of us who is not useless."

Her jaw shifts. Leaning forward, she narrows her eyes. "No answers for free, right? That's your stupid rule?" Kai scoffs and begins to walk away. "What's the celestial event?"

"That I actually don't know, but there's only so many minutes in a day, so I'll figure it out."

"First off, I call bullshit," Stella says, following him. "You've been here for ten years. You totally know the event. Second, that's your plan? Process of elimination? This isn't math class."

"I like a challenge," he smirks. "And to be honest, I've got nothing but time."

Stella hisses through her teeth. "Could a Sandclock chock-full of two witches' dark magic be strong enough to power the ascendant without a celestial event?"

The smirk spreads to his eyes. "Interesting," he murmurs. "Maybe. Why? Where is it?"

Now it's Stella's turn to grin. "You're standing on it." Kai frowns as he gently picks up his foot. "No, dumbass. I hid it in this clearing. Good luck finding it without me, because it's spelled with blood magic, and you wouldn't even know you're looking at it."

Kai chuckles. "You know, that actually happened to me with a teddy bear once." Stella rolls her eyes. "You really don't trust me, do you?"

"About as far as I can throw you," Stella replies. "My family has taught me many things, Malachai." He groans at the name. "One thing my mom made sure I never forgot was to never trust anyone. Especially people who decide to murder their own family."

Kai nods as he digs into his jacket pocket to produce the ascendant. Stella watches him place it at her feet and back away. "Consider it a show of good faith."

"You know, this is why Josie could never be here," Stella sighs as she swings her bag off of her shoulder and kneels next to the ascendant. "She would fall for this show of faith and think she could trust you. Let's get one thing straight, Kai, I will never trust you. But a show of faith requires one in return if this partnership is going to work."

She unzips her bag to reveal the Sandclock. "You were lying," Kai says as a proud grin spreads over his face. "You're definitely learning. You sure you're not a Parker?"

Stella rolls her eyes and stuffs the two magical objects in her bag. "I am not part of your family," she says. "I have my own family issues on top of stupid Malivore problems."

"Malivore?" Kai asks as they begin walking again, this time she follows him almost blindly, always looking over her shoulder and pressing against the life strapped to her waist.

Stella scoffs. "Monsters everywhere. Freaking Santa is real, can you believe that? Santa Claus came and gave me some weird-ass gift that didn't have anything to do with what I asked for."