Milo wiped the blood from his mouth, his smirk barely faltering as he stood up. "You visited Alloan," he said, his voice laced with something between amusement and irritation.
Stella didn't give him a chance to breathe. With a swift, brutal force, she shoved him back down, his body hitting the sand hard. Before he could recover, her fist connected with his jaw, the impact cracking in the quiet night air.
"I did." Another punch. This time, his head snapped to the side, but he quickly countered, swinging at her. She dodged with ease, stepping back before landing a sharp kick to his ribs.
"And I'm taking everything from you," she hissed, her strikes relentless. "For killing my parents. For killing my husband."
Milo growled, rolling onto his feet, a knife suddenly in his grasp. He lunged, aiming for her side, but Stella was faster. She twisted away, sending another vicious kick to his gut, knocking the air from his lungs.
From the shadows, Mallory moved, ready to intervene, but Stella held up a hand, her gaze never leaving Milo.
"I'll fight him, just immobilize him," she said firmly.
In an instant, Mallory whispered an incantation under her breath. The air around them shimmered, and before Milo could react, invisible forces wrapped around him like iron chains, slamming him to the ground. He struggled, muscles straining, but he couldn't move.
Stella crouched beside him, gripping his chin, forcing him to meet her eyes. "Was it fun?" she asked, her voice eerily calm. "Pretending to be my friend while playing your little games?"
Milo grunted, his expression hardening.
"I heard their screams when they were dying," Stella continued, her fingers digging into his jaw. "And I heard the venom in yours."
Milo let out a dry chuckle. "I was supposed to be the Guardian. I was supposed to marry your mother," he spat. "But they stole everything from me. So, it's only fair I take something in return. Including their precious little daughter's life."
Stella's lips curled into a dark smile. A quiet chuckle escaped her, low and dangerous.
"You shouldn't have gotten involved in all this," she said, her voice a whisper of lethal promise. "And you definitely shouldn't have dragged Nora into this mess. Because now..." She leaned closer, her eyes burning with cold fury.
"Every. Single. One of you is going to die by my hands."
Milo let out a bitter laugh, his eyes gleaming with something close to triumph despite the situation. "You think Nora is behind you because of me? You couldn't be more wrong. She sought me out first. She wanted revenge against you before I even said a word." He smirked, blood staining his teeth. "She has another motive, Stella. One no one knows… except her."
Stella chuckled, shaking her head. "I don't care." Her voice was cold, unwavering. She stepped closer, towering over him as he lay bound by her magic. "Your dead body will send a message—a declaration of war. Tell her that… when you see her in hell."
Before Milo could react, Stella raised her hands. The water at her feet shimmered, turning a deep, unnatural blue. The flames ignited from nothing, their heat licking at the air as she summoned them higher. With a flick of her wrist, the burning water cascaded over Milo's body. His screams barely lasted a few seconds before the flames consumed him entirely, leaving behind only the charred remains of a man who had once thought himself untouchable.
Mallory, who had been silent through it all, simply observed. When the last ember faded, she spoke in a flat tone. "We should leave."
Stella exhaled slowly, her heart heavy despite the victory. She nodded, and the two of them disappeared into the night, slipping away unseen.
As Mallory drove, Stella stared out the window, a gnawing unease settling in her chest. She had killed a man. She had taken a life. And no matter how justified, a part of her would never feel entirely right about it.
"You're feeling guilty," Mallory noted, her voice calm but firm. "Don't. You did the right thing. If we lived in a human world, law and order might have mattered. But we don't. We're supernatural creatures, Stella. Their rules don't apply to us."
Stella let out a breath, nodding slightly.
"I booked you an appointment with a therapist," Mallory added casually.
That made Stella glance at her, a small, unexpected smile tugging at her lips. "Seriously?"
Mallory shrugged. "Just in case."
A quiet chuckle escaped Stella. "Thanks."
She turned back to the window, watching the world blur past. The night was quiet, but something told her this was far from over.
Stella stepped into her home, locking the door behind her with a quiet click. The silence wrapped around her like a suffocating blanket. She stripped off her clothes, stepping into the shower, letting the scorching water cascade over her skin. The heat did nothing to wash away the weight pressing on her chest. Blood was no longer on her hands, but it was still there—invisible, clinging to her like a second skin.
Minutes passed. Maybe hours. She didn't know.
Eventually, she turned off the water and made her way to the bed, her damp hair leaving cold trails against her skin. She lay down, staring at the ceiling, her thoughts a tangled mess of satisfaction and something deeper… something darker.
One down.
One more to go.
Her eyes fluttered shut, and the darkness swallowed her whole.
"No matter what happens, don't give a damn about anyone or anything that tries to pull you down."
"I've been to the darkest parts of the world. I've done things I wish I could forget, things I already told you. But you—"
"You deserve better than that darkness."
"And yet..."
"You dragged me back. Wrapped your light around me."
"You never give up. You think everyone is redeemable, my little girl."
Simon's voice. Elizabeth's voice. Their words echoed in her head, haunting her through the night. But when morning came, she opened her eyes with renewed strength.
She would never succumb to the darkness.