Elizabeth's eyes widened as she took in Stella's disheveled appearance. "What happened to you?" she asked, panic rising in her voice, her hands trembling slightly as she stepped forward, searching for signs of injury.
Mallory quickly closed the door behind them, shutting out the world that felt suddenly darker and more menacing. She rushed to grab the first aid kit from under the sink, her mind racing with worry. As she pulled out antiseptic and gauze, her gaze flickered to Stella, noting the sheen of tears still lingering in her eyes.
Stella took a shaky breath, her heart pounding as she recounted the events of the day—how she had been attacked, the terror of feeling so helpless, and the rush of relief when Simon had appeared. As she spoke, the reality of the situation settled like a heavy fog in the room. Mallory's hands worked swiftly, cleaning and bandaging the scrapes on Stella's knee, but her expression was tight with concern.
"You won't be going back to the training center until the holidays are over," Mallory declared firmly, her voice leaving no room for argument. "This isn't just about training; it's about your safety."
Elizabeth nodded in agreement, her expression serious. "We need to make sure you're okay, Stella. Whatever's going on, we can't risk it happening again."
"Okay," she said softly, her voice barely above a whisper. "I won't go… for now." But inside, she felt a growing sense of helplessness, a shadow lurking at the edge of her thoughts, whispering that she was being trapped, just as Simon's possessive gaze had suggested earlier.
Mallory finished wrapping the last bandage around Stella's arm, her touch gentle but firm. "You need to focus on healing, Stella. We can figure this out together."
"What will you figure out, Mal? I don't want either of you getting involved in this," Elizabeth interjected, her worry palpable as she paced the room.
"Are you able to walk?" Mallory asked, ignoring Elizabeth's concerns. Stella nodded, though uncertainty flickered in her eyes.
With a determined expression, Mallory hurried to her room and returned with a collection of sharp wooden stakes and a few herbs. Both Stella and Elizabeth stared in shock.
"Where are you going at this hour?" Elizabeth asked, panic creeping into her voice.
"Grams, we can't sit here paralyzed by fear. If I go to the training center, I might find something that leads us to answers," Mallory insisted, her resolve unwavering.
"By the way, who taught you all this?" Elizabeth pressed, trying to understand her granddaughter's sudden knowledge.
"It's a secret," Mallory replied, snatching the bike keys as she opened the door.
With a worried expression, Elizabeth muttered a spell, and with a flick of her wrist, the door slammed shut.
"I'm not letting you both walk into danger," she warned.
"I'm sorry, Grams," Mallory said softly, casting her own spell that bound Elizabeth's hands and sealed her lips. She gently but firmly pushed her back onto the couch.
"I promise, we'll be safe," Mallory assured her, her voice laced with determination.
"Come on, Stels," she called, urging Stella to follow.
"Stay close," Mallory instructed as they climbed onto the bike, both gripping the wooden stakes tightly. The air outside was heavy with tension, the darkness around them seeming to pulse with a life of its own.
As they sped towards the spot where Stella had been attacked, the moon hung low, casting eerie shadows that danced along the ground. Each bump in the road sent a shiver of anticipation down Stella's spine.
With every passing moment, a sense of dread settled in the pit of her stomach. What would they find? Would they uncover more than they bargained for? Mallory's determination radiated off her, but beneath that, Stella sensed an undercurrent of fear—one they all shared.
As they neared the clearing where it had happened, Mallory slowed the bike, her grip on the stake tightening. "Remember," she whispered, "we stick together, no matter what."
Stella nodded, her heart racing as they stepped off the bike. The weight of the stakes in their hands felt both reassuring and foreboding, a reminder that they were about to dive into a darkness that was all too real.
The clearing stretched out before them, bathed in an eerie, silvery glow from the half-moon hanging high above. And there, in the middle of the clearing, Marcus lay where they had left him—still unconscious, his body motionless save for the faint rise and fall of his chest.
Mallory moved toward him with determination, the gravel crunching softly beneath her bare feet. The tension in the air was palpable, thick enough to taste. Stella watched her in a haze of fear and anticipation, knowing that whatever happened next would change everything.
Mallory knelt beside Marcus, her face set in steely concentration. She placed her hands on his forehead, her fingers splaying gently, but her grip was firm. Closing her eyes, she whispered under her breath, her lips moving in time with the silent spell. The air around them seemed to hum, vibrating with an energy Stella couldn't see but could feel in the pit of her stomach. The night itself seemed to hold its breath.
Stella stood frozen, her grip tightening around the stake, her gaze locked on Mallory. Every second felt like a lifetime. She could see the subtle shift in Mallory's expression, the way her brows furrowed deeper, her breathing becoming shallower. Whatever she was searching for in Marcus's mind, it was dark, it was dangerous, and it wasn't going to leave them unscathed.
Then, suddenly, Mallory's eyes snapped open. Her gaze was sharp, intense, filled with a darkness that hadn't been there before. She stood slowly, pulling her hands away from Marcus's forehead as if his very skin burned her. She turned to Stella, her face pale but her voice steady, though heavy with an unsettling weight.
"Stella," she said, her words deliberate, each one dropping like a stone into the pit of Stella's stomach. "Someone is planning to kill you."
The words hit Stella like a blow to the chest, knocking the wind out of her. Her heart stuttered, her blood running cold. She felt her knees go weak, but she held herself upright, her mind spinning, struggling to grasp the gravity of what Mallory had just said.
"What… what do you mean?" Stella stammered, her voice barely audible, though the question felt meaningless. She already knew the answer.
Mallory's eyes, darker than the night around them, met Stella's without a flicker of hesitation. "Someone is hunting you, Stels. And they won't stop until you're dead."