Soul Fire

1.7

Rhonan didn't know what to say as he silently watched the girl with blazing hair tell Stella to make the human forget about her. He didn't know what to say as he watched the tears roll down her cheeks as she touched the human's face, didn't know what to say as she crumpled to the ground after the mortal had left.

As Stella weaved her way through Seth's mind, she realized that he had truly loved Bloom. She sifted through his memories, altering or erasing ones with the red-haired girl. She made quick work of it, covering up the gaps with the essence of his own mind. Careful, she had to be so careful. Mortal minds were so much more delicate than minds she'd worked on in the past. Eventually, she got deep enough in his memories of Bloom that there was just a vague familiarity there. She let him keep those. She erased everything about the encounter that they had, and inserted a command to go straight home and go to bed.

Stella knew why Bloom had done it. Bloom didn't know if she could ever come back here, and she couldn't let him stay stuck here, waiting for her to return when she may never come back. That's how Stella knew that Bloom had loved Seth, too.

Stella walked over to Bloom and held a hand out. Bloom sniffled and grabbed it, heaving herself upright.

Timmy held a piece of technology in his hand, typing away on it with his thumb. He looked at Bloom. "I took the liberty of erasing any texts, pictures, or phone calls relating to you on his phone."

Stella shot him a scolding look, but Bloom just gave him a sad smile. "Thanks, Timmy. That was the right call."

"Are you sure you want to do this, Bloom?" Stella asked again, knowing what was coming after they went into her parents' house.

"They don't have magic. They can't remember any of this, and I can't stay here." Bloom rubbed her left eye, and then her temple. "I don't think I have a choice."

Stella hated going into peoples' minds. It was a violation so severe that she had never once done it for her own personal gain. Only when situations proved absolutely necessary, as this one did. Only to protect and defend.

Stella was smart and cunning, though. Enough so that she was able to weave an intricate story in their minds about Bloom's dream school in Switzerland. She had placed memories dating as far back as Sophomore year when Bloom first came across this international school. She placed memories about the college application process, good and bad, exciting moments and stressful nights, so that when Stella planted a memory of Bloom opening an acceptance letter to the school, Vanessa had started crying out of excitement and happiness for her. Bloom had been offered a summer orientation spot in a competitive program that she simply could not turn down, and today was the day scheduled for her departure. Vanessa and Mike Quinn had been helping Bloom pack for weeks, and had shipped boxes ahead of time containing some of her stuff. It had been difficult to say goodbye to Bloom at the airport, but they knew that Bloom was doing what she truly wanted to do, and no parent could say no to that.

Stella added a silent command in their minds to overlook the damages done to the house, and planted a strong urge in Vanessa's mind to redecorate the entire space and dispose of any damaged furniture within the week.

Stella weaved a tiny thread with an explanation for everything into the memories, which would be pulled free only if Mike and Vanessa ever beheld Bloom in a faerie form, whatever that may be. Pulling the string would trigger the memories to dissolve and would make them remember everything that had transpired today, and everything that Bloom had told them about Stella, the ogres, and the specialists.

Vanessa and Quinn wordlessly stood up and walked upstairs to their bedrooms. Bloom had her arms around her torso, hugging herself to try to keep from breaking completely. Stella walked over and pulled her into a hug. "Come on, let's pack up your things."