Daisy paced back and forth, practically vibrating with anger, and all that was missing was literal smoke curling from her ears.
Violet eyed her warily. "Daisy, I think you should calm down—"
"No! Don’t tell me to calm down!" Daisy snapped, rounding on her immediately.
She thrust her face close to Violet’s, rage crackling in her eyes. "We are outcasts, Violet! Rogues. They branded us like we’re diseased!" Her voice cracked with frustration. "We’re already this close to falling apart from all the bullshit they’re putting us through, and you—you—made it worse by bringing Roman Draven’s car here?!"
For once, Ivy decided to intervene. "Daisy, I think you should really take a deep breath and try to —"
"Don’t you dare tell me what and what not to do with my fucking breath!" Daisy whirled on her too, totally losing it.
"Look at where we’re living!" she shouted, her voice raw. "Take a good fucking look at our current living situation!"
She gestured wildly at the rotting porch, the faded, peeling paint, the way the storm-beaten house still looked like it might collapse at any second. The decrepit shack is definitely looked better on the inside than the outside.
"We lost everything! And while we’re trying to salvage what’s left, you bring trouble straight to our doorstep? Is this your big, master plan for revenge? Is this how we take down Elsie? How we fight the whole system?"
"No, it’s not." Violet’s voice rose to match Daisy’s intensity, her temper finally snapping. "This is my personal revenge against Roman Draven, the asshole who lied to me, deceived me, and put us through this bullshit!"
She sucked in a breath, her chest heaving.
"It’s petty. But it’s a start."
Daisy seemed torn, her shoulders slumping as if she didn’t want to be swayed by the idea. "He’ll take his revenge," she said warily.
"No, he won’t." Violet’s voice brimmed with certainty. "He could’ve chased us the moment he saw us driving away, but he didn’t. He knows he messed up. Maybe in his twisted logic, he thinks letting me run off with his car is punishment enough."
Daisy stared at her, like she was trying to figure her out, dissect the way her mind worked. Then, after a long pause, she admitted, "I don’t understand you. You should be scared. These guys—" she gestured vaguely, "—they might look human, but they’re not. They’re dangerous. They smile, but they do it with teeth, with blood still dripping from their last kill. And yet, you’re not afraid.
"You tangle with them like a human playing with lions." Daisy shook her head, disbelief in her eyes. "What gives you that kind of confidence, Violet Purple?"
For the first time, Violet didn’t answer right away.
Her gaze became distant as her mind drifted somewhere else, somewhere far darker.
Then, quietly, she said:
"Because I’m not afraid of death."
Daisy stilled.
Violet continued, "Because there are worse things than having your throat ripped out by one of them. Worse things than dying."
She took a slow breath.
"Because there are worse things like waking up and wondering when your next meal is going to be. Like staring at the future and seeing nothing but darkness. Like knowing that no matter what you do, you might end up just like all the others who came before you."
Her eyes darkened. "So worrying if a spoiled Alpha brat comes after me? That’s hardly terrifying."
A heavy silence fell, Violet’s words sinking in. Then, without warning, she stepped forward, cupping Daisy’s face in her hands. Daisy tensed under the sudden closeness but didn’t pull away.
"You followed me because you believed in me," Violet said earnestly. " And I swear— I swear by whatever law binds my people—"
"I don’t think it needs to go that far," Daisy cut in uneasily, flashing on all the Fae legends she’d skimmed.
Fae were bound to their promises. What if Violet doesn’t fulfill it, what repercussions would come to her? She wouldn’t want her to be in such a situation.
But Violet stayed firm. "No. This is my promise to you. We will rise again, and I’ll make sure you never regret following me."
"O-okay..." Daisy said at last, clearly unsure what else she could say.
A slow, mischievous curve formed on Violet’s lips. "Besides, I can practically see your thoughts spinning in your head right now, and I think I know exactly how you feel."
Daisy narrowed her eyes suspiciously.
"Oh, really?"
Violet’s smirk widened.
"Really."
She then began to spin the car keys in her hand, her wicked smile growing by the second. "Alright, Lila, take the food out of the car."
Lila, already having an inkling that whatever the princess was up to would be entertaining, hurriedly cleared the food from the backseat. The amount they had grabbed was ridiculous, so she had to work fast, stuffing bags into her arms while Violet and Ivy took their share. Daisy, ever the grumbler, reluctantly helped.
They worked at lightning speed, all of them moving in sync, as if they had done a heist before. In mere minutes, the seat was emptied, leaving only the luxurious, Roman Draven-owned car sitting in front of them, drenched in rain and waiting to be returned.
Violet grinned devilishly. "Now, the right thing to do is return the car," she said with mock sincerity.
The girls nodded slowly, watching her suspiciously.
"But," she continued, bending down and scooping up a handful of wet, muddy earth, "the right thing doesn’t necessarily mean bringing it back in one piece."
And with zero hesitation, she smeared the mud across the hood of the car and the effect was instantaneous.
Lila, Daisy, and Ivy gasped collectively, shock, horror, and exhilaration flashing across their faces.
"Oh my gods!" Ivy clutched her chest. "Did you just defiled a cardinal alpha’s car."
"Violet!" Daisy’s eyes were wide with disbelief. "This is Roman Draven’s car! Do you have a death wish?"
But Violet was already gathering another handful of mud.
"Daisy," she called with a knowing smirk. "Come on. Try it. It’s refreshing."
Daisy hesitated, torn between common sense and the intoxicating pull of revenge.
"Come on, Dais," Lila grinned, nudging her. "You know you want to."
Daisy bit her lip.The idea was so tempting. Then, as if something inside her finally snapped, she grabbed a thick handful of rain-soaked earth and hurled it straight at the windshield. The instant splat was satisfying.
For a split second, there was silence only
for the girls to erupt into cheers.
Daisy herself let out a victorious roar, feeling a rush of exhilaration so pure that she wanted to bottle it up and keep it forever.
"Ivy, your turn!"
The words had barely left Violet’s lips before Ivy bounced forward with giddy excitement. She scooped up a chunk of mud, then with a theatrical twirl and a girlish flick of her wrist, splattered it across the driver’s side door.
The girls whooped and cheered.
"Ohhh, look at that form!" Lila applauded dramatically. "Such elegance! Such grace! Roman’s car has never looked so perfect!"
Ivy giggled, twirling like a ballerina. "Thank you, thank you, I do my best."
"Lila, you’re up!" Violet called, motioning for her.
Lila happily skipped forward, excitement dancing in her eyes. She gathered as much mud as she could, then hurled it at the windshield precisely. The splatter was glorious, thick brown streaks running down like melting chocolate.
The girls screamed with excitement. This was so fun!
"Okay, we have to record this," Violet suddenly announced, pulling out her phone.
Lila’s eyes lit up."Good idea!"
Daisy groaned, exasperated. "Don’t encourage her, Lila."
But Ivy supported her."No, no, this is genius. Let’s make sure we never forget the time we committed war crimes against Roman Draven’s car. And to prove to the assholes we can’t be beaten!"
And just like that, Daisy ended up recording the whole thing.
The camera captured everything. From the way Violet, Ivy, and Lila gleefully defiled the once-glistening green car, slathering layer upon layer of thick, wet mud across its sleek body.
They didn’t hold back at all. The girls covered every inch, every crevice, until the once-luxurious car was unrecognizable, looking instead like a grotesque, mud-covered beast.
"It needs more," Ivy mused, staring at their masterpiece like a painter contemplating the final stroke of their work.
"The inside."
The girls snapped their heads toward her.
Ivy smirked. "We should put some inside. You know, to really make it a nightmare to clean."
The suggestion was so diabolical** that the girls momentarily forgot how to breathe. Then—
"GENIUS!" Lila cheered, clapping.
Violet cackled, a proud look in her eyes. "Ivy, I take back everything I said about you being a wimp. YOU ARE MAD!" In a good way, she meant.
They immediately went to work.
Lila yanked the door open, and without hesitation, they began smearing mud all over the leather seats, the dashboard, even the steering wheel.
Ivy, giggling like a lunatic, went for the gear shift.
By the time they were done, Roman Draven’s car looked like it had been resurrected from the depths of hell itself.
Lila took one last picture for documentation and beamed. "Ladies, we have committed the perfect crime."
Violet nodded in approval. "And no regrets."
"None," Ivy agreed, giggling.
Daisy sighed. "Okay, maybe a little." She added, "But it feels good."
Violet grinned, tossing the keys into the driver’s seat.
"Now, let’s return it."