Page 109 of Revenge & Ruin

Iwatch in complete disbelief as Ida Natali falls to the ground.

In the periphery, I’m aware that Leon grabbed hold of Cas and pulled her away to safety.

But all I can do is stare at the choking body on the ground. She’s choking on her own lifeblood as it spills from her neck.

For so long. I’ve wanted her dead for so long. I wanted to feel the life leave her body as I strangled her with my bare hands. I wanted to scream at her as she choked on her final breaths and feel the jubilation of my final act of revenge.

Now, she just lies there, dying like anyone else would.

There’s no fanfare. No righteous relief flows over me. The pain of my sister's loss, dull and constant in the deepest part of myself, remains. It continues to throb, as it always has, in time with my heartbeat.

As the light leaves Ida Natali’s eyes, I feel nothing at all. No different, no change.

The only thing that I care about is the woman at my side. She’s warm and alive and clinging to me as if she has no intention of letting me go.

But she needs to. She’s already half retching at the sight.

“Belle,it’s okay. You can let go. I’m still here,” I console her as I pry her hands from what remains of my shirt.

She hesitates for a second before stumbling forward.

Not to her mother, as I’d expected.

No, Ida Natali’s body remains lifeless and undisturbed as Isabella rushes for her brother.

Leon has just enough time to lower Cas gently to the ground before Isabella has her arms around him.

“Leon! Leon- You…you…”

“It’s okay. It’s okay.” His hands grab her back, letting her cling to him.

“Oh God…Leon.”

“I’m so sorry.”

She pulls away abruptly. “No. Don’t you dare. I’m sorry. I got us into this mess. It’s my fault. You just…you did it. You killed her.”

“She would have killed you.” His voice is stony, cold, unwavering, and entirely ruthless.

I daresay, looking at him now, that there’s something missing from him. Something has fundamentally changed about the brutish leader of the Prince’s Hand.

But I don’t ponder it. I leave the Natali siblings to their reconciliation and stagger back to where I left Rocco.

He hasn’t moved, but luckily, his eyes follow me as I approach.

“You bastard, you left me behind,” he groans.

I want to roll my eyes at him as I help him up. “You were slowing me down, as always.”

Rocco yelps as I yank him to his feet. “You gotta give me the chance to save your life sometime. This is getting embarrassing.”

“Yeah, well?—”

“Rocco?”

We turn in sync to the sound of Cassandra’s approach.

I can barely get out of the way fast enough before she’s throwing herself at her husband. My cheeks ache as I smile at the sight of them. Their love for each other has a warming effect on everything around them.

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