Chapter 790: Crushing Ameline
Gram's power burst over my enemy in a wash of blue fire. Ameline spun on me, snarled, Gabriel turning to look at me with his glowing eyes.
Even as my grandmother's power slapped the magic Ameline stole from her and woke it up.
Joined with it as it jerked awake.
And hit Ameline so hard from the inside blood burst from her nose to spray over Gabriel's cheek.
She bent in half, my son falling to the floor. He landed hard on his sturdy little feet, straightened and turned. Gestured at the shimmering portal.
The roaring face of evil and madness.
And slammed the Gate in its face.
I pulled myself up as Ameline fell, my magic returning to me in a rush so powerful I staggered, light headed and body on fire. Watched and felt as Gram's magic woke the demon Ameline ripped from its rightful place, his amber flames scorching her. Ameline screamed, blisters forming on her skin, smoke rising from her even as Liam's portion of Cian woke and shook her from the inside, more blood flowing from her ears, her eyes, her nose, out of the pores of her skin, bursting blisters made by demon fire. The vampire taint devoured her as she had devoured others, sucking at her witch power, drinking it like cheap wine. And her sorcery died, her own blossom withering, the petals of it falling into dust beneath her as she screamed one last time and collapsed.
But not done. Not yet. She reached out with one clawed hand for my son.
Power still around his heart.
In the same instant Alison darted forward and scooped Gabriel into her arms. Spun as she turned them ghostly.
And Ameline's remaining control slipped through and away from them both.
Grim but herself, Alison nodded to me and stayed where she was, still insubstantial, my now silent child watching as I turned back to Ameline.
I felt the wall behind me collapse, a shudder of fear the world was about to do the same. That would suck, wouldn't it? We finally won only to be crushed by the falling house above. But Max's tired sigh and push of positive feeling told me we weren't done yet.
Awesome. Because I wanted to be the one to squash Ameline like a bug. Not some random chunk of ceiling.
That was, if she yet lived.
The familiar touch of Enforcer magic hit me in the back, joined by the rush of wild Sidhe as I strode forward to stand over Ameline. I was amazed to see life still in her eyes. Was glad.
So glad.
Crouched over her as she blinked at me slowly, choking on her own blood, her flawless face covered in it.
I gave her a little power, cleared her throat. She turned her head, spit out the crimson flow. Tried to use it, blood magic, only to have it reject her as her stolen magicks rejected her. They were as powerful as ever, hovering, waiting. Keeping her alive.
For me.
How thoughtful.
I'd have to buy them flowers or something.
"We could have been so much together." She coughed, barely whispering, coughed again. "You and I were destined, Sydlynn Hayle."
"I told you before," I said, "I will never care about you. No one does. Or ever will. Because you picked the wrong side, Ameline. Maybe we could have worked things out. But you just couldn't let him love me." Tears formed in my eyes, trickled down my face. "You could have taken any Sidhe soul. But you wanted Cian."
She nodded, hardly moving, breathing labored. "Because he loved you," she said.
One of my tears splashed on her cheek.
"For doing so I will never forgive you," I said. "But for taking my son, for making me think he was dead... Ameline, for that I'm going to kill you."
She stared at me, blank and empty.
As I gathered my power.
"Syd." Quaid crouched beside me, turning me toward him, desperation on his face, mixed in with a large smudge of ash and a trail of blood from a cut on his cheekbone, signs the fighting had been fierce and more dangerous than I'd let myself believe in my need to be here, now, in a position to do what I had needed to for a long time. "Let me do it."
Was he cracked? "Let me go."
"Syd." He hugged me over her dying body. "You've never killed before." Hadn't we had this exact conversation once? Also over Ameline. "You don't know how it will change you."
And he did? "Quaid," I hugged him back before pushing him away, seeing the fear in his eyes, the need to protect me. Touched his cheek with my fingertips. Showed him I wasn't afraid. And that he had exactly two seconds to back the hell off before I made him.
Quaid retreated, though it took him longer than I'd like, my warning ignored.
But he did leave me at last, to turn back to Ameline.
Found her smiling at me, cynical and full of spite.
"I've taken him from you, too," she whispered.
What?
She coughed one last time before falling still, eyes burning gems of ice blue. "I hope your heart never finds happiness."
I smiled down at her. "Oh," I said, "but it's about to."
And slipped my power around her heart. As I'd done to Maurice. To Rosetta.
As Ameline had done to Gabriel.
Paused, suddenly afraid after all. Now understanding why Quaid was so concerned.
Point of no return. Doing to Ameline what she'd tried to do to my son. Justified or not, had it coming to her or not, I was about to take her life.
So be it.
Power shimmered beside us. I looked up, saw Iepa and Trinol watching, waiting.
"It's time," Iepa said. "This must end so Fate can finally move on."
Ameline twitched, hand reaching for Trinol. He turned his back on her.
And she sighed. Looked up at me.
"You need me," she whispered.
"I don't," I said. "But you needed me. Sucks to be you."
Her own tear escaped, cut a track through her blood as she gave in at last, releasing herself as I crushed her heart.
And she died.
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