I turn in alarm to see Leon staring at us, yes wide and unfeeling.
“See how she has betrayed us?” my mother goes on. “Come to me, Leon. Let me show you what it means to rule.”
To my despair, Leon takes a staggering step backward.
“Teo is weak and vulnerable. We can kill them all and end this,” she continues, turning the blade so that the handle is pointing toward Leon. “She’s not your sister. Not anymore.”
Leon gets closer.
Teo tries to stumble forward but half collapses into my arms. “No.”
“She’s made a mockery of everything we’ve built.” Ida presses the blade into Leon’s hand. “Don’t let her tear your victory away from you.”
“Will you have me kill her too?” His voice is nearly inaudible over the blood beating through my ears.
“Eventually. I would want to pick her brain apart first to see what else she knows about?—”
He moves so quickly I barely have a second to register what has happened.
One moment, Leon has a hold of the knife, pressed against Cassandra’s swollen stomach.
The next, there is a long, red gash across my mother’s throat.
“The cycle ends here.”
29
TEO
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…”
