Julian, Adrian, Karl, and Ruby stood in the middle of the hall, their faces wet with tears but finally full of relief. They had fought so hard, lost so much sleep, and carried so much fear, and now it was over. The truth was out, Madame Shades was gone, and Ruby's parents finally had justice.
Karl sniffled loudly, wiping his face with the back of his hand before hugging Ruby again. "Wife! We did it!" he said, his voice trembling between laughter and tears. Julian smiled softly and joined in, wrapping his arms around both of them, and even Adrian, who rarely showed emotion, smiled faintly and pulled them close. For a moment, the four of them just stood there together, their warmth melting all the fear that had filled their hearts for weeks.
But that peace didn't last long.
The priestess, who had been silently watching the holy fire flicker brighter and higher, suddenly spoke up, her tone sharp and worried. "Wait—what about the holy flames?"
