Chapter 525
The Past 19:
Amelie went to the secluded backyard before the clock could hit five in the evening. She had managed to convince her parents to leave for the palace first, removing them from immediate danger. The only and biggest worry left was fulfilling the witch’s demand to save Gabriel.
’Why are they still not here? It’s almost time. So far, Draven couldn’t locate Gabriel, who was inside the house. She must have used powerful spells to hide him from their search,’ Amelie thought, her anxiety building.
Suddenly, a strange, unnatural phenomenon occurred in the sky. The perfectly clear, calm sky started to fill rapidly with thick, swirling clouds. And strangely, the daylight dimmed unnaturally, becoming almost dark. Amelie’s heart raced in fear, seeing that even the atmosphere was turning ominously oppressive.
Amelie fiddled frantically with her fingers while pacing, when the small iron door set into the backyard wall suddenly unlocked with a harsh scrape. She spun around to look at it, and her eyes widened in horror and relief, seeing Ophelia standing there with Gabriel.
He was clearly weakened, bleeding slightly from a cut on his cheek, and his hands were tied with a deceptively simple-looking rope. However, Amelie could feel the heavy presence of dark, binding magic surrounding him, the reason why the powerful Alpha Prince was unable to get free.
“Gabriel!” Amelie cried out, running to him frantically. But before she could reach him, Ophelia extended her hand and moved her fingers, tracing a certain pattern in the air.
This action caused Amelie to stop instantly, frozen in her tracks. Her eyes locked with the witch’s, whose eyes held a residue of blood, as if she herself had been recently hurt badly by a prior spell.
Gabriel couldn’t utter a single word, bound by the spell, but his eyes glistened with unshed tears as he watched Amelie from behind Ophelia.
“You are the reason my daughter is no more. I begged you, didn’t I? I told you to forgive my daughter!” Ophelia’s scream was so loud and imbued with magic that even the windows of the house shook. She immediately shoved Amelie away with a powerful, invisible force. Amelie fell hard to the ground, feeling a sharp pain emanating from the bottom of her stomach.
Gabriel tried desperately to get free from the witch’s magical hold, and his immense struggle could be clearly seen from the veins popping visibly on his temples and neck.
“Don’t do anything to Gabriel. Please, I beg you,” Amelie requested, turning with difficulty to look up at Ophelia, who was now standing right in front of her. “Anaya wanted to kill me. She used a silver knife on me. I only wanted to save myself, that’s why the accident happened. Your daughter did wrong, Aunt Ophelia,” she pleaded, but as she spoke, she coughed up a small amount of blood.
“My daughter didn’t do anything wrong,” Ophelia hissed, completely consumed by vengeance. “She merely wanted to stay happy. Couldn’t you sacrifice your happiness for hers?” Ophelia demanded. “You saw this coming, Amelie. I’ll kill you and take the life of every single person around you. You and Gabriel should have known what happens when you anger a witch like me,” she muttered, clenching her teeth with deadly intent.
Ophelia ignored Amelie’s plea. With dark intent, she used the same silver dagger to make a shallow cut on Amelie’s hand and quickly took a sample of her blood.
“What are you doing p>
The powerful voice of The High Priest suddenly reverberated across the backyard.
Ophelia whipped her head around and saw Draven standing there, holding a simple wooden bowl filled with water. The next second, he threw the contents of the bowl at Ophelia. The water, which was clearly blessed, struck the witch, causing her to scream and recoil as if she had been doused with acid. She burned in immediate, blinding pain.
The moment Ophelia weakened and her spell briefly faltered, Gabriel was finally able to make his move. With a powerful surge of adrenaline, he tore the remaining magical ropes from his hands, the silver burning his skin, and instantly began running toward Amelie.
However, Ophelia, despite the burning pain from the holy water, was quick. With a swift movement, she grasped Amelie’s hand, pulling the already weakened girl roughly against her body, and held the silver dagger precisely to Amelie’s neck. Tilting her head, the witch gazed with triumphant malice at both Gabriel and Draven, who had frozen in their advance.
“Don’t move! I’ll kill her instantly,” Ophelia warned them, her voice hoarse from the pain but utterly menacing.
Gabriel, seeing Amelie in mortal peril, stopped immediately. “Ophelia, don’t. Let Amelie go,” he pleaded. “She didn’t kill your daughter. It was me, the Alpha Prince, who made the decision to kill Anaya to protect my mate p>
“Draven, do something!” Gabriel urged, glancing desperately at the High Priest.
“I told you to come alone, Amelie. Yet, you planned behind my back,” Ophelia sneered, her grip on Amelie’s shoulder tightening painfully as she moved the silver dagger even closer to her neck. The lethal blade was now merely an inch away from cutting her skin. “You really are clever, aren’t you p>
“Ophelia, don’t do this,” Gabriel tried to reason, switching his tactic to threats. “You’ll be punished severely along with every witch of your kind. You better drop the weapon and let go of Amelie, now p>
“I don’t care about the others,” Ophelia stated, her eyes fixed on Gabriel with an unshaken resolve. “Ask this man to leave first,” she said, looking pointedly at Draven.
Gabriel clenched his fists and gestured to Draven to leave.
“Don’t worry about me, Gabriel. You’ve to kill this witch,” Amelie said, looking at her mate. “She’s not going to spare me. You should know her intention by now. So, let Draven kill her p>
Ophelia laughed at Amelie’s words. “Weren’t you begging me to let go of Gabriel? You switch your words quite well, Amelie! Well, I will not only kill you but your mate too p>
“Don’t. Spare Gabriel. Your revenge should be on me,” Amelie said.