Chapter 70: Unfinished Business

Slinking inside without so much as a word, an imposing figure holding a handgun directly at the bride. 

Elena gasped- Lee stood before her with a smirk, her eyes black beads.

"Hello, daughter." 

Elena wasn't the same scared woman she was 4 years ago, when she was forced into a strange car with a viciously petty push. 

"How did-" 

"I get past the guards?" Lee cackled, her head thrown back. Niegal pushed Elena behind him, a protective arm raised. 

"I have my friends to thank for that." Inquisition agents stormed in, flooding the room with their weapons, their hate. The blood on their armor made it clear; they slaughtered anyone in their path. 

Elena's fury grew. 

"You stupid, conniving-" Lee raised her gun, first at Elena, but then turned to Aurora. 

It's all happened in slow motion: 

Elena and the Behike moved at once, each throwing a protective ward. 

Aurora's eyes grew wide, her mouth agape in shock. 

Cheri moved before she could think: BANG. she fell to a heap, eyes blank. 

The room grew still. 

Silent. 

Elena's eyes glowed as she wordless dropped her bouquet and began to rise in the air, wind whipping and thunder crashing as the magic swirled around her. 

Niegal at once disarmed Lee, forcing her to the ground with a knee to the back of her neck. The inquisition agents aimed their weapons, delegates frozen in fear. Niegal looked at Elena, eyes wild. 

And then hell broke loose. 

Elena cast a barrier, pushing the agents against the walls, their weapons flying. Her dress fluttered about her as she used lightning, all purple and white, to shoot down every last agent, guests ducking under pews and behind pillars to avoid the wrath of their lady. 

Niegal instinctively grabbed Aurora and Phineus, forcing them to the ground. 

Lee, now free, rushes toward her daughter with an anguished scream- 

Elena grabbed her by the neck, eyes glowing with her crackling magic. Lee clawed at her hands, tears falling as she realizes her defeat. 

Yet, she smiled cruelly. 

"See? Nothing more than a witch whore." 

Elena said nothing, just squeezed tighter until Lee disappeared into a pile of ashes on the floor. 

After a few moments, the winds stilled.

Elena floated to the floor, her eyes dark. Her dress torn and blood splattered, ash swirling on the silk, settled around her like a mist.

The room held it's breathe. No one dared to speak.

Slowly people rose from their hiding spots, murmuring in disbelief. 

Niegal wordlessly took Elena's hand. She looked to him, eyes still wild from the magic still coursing through her, and the shock of killing her own mother and so many agents at once. Purple sparks still popped at her finger tips. His voice caught in his throat, he lifted a hand to her cheek. "Querida…"

The Behike cleared her throat, stepping over the body of an agent with little more than a dismissive air. 

"Shall we continue?" She asked is a low voice, eyebrow raised in curiosity. 

Elena looked at Niegal, him at her. 

First, she knelt beside Cheri, gasping when her eyes flew open with a grin. 

She sat up, Elena's eyes wide. "Do not worry, my lady." She smiled. "Those wards you and the Behike casted shielded me at the last moment. I wouldn't miss your wedding with something as small as death." 

Sure enough, the blood was only on her cheek, a sharp cut slightly gaping. The girls embraced. Niegal hugged them both, eyes closing in relief. 

They rose, together. 

Her lips set in determination as she jumped up to kiss Niegal. "Blast it all, just make me your wife already!" 

The crowd couldn't help but laugh, tension melting despite the pile of bodies. War had desensitized them to death. 

Niegal said nothing, just picked her up and dipped her low to kiss her deeper, more hungry. Applause broke out. 

"To the happy couple!" 

"Long live the Matteo's!" 

"The Witch and the Lion are finally wed!"