He glanced toward the entrance again, hoping soone would appear, but no one ca.
Karl gritted his teeth and pulled out his phone, tapping the screen fast. "Co on, co on," he muttered under his breath, trying again and again to reach soone. The screen blinked weakly, but no one answered.
"Stupid... stupid," he hissed, hitting the side of the phone with his palm.
The ghosts sitting near him turned their heads, staring. So blinked in confusion, others whispered softly to one another, wondering what he was doing with that strange shiny device. A few even leaned forward to get a better look, which only annoyed Karl more.
"Mind your own business," he muttered, shooting them a glare.
A small ghost child toddled closer, tilting his head curiously. "Mister, what’s that?" he asked, pointing at the phone with wide eyes.
Karl forced a tight smile, trying not to yell. "A thing that’s supposed to work," he said shortly. "Now go play sowhere else."
The child blinked and ran off, and Karl pressed his palm against his forehead, sighing deeply.
He could see Ruby from where he sat, her red robe glowing in the holy firelight, her eyes steady though he could tell she was uneasy. The priestess’s voice humd through the air, her soft chants mixing with the crackle of fire.
Karl’s chest tightened. He wanted to storm up there, grab Ruby’s hand, and take her ho right now. But he couldn’t. Not yet. The holy fire was already lit, and if he disrupted the ritual before it ended, the fla might turn against Ruby.
His fists trembled on his lap, his jaw clenched. Milo, Adi, Jules, where are you? he thought desperately, his heart pounding faster.
Then suddenly, a faint gust of wind slipped in from the open doors, cold and sharp, carrying a strange energy that made the holy fire flicker. Karl looked up at once, his eyes narrowing.
The hall doors opened wide, and everyone turned in surprise. The priestess stopped her chanting, and the holy fire flickered softly.
Julian and Adrian walked inside. Julian wore a clean green robe that made him look calm and strong, while Adrian’s royal blue robe gave him an air of quiet authority. Behind them ca a group of civil officers and lawyers holding papers and scrolls.
Karl’s eyes brightened. "Jules! Brother Adi!" he shouted, standing up so fast that the chair behind him fell. Ruby turned imdiately, her heart filling with relief. She already knew what this was about. Adrian and Julian had finally gathered the proof she was waiting for.
Mada Shades frowned. "What are you doing here?" she asked sharply. "Can’t you see we are in the middle of a sacred ceremony?"
Adrian walked forward slowly. "That’s exactly why we ca," he said coldly. "This ceremony should never happen."
The crowd beca quiet, everyone watching.
Julian stood beside Ruby and said in a clear voice, "Officers, this is the witch responsible for the death of more than five hundred people. Her chemical plant caused the explosion years ago. My wife’s parents were among the victims."
People in the hall gasped. Mada Shades’ smile vanished. "That’s a lie!" she snapped, though her voice trembled. "You can’t accuse like that without proof!"
Adrian raised a scroll. "We have all the proof we need," he said. "We found the docunts and safety reports from the factory. They all have your signature. You ignored the warnings and caused the disaster that took so many lives."
The officer stepped forward and read from the scroll. "Records from Shades Industrial Plant confirm illegal materials and broken safety seals, all under the command of Mada Elora Shades."
The hall fell silent.
Ruby’s eyes darkened. "So, you finally got caught," she said quietly. "I already knew what you did, but now the whole world will know too."
Mada Shades’ face twisted in anger. "You! I gave your parents everything—money, fa, position—and this is how you repay ?"
Julian spoke firmly. "You took everything from her, not gave it. You killed her parents and drugged her so she could never rember the truth."
Gasps spread through the crowd. So people looked shocked, others angry.
Two officers stepped forward. "Mada Elora Shades, you are under arrest for murder, corruption, and the use of forbidden materials."
She tried to pull free, but the officers held her arms tight. "You can’t do this to !" she shouted, her voice cracking. "Do you know who I am?"
Adrian’s voice was calm and cold. "We know exactly who you are. And now, so does everyone else."
Louis looked pale. "M-Mom?" he whispered, stepping back, his eyes wide in disbelief.
Mada Shades glared at Ruby, her eyes full of hate. "You should have stayed quiet. I’ll never forgive you for this!"
Ruby looked her straight in the eye. "I stopped being scared of you long ago," she said.
The officers took Mada Shades away as the hall filled with murmurs.
Karl rushed to Ruby’s side, his eyes wet. "Wife, it’s over now," he said softly, his voice trembling.
Julian smiled faintly. "You were brave, wife. You faced her when no one else could."
Ruby nodded slowly, her eyes glistening. "It’s not about bravery," she said quietly. "It’s about ending what she started."
The holy fire burned softly, then turned into calm white smoke. The crowd knew the truth now, and Ruby’s heart finally felt light.
As Mada Shades was dragged away by the officers, the hall was filled with loud murmurs and whispers. Everyone was shocked, but the most pitiful scene was of Louis, who stood frozen near the stage.
His round face had gone pale, and his hands shook as he watched his mother being taken away in chains. "M-Mom... wait... where are they taking you?" he cried, stumbling forward. "I didn’t do anything! Please don’t go!"
The officers didn’t answer. They pulled Mada Shades outside while she shouted curses and threats until her voice faded in the distance.
Louis fell to his knees, tears running down his chubby cheeks. "Mom! Please! Don’t leave alone!" he cried helplessly, his voice cracking. The confident tone he always used was gone; now he just sounded like a scared child.
A few of Mada Shades’ relatives, who had also been in the hall, quickly ca forward. They looked embarrassed and ashad. One of them, an older witch, put a hand on his shoulder. "Louis, co with us," she said softly. "It’s over now. You need to co ho."
Louis didn’t argue. He just nodded weakly, his lips trembling. He looked at Ruby once, but there was no arrogance in his eyes anymore, only confusion and regret. "I... I didn’t know anything," he said quietly, wiping his tears. "I didn’t want to marry you... Mom made ."
Ruby didn’t say anything. She just looked at him calmly, her heart feeling a strange mix of pity and relief.
Karl folded his arms, glaring at Louis. "Then you should have spoken earlier instead of running around calling her ’wife,’" he muttered.
Julian sighed softly. "Let him go. He’s not our enemy now."
Louis lowered his head, still sobbing, as his relatives helped him up. He kept crying as they led him out of the hall.
By the ti he disappeared through the doors, the noise in the hall had quieted. Everyone knew the truth now. The wedding was over, the lies were broken, and the na of Mada Shades would never again hold power over anyone.
To be continued... 🪄
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