Once Noah finally drifted off, Gabriel lowered him into the crib. He rocked it gently for a few moments, ensuring the boy was deep in sleep, before nodding to Ashna to take over. He reached over to flick off the main lights, leaving only the soft, amber glow of a low lamp to fill the room.
Katelyn and Sage followed Gabriel out into the quiet hallway.
"You're surprisingly good with him," Sage remarked, keeping his voice low. "But how did everything go? We heard snippets about Amelie and the others... Is Ophelia truly finished for good?"
"Yes, she's gone. It's over," Gabriel said, leaning momentarily against the wall as the exhaustion finally started to show. "Everything was moving according to plan, but the moment the binding was complete, Ophelia used the last of her black magic to throw Amelie. The impact was violent enough to knock her unconscious, but the doctors say she's stable. She just needs to rest and recover from the shock."
