Camilo's POV
I watched Avon disappear into the crevice, unable to do anything to stop it. I couldn't move. I couldn't even breathe. Blagden had fallen too, disappeared into the crack of endless nothingness. It was over.
The storm was gone.
The prophecy was over.
She couldn't be gone. She just couldn't.
"AVON!" I shouted, kneeling down to peer into the darkness. My voice cracked, and dread poured through my veins. It was completely pitch-black. Not a sign of anyone. "AVON!"
There was no answer, obviously l
I knelt down by the pit, just staring.
A few minutes later, the rest of my family came running out, Dolores leading the way. It was her knife that killed Blagden..so I guess we owed it to her that he was finally gone. But so was Avon.
So much for stopping the fall.
I stood up slowly, ignoring their happy comments about how Blagden was finally gone. Mama ran towards me, throwing her arms around me. A giant rain cloud floated around her head, thundering loudly. Wait, did that mean the magic was working again? I didn't even have time to think about that..The only thing I could hear was my own heart pounding in my ears.
Abuela was the only one who looked relatively dismayed, which made no sense.
"Avon's gone." I breathed, the words weighing heavily on my tongue. "She's gone."
Dolores smirked for some reason. "Look behind you, dumbass."
What. The. Fuck.
I turned around.
Avon was standing there, hands on her hips, a green aura floating around her. She was hovering two inches off the ground—which made her as tall as me.
"You aren't going to get rid of me that easily, Chameleon," She said, her eyes sparkling with her oh-so familiar smile.
"Don't you fucking do that to me again, Avon Meliac," I said angrily, storming towards her. She grinned, wrapping her arms around my neck. My arms slid around her back, and I kissed her. The moment of panic when I thought I'd lost her continued to play in my head and I had to remind myself that she wasn't gone.
"So, is kissing in front of your family just going to be a thing now?" Avon whispered in my ear, her feet slowly hitting the ground.
"Hah, you're shorter than me again," I said snidely, pulling her in for a hug.
Avon rolled her eyes.
Her gaze seemed unfocused for a second and I turned around to look where she was looking. Abuela was standing in the center of the family, her expression neutral. She blinked, ignoring Mama's storm cloud that was currently raining with a large rainbow above it.
"Avon," Abuela said slowly. She glanced past Ave at the giant hole in the ground where Blagden had disappeared into the nothingness. "I need to thank you, and apologize."
She stepped forward, giving me a quick look. "What I did to you and Averly was unforgivable. I never should've erased your memories—or tried to separate you and Camilo. I don't expect you to forgive me, but I want you to know I regret what I did. Truly and honestly."
Avon's POV
Her words ran through my head, and my mouth parted in a sigh.
"You did it for your family," I said evenly. "And you thought it was right."
"But I was wrong," Alma dipped her head politely. "I should've known that I could trust you." She closed her eyes slowly. "It's my fault that the candle is gone."
"The magic is working again," Camilo interrupted, glancing at Pepa's cloud. "So..that means the candle must be back." He smiled widely, as Dolores gave him a tight hug.
"If you ever do anything so stupidly dangerous, Cami I swear to god—"
"What she said," Pepa said, a calm but reproachful look on her face. She embraced her son, the rain cloud disappearing.
"The battle is over," Bruno interjected, pulling out his jade prophecy from an endless pocket in his cloak. "The prophecy was right after all."
"The boy with the gift to change his form
Shall meet the everlasting storm
To protect the heart of his other half
And win the battle on her behalf
Address the conflict right at hand
Before the gifts turn into sand
For they have the power together and all
When fate and love can stop the fall," Camilo recited. "Except for the fact that Avon was the one who saved the day."
"Hmm," I hummed. "It was a combined effort."
Alma turned to the rest of her family. "It looks like we have some rebuilding to do." She surveyed the damage of the house, squinting at the giant hole in the wall. "It's nothing we can't handle."
Camilo wrinkled his nose. "I hate being homeless."
"Avon, it would be our pleasure if you stayed with us for the time being," Alma offered, not unkindly. "The sleeping arrangements will have to be discussed." She gave Camilo a pointed look.
"It's debatable though...right?" Camilo asked hopefully.
Felix huffed. "Calm down, Camilo."
"Thanks," I said. "I guess I could hang around for a bit longer." I gave Camilo a sideways glance, grinning. "I get the bed."