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Kate heaves and coughs as blood pours out of her mouth and eyes and nose and flows into the sacred urn Richie’s holding. The Santa Sangre flowing from Kate’s body indicates that the ritual to separate Amaru from her host was successful, and Richie traps the substance in an urn that will (hopefully) keep the Xibalban prisoner forever.
When it’s finally all out of her system though, Kate collapses. Seth runs over and kneels down next to her, scooping her head up carefully from the cavern floor. “Kate… Kate, come on,” he says softly. “Please Kate, you made it. She’s gone. Come back to us.”
Freddie makes to walk towards them but Richie holds him back. “He has to be the one,” he says.
“Richard’s right,” Ximena interjects. “After the soul of the queen leaves her host, the host’s soul can return from Xibalba–even if they were already dead–if they’re called back by the soul theirs is tied to. If the ritual didn’t kill the host, anyway.”
Seth can’t be bothered to listen to their conversation. All he’s focused on right now is Kate. Her pulse is faint and her breathing is shallow, but she’s alive. If only she would wake up. “C’mon Princess, you told me you’d never leave me. I need my partner back. Wake up Kate, please.”
“How are we so sure he’s her soulmate?” Freddie points out.
“They’ve revolved around each other from the beginning,” Richie replies. “Just… look.”
Freddie looks over to Kate and Seth again, and what he sees makes him pause. Seth is holding Kate close, alternating between mumbling to her and pressing soft kisses to her forehead. And it seems to be working. The red fades from her hair and the color starts coming back to her features. She doesn’t look like a queen of Hell anymore. She looks like Kate.
“We should go,” Kisa says softly. “She can’t focus on his voice with all this noise.”
Freddie sighs but nods. “Let’s go, they can meet us outside later.”
The group leaves the cavern quietly and Seth presses his lips to Kate’s forehead again. “Please,” he whispers. “You’re the only good thing I’ve got, Kate. I know I treated you like shit and I know you don’t need me, but Jesus, Kate, I need you, okay? I need you to come back to yourself. I need you to be alive, I need to know you’re okay. Please.”
Tears fill his eyes and threaten to spill over, but he’s so past caring. As he looks down at the girl in his arms, he can’t help but think of how unfair it all is. Kate fuller, the best person he’s ever known, is the one left fighting for her life For her soul. “I’m sorry,” he mumbles. “I’m so sorry, Kate. You should have never gotten wrapped up in this shit and it’s all my fault. You’re the light in all this darkness. You’re the sun. You’re my sun, and I let you burn out, and I’m so sorry. Just… please. Please come back to me Kate, and I swear I’ll never let anything happen to you again.”
“Promise?”
Seth blinks and looks down at Kate, and she’s looking back at him with a small smile. “…Kate?”
“Hi…” She tries to sit up but falls back into Seth’s arms again. “Sorry, haven’t been in the driver’s seat for a long time.”
Seth lets out a chuckle and hugs Kate close. “Don’t apologize,” he breathes. “Kate… god, you’re….” He breaks out into a grin and leans down without another thought, kissing her slowly. His heart flips when she leans into it, and again when her hand comes up to the back of his neck. When they finally break apart, Seth realizes that his tears spilled over because his cheeks were wet, but so was Kate’s so it was probably okay. “You’re safe now,” he says, a hand combing through her hair. “I promise I’ll take care of you.”
Kate lets her eyes fall closed and she smiles. “I know,” she replies. “No bumps or scrapes, right?”
“No bumps or scrapes,” Seth promises. “Never again.”