Souls Through Time (EzioxOC/DesmondxOC)

Chapter 22 - Amelia

Amelia's entire body buzzed with tension as she and Ezio trailed Torri Jacopo through the narrow alleys of Florence. The late evening air carried a chill that bit through her cloak, but she barely noticed it, her focus pinned to the man below them. Each step felt like a step closer to their goal—a step closer to vengeance, but also a step closer to the ever-lurking dangers that had dogged them since they set foot on this path.

As they followed, Ezio whispered beside her, his tone laced with determination. "If I can stay my blade long enough to follow him, he'll lead me to his Templar brothers. I'll have more names for my list..."

Amelia cast a sidelong glance at him, catching the tightness in his jaw. "You say that like you're trying to convince yourself," she teased, her voice barely more than a murmur as they slinked through the shadows. "But don't worry—I'm here to keep you from doing anything foolish."

Ezio shot her a wry smile, but his expression softened for a moment, revealing a flicker of gratitude. "Just keep up, Lia. Wouldn't want you to fall behind."

She rolled her eyes, though the hint of a smile tugged at her lips. They moved as one through the city's maze-like streets, blending into the darkness that wrapped around them. But as they tracked Jacopo, a strange knot tightened in her chest—a mix of anticipation, anxiety, and something she couldn't quite name. The mission felt like a turning point, but for what, she couldn't be certain.

Her thoughts were interrupted when Jacopo slipped through the city gates, disappearing behind a wall of armed guards. Amelia cursed softly under her breath, scanning the area. They couldn't afford to lose him now.

"Over there," she whispered, nodding toward a ladder that led up the side of the gatehouse.

Together, they crept along the parapet, taking out a few guards who wandered too close, their bodies falling soundlessly into the night below.When they finally reached the other side of the wall, Amelia's breathing was ragged, but she forced herself to keep pace. As they moved through the moonlit countryside, the cold air cut deeper, each breath sharp against the raw ache in her side. But she kept her focus on the task at hand, using the pain as a reminder of what was at stake.

They followed Jacopo to a secluded amphitheater, where he joined a shadowy group that sent a chill down her spine. Rodrigo Borgia's voice drifted through the air, each word laced with venomous disdain, and she clenched her fists so tightly that her nails bit into her palms.

She leaned closer to Ezio, whispering, "We've got to get closer, see what they're planning."

He nodded, leading them down the embankment. The ancient stones of the amphitheater were cool beneath her hands as they slipped into the shadows, pressing themselves flat against the crumbling walls. Her muscles ached from the tension, but she forced herself to focus on the conversation unfolding below.

Jacopo groveled before Rodrigo, but Borgia's voice remained cold, unyielding. "...Firenze remains in Medici hands, and your incompetence has cost us dearly."

Amelia's chest tightened with anger as she listened to Borgia's condemnation. She remembered the pain of her father's death, the hollow ache of loss that had driven her into this life. It took every ounce of willpower not to lunge forward, to strike down the men who had caused so much suffering. But then Ezio's hand squeezed her arm gently, a silent reminder that their time would come. She gritted her teeth, nodding at him, though the gesture felt like a betrayal of her burning need for retribution. As they watched, Borgia's hand moved to Jacopo's shoulder, his voice dropping low, almost comforting—before he drove a dagger into Jacopo's chest with a brutal thrust.

Amelia sucked in a sharp breath, feeling the horror coil tight in her gut. Jacopo crumpled to the ground, gasping for mercy. Barbarigo's mocking laughter rang out, sending a shiver down her spine. Her heart hammered against her ribs, and for a moment, the raw brutality of it all made her feel lightheaded.