“Duffy was distraught for years after. Our combined might couldn’t save anyone.”

“Our sacrifice today will pay that back double. The Tap, Ruby, will be free; an unending, unfaltering wellspring of possibility that this world and all the others can shape their own futures with.”

“Have you seen that future too?”

“I have only seen to this moment in time. After tonight, the orrerry will fade away as though it never existed.”

Ruby scoffed.

“You knew I would say yes before you even asked?”

“You do not want to know why. But this is happening, all that remains is how we react tomorrow.”

Ruby had spent lifetimes trying to change her fate. To see it all meant nothing irritated her. She flared her nostrils as she tried to calm her breathing and resisted the urge to burn Leopold to a crisp where he sat. But there was no denying what she had seen gave them no choice. They had all pledged to leave the world a better place in their wake, and this was the only way to break the wheel.

“Okay. Then do it. Cut my soul free of the Tap. Let us be husband and wife, Bladesinger and soldier and never look back.”

Leopold took a moment to compile the artefacts, and when they were ready rose from his seat and approached his wife. He had watched this future a thousand times yet with the sword in his hand, it still terrified him. The steel was cold to touch, and the blade glinted long after the hearth lay dormant.

“To freedom at last.”

The blade fell.

Ruby felt cold. Then fear. Then peace. A whorl of emotion spanning a lifetime compressed into a single, piercing pain. In a heartbeat, the pain was gone and the weight of all her failures lifted.

“Was that it?” She looked up at her husband.

“Not quite.” Leopold lost his hold over the Reliquary and urged it towards Ruby.

Hesitant at first, the spell singer embraced the crown and took the floating blade into her shaking hand. She returned the stroke with kindness, and then, for the first time in millennia, they were utterly, catastrophically alone.

The Reliquary disappeared.

“So now what?”

“Now, Mrs Winchester, I’d very much like to go to bed.” Leopold pointed to the door. “Unfortunately, I can’t conjure drinks from thin air anymore, so I’ll be up once I’ve visited the parlour.”

“Wait, you’re not your own room service?” Ruby smirked.

“Much of our power came from the Tap. All that remains is from our own strength, skill, and talent.”

“So your powers are now guns, women, and bourbon?”

Leopold looked stumped.

“I mean…I guess?” He shrugged.

“Oh lord, I’ve let you become my father.”

Leopold burst into laughter.

“Oh god, I see it, I see it!”

“You’ve even got the beard he had.”

Leopold continued to laugh long after he had sauntered to the pantry.

Alone, Ruby fell prey to her thoughts. Self-doubt made her question who, or what she was now. She clicker her fingers. Nothing happened. No violin appeared. No blade formed from nothingness. Tentatively, she sung a few notes in a scale and sighed with relief when dancing lights appeared around her. There was still hope for her own private war to come to an end.