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Dominic slowly set down the flashlight?—

She gripped the gun tighter.“Don’t move!”

“I’m just putting this down,” Dominic replied, speaking calmly. Slowly, he stood back up and raised his hands. “It’s okay. We’re here to help.”

Maya glanced between them. Her wide-eyed gaze settled on Blue.

Recognition—and a fleeting moment of shock—flitted across her face at the sight of her old friend.

Scarlet’sold friend.

“Scarlet,” Blue whispered. She gave a shaky smile. “It’s me.”

But Maya did not lower the gun. “Let me see your eyes,” she croaked.

Max’s brow creased. “Wh?—”

“Let me see your eyes!All of you!”

What was she talking about? They were already looking at her—what more did she want?

“Black eyes!” she barked, the order clapping through the cavernous building. “Black fucking eyes—now! Right now!”

“Okay,” Max breathed. “Okay, we’re doing it. Just help us understand.”

But she wasn’t hearing him. She was wild-eyed, panting, and shaking.

Max blinked his Sight into place. Blue and Dominic did the same.

Dallas said softly, “I’m a witch, I don’t have the Sight.”

“Stay where you are,” Maya warned. “All of you.” She crept across the space, gun trained on them, and snatched up the flashlight.

She backed up to a distance she deemed safe before shining the beam in their faces—one at a time. She even did it to Dallas, checking to see if there were silver rings around her pupils, no doubt.

When the beam bounced to Max, he drew in a hiss, the light stinging his eyes. But he refrained from shifting a hand to block it.

Maya lowered the flashlight. Put the safety on her gun.

Her vivid eyes swept about the area. Passing over the blood and body parts of gods knew who.

Her face crumpled. “We didn’t know,” she wept.

Max shared a glance with the others

“We thought it wouldn’t happen again,” Maya said. “It’s my fault.Idid this.” Max knew that was guilt speaking. Knew his sister did not do this.

They lowered their hands.

“Maya…,” Max whispered. “Who did this?” No response. The person—pieces of them—lying dead on the floor…that could have been her. He swallowed bile. “What happened here?”

“Her name is Aurora,” she whispered, the words jagged with emotion. The warm glow of her eyes reflected in the tears streaming down her face, making it look like she was crying fire. She wiped her cheeks with the back of her wrist. Sniffled. Corrected,“Was.”

So that was who all this blood and body parts belonged to. An Elemental named Aurora.

The Elemental who, Max now recalled, Gold and Blaze—the other Elementals they’d ran into at the Facility—were searching for out in the desert. The girl they’d supposedly got separated from during the breakout.

Maya continued. “Onyx, he—” She sucked in a ragged sob. “He lost it, and…” She clamped a hand over her wobbling mouth.“I tried to stop him!”