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It was the murder in Zuri’s expression that told Elena everything she needed to know. The garbage defiling her floor was about to pay dearly.

“Wait outside,” Elena instructed, gaze bouncing between them.

“Absolutely fucking not.” Zuri straightened. “Don’t pull this paternalistic nonsense now. Handle this shit, but I’m not going anywhere.” Her dark eyes were fire and vengeance.

Elena shifted her attention to Marisol. She was the actual target of her concern. There was no doubt in Elena’s mind that she didn’t have the stomach or the heart for what needed to be done. She’d already proved herself unwilling to squash vermin.

“I’m not leaving either,” Marisol said, her voice dripping in false bravado.

Wavering, Elena considered reaching for her influence. To gently wrap her will around Marisol’s mind and get her to leave. But she couldn’t bring herself to do it. Couldn’t traipse over the boundary of her consent.

“How sugary sweet,” Vermin said.

Ire and hate and wrath incinerated the dregs of Elena’s humanity. She turned to the creature on the floor. Before he took his last breath, he was going to regret having crawled out of the womb. He’d beg for the sweet oblivion of release. Wish his father’s seed had never found purchase inside his mother.

But there would be no way to save himself. No way to undo what had been done.

“Why did you go after them?” Librada asked, expression broken in disgust.

Even in her second life, Lib was righteous. Even here, she lived by her own code of conduct. To her, it was unacceptable to aggress innocents.

“To torment her,” he responded with a dry laugh. Lifting his chin, he stared at Elena like he’d forgotten how to fear. Like he wanted Elena to remind him. “To kill you slowly from the inside before we take everything from you.”

“Shut your mouth.” Felix stepped forward from her wall of support. In his baggy brown trousers, he looked like a character fromThe Godfatherwhen he lifted his foot and kicked Vermin in the jaw. “How dare you speak to her?—”

“He’s not worth scuffing your shoes,” Elena said as she strode across the room to tower over the thing bleeding on her beautiful area rug.

“How did you even know where they were?” Librada refused to relinquish her role as inquisitor.

“You can’t believe anything he says.” Felix kicked him again. This time the blow was followed by the melody of Vermin’s mandible cracking. It would heal quickly, but it would still hurt like hell. “Don’t bother giving him a chance to spin lies.”

Elena was caught in the delight of Vermin’s pain when she processed the height of Felix’s anger. He was as rigid and prone to antiquated thinking as Librada, but he’d never much caredfor Zuri and he didn’t even know Marisol. Elena turned to him, feeling the emotions pouring from him.

Retribution for the loss of his brothers? She doubted it.

“Answer me,” Lib demanded while Elena’s mind spun.

Vermin’s gaze darted to Felix in a move so imperceptible, even Elena wouldn’t have caught it if she hadn’t been staring at his pupils when they jumped. It was a nanosecond that told Elena of betrayal. Told her of more loss and heartache and grief.

Elena turned to Felix, insides cold and heart sagging in her chest. “Why?”

Librada’s attention snapped to Elena, sensing the change in the energy around them. Eyes narrowed, she tried to piece together what she’d missed. “Elena, what happened?”

“Why?” she repeated, disbelief giving way to something less sickly cold.

“Why what?” Felix played dumb so poorly. He couldn’t hide the vein protruding in his neck. Couldn’t conceal the anger pulsing under fear and jealousy and confusion.

“Because he knows it’s all bullshit,” Vermin volunteered, the curl of a laugh a flourish in his tone.

“Don’t listen to him,” Felix snapped. “He’s trying to save himself or muddy?—”

“Deny it,” Elena said, her will crushing Felix’s mind… Compelling him.

Landing on his knees like a better center of gravity was going to break her grip on him, Felix struggled against her invisible touch. It was fruitless. Even if he weren’t weaker than she realized, he washerprogeny. Hers to bend and break as she saw fit. This was the root of her power. The bond he could never have without the sacrifice of procreation.

Felix’s mouth opened, but he didn’t make a sound. Even now, he didn’t understand. Even now he believed himself capable of lying under compulsion.

“How did I lose you?” Elena asked so much more softly than she’d intended. But her broken heart was a fault line in her voice. A splintering.