The night darkened. My body felt colder now, weaker. The bite had stopped the blood, but not the truth.

Lucien knelt beside me again, his eyes still too bright. “You’re shaking.”

“I’m fine.”

“You’re not.”

“I said I’m fine.”

He reached for my hand. “If Elias’s soul is inside you, that means Selene can reach you through him. She’ll use his voice. His feelings. She’ll twist them until you can’t tell the difference.”

“I already can’t,” I ...