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“You killed her child,” Sophie said.
Saber rolled her eyes.
“So why doesn’t she get the hint and leave?”
“Why don’tyou?”
“Because what she’s doing, what they did to you, isn’t right.”
Sophie spun toward Saber.
“And you think you have some kind of special relationship withyourvampire? Do you think helovesyou or something?”
“No,” Saber said, but her voice was quiet. “But I’m making a choice. I’m not—”
“We made a choice, too, and we knew the risks,” Sophie spat, “and you came in and ruinedeverything. I can’t go the rest of my life feeling this way, this… thisyearning!”
Sophie’s voice broke, and Saber felt a stab of pain and recognition. That was how she felt about Ansel, that she would be under his spell forever, no matter what he said. She felt so confused.
“But she killed so many of you,” Saber said weakly. “She and Derek, theyusedyou.”
Sophie rolled her eyes, but Saber saw tears in them.
“We used them, too, Saber. You useyourvampire.Everyoneis using and getting used.”
“Just take me to Lozen.”
Sophie led Saber into a large room that was filled with the gray light of the very late afternoon. Leaking skylights were letting the filtered light in, and Saber saw brightly colored old planter boxes made of tile and concrete, some with long-dead houseplants and thriving smaller native plants emerging from within.
Sophie stopped.
“Where is she?” Saber looked around, feeling her heart race.
Sophie didn’t say anything, but seemed to be looking around, too.
“Are you looking for someone?” Saber said, and Sophie looked at her with red-rimmed eyes.
“Where’s Elise, Sophie?”
“Goddamn you,” Sophie said, shaking her head. “You’re the reason for all of this.”
That was when Ysidra appeared, the dark of the hallway behind her, the last light from the skylight illuminating her ghostly face.
Resplendent in a black silk kimono dress dripping with onyx beads, she was shapely, ghostly, beautiful, with a face so smooth and elegant that Saber couldn’t help but gulp with apprehension. She looked like she’d taken hours getting ready, but Saber knew she couldn’t have been awake for long. Doug’s description of her had been an understatement. She was, indeed, the most beautiful woman that Saber had ever seen. Behind her trailed two figures, two girls.
Elise and Lozen.
Elise had a blank, glassy-eyed stare and seemed to move in a slumping, automatic way. Lozen was wide awake, but terrified.
“Sophie, you’ve done what I asked,” Ysidra purred, and Sophie seemed to bow a little, but couldn’t take her eyes off her friend.
“Lozen,” Saber cried out, but Lozen only twitched. “What have you done to them?”
“Done?” Ysidra laughed a little. “Nothing. Your friend is fine. She’s immune to vampires anyway, aren’t you, sweetie?”
Saber and Lozen locked eyes, and Lozen’s pleading look broke Saber’s heart.
“What do you want?” Saber asked, her voice rough with emotion.
