Victoria stared at her for a long moment. The tears on Elena’s face and the absolute unfinished honesty of the confession sat between them like a live wire. Outside, somewhere down the street, a car door closed. Neither of them checked whether it was Marcus returning.

Victoria’s voice, when it came again, was thinner and more exhausted than before.

“I am going to call him back in. I am going to sit both of you down in this room. And I am going to tell you what I have decided so far. It is not a full decision. It is only the next piece of the shape. But I am...