"I don't know. Two months ago you were… broken down or something. Now it's like you're back to normal. But that's bad. I remember how you were." I closed my eyes. I will not cry in front of him. I will not let him know how much what he did to me still hurts.

"I'm not that person anymore." He touched my cheek, and when I opened my eyes, I saw his shone with tears. "I can't be. I know you think what happened between Mouse and me was all just the result of living in fear for our lives, but I can't believe that. If I did, I wouldn't be able to get out of bed in the morning. I loved her. I have to believe she loved me, because she told me. I never hid who I was from her, and she still loved me. I can't go back to being that monster. If I did, I would be letting her down."

I wiped at my eyes, not wanting to shed tears for him. It would seem weak, and a part of me feared he would laugh as if I'd fallen for an elaborate prank.

"Of course, I've had to do certain distasteful things to survive…" He trailed off. "But never mind about that."

I bristled at the quick way he'd changed the subject. But since he was on our side, I assumed I could trust him. "All we know is that the Oracle is heading to Boston. We don't know how to find the Soul Eater or how to fight either of them."

He nodded. "Dahlia said she was contacted by one of his men. They want her to do some spell to ferret out a weapon the Oracle prophesied."

"A weapon?"

"Apparently it's something she said centuries ago. There's some sort of weapon, and whatever side controls it will have the loyalty of every earthly vampire. 'A sword forged of the flesh of all vampires, bathed in the blood of the traitors.' If the Oracle is free, I'm sure he's worried that she remembers, and is simply trying to beat her to it. Or stay close to her to con her out of it." Cyrus inclined his head. "Actually, it is something my father has been working on for some time. Very complicated stuff."

I leaned forward, squashing my hopeful eagerness. "Do you remember what it was?"

"He didn't tell me." Cyrus rubbed his forehead. "Jacob gave me tasks and I obeyed. I never questioned."

I covered my face with my palms. "So, there's a weapon out there. And who will get it first is anyone's guess."

"It's an almost one hundred percent certainty that our side won't get it," he pointed out. "Since the Movement clearly isn't looking for it."

"Our side?" It seemed so strange that he'd attached himself to a cause that wasn't entirely self-serving.