“Um…okay, whatever,” Napoleon said, dismissing the subject with a flick of his wrist. “But no matter what you call yourself, you’re crazy if you think I had anything to do with their deaths. I would never do anything like that.”

“Of course you would, and you did,” Ruby said with a laugh. “You forget, baby brother, I was there.”

Fear prickled its way down Napoleon’s spine, and like a well-watered crop, sweat sprouted on his upper lip. “I-I don’t…I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Well, you see, that doesn’t matter,” Ruby said, moving a few steps closer. “What matters is what the council is going to think once I tell them my side of the story. And when they believe me, and they will believe me, your ass will never sit in our father’s chair. You murdered an original, Napoleon, and I can’t imagine you won’t get at least a century of sleep for it, and even if the council has doubts about what I tell them, I’m older than you, baby brother. If, down the road, they decide to give any Durant a seat at that table, it’s going to be me. And since they don’t allow high chairs, it seems to me you’ll be scratching for crumbs at my feet for the rest of your pathetic life. How’s that going to feel, Napoleon? Looking up from the floor, begging for us to throw you a scrap or even acknowledge you? I have to say, I’m really looking forward to it.”

Napoleon took a step back, his eyes betraying him when they found the rack of swords behind his desk.

“I wouldn’t if I were you,” Ruby said, waggling her head. “You forget who brought me here, and of the three people in this room right now, two of us are daywalkers. You wouldn’t stand a chance.”

Napoleon’s eyes popped halfway out of their sockets, and then just as quickly, they turned into glittering slits aimed in Bennett’s direction. “You cunt,” he bellowed, his face flaming instantly. “You fucking cunt!”

“This isn’t about Bennett. True, I needed her to find you, but this is about us, brother. This is about you finally getting what you deserve,” Ruby said, folding her arms across her chest. “And in case you haven’t figured it out, there’s not one goddamned thing you can do to stop me. You can’t best me. You sure as hell can’t best Bennett, and since I’ve said what I needed to say, we’re going to leave now, and you’re going to let us.”

“That’s what you think,” Napoleon said, reaching for the phone on his desk.