“No!” She spun, grabbing my hand and pulling me to a stop. “He wouldn’t want you to do that. Even if it meant his life.”

I wrenched my arm away from her. “You’re not a twin. You couldn’t possibly understand what that means.”

“Maybe not, but I know what Luciana is capable of. I went to her trying to save Meredith, and if you remember, that didn’t exactly work out.” She stared me straight in the eye. “If you try to go back to her, I will stop you.” The words were calm and clear, and I knew she wasn’t messing around.

My hands made tight fists. “You’ll stop me?” My voice had gone cold, and I couldn’t bring myself to care.

“I won’t let you put yourself in harm’s way.” Her tone was soft and placating. The guilt at the harsh tone I’d used with her weighed heavy. She was being kind, and how was I repaying that? “If you need protection from yourself, then that’s what I’ll do. What exactly do you think will happen if you go back to her? Because I promise, it’ll be nothing good.”

I knew it wasn’t going to be good. I’d lived there. I knew what she was like. But that didn’t change the position I was in. “I’ll do what it takes to help my brother,” I said softly.

“I get that. But I’m your cousin and I’m going to help you the best way I know how. I’m sorry, but I’m all you’ve got right now.”

The truth of that sunk in, and hit me hard. Oh God. If Raphael dies, I’ll be alone. Truly alone. I bit my bottom lip to stop it from trembling.

“You’re going to be okay, Claudia. I’ve been through my share of tight spots in the last couple of months—ones that I didn’t know how to get out of. But I did. You will, too. You can do this. You can find the answer. Just don’t give up. Don’t go back to that lady. Find another way.”

I met my cousin’s dark brown gaze and found strength in it. In her. I wished I were as strong as her. I had to try to be. I would save my brother. “Then I hope Muraco has something good to tell me because I’m barely hanging on.”

“If he doesn’t, then we’ll figure it out.” She half-smiled, just a slight tip up on the right side of her mouth. “I’m not really one to quote anything religious, but if all this crazy stuff doesn’t make you believe in some higher being, then I don’t know what will.” She huffed a little laugh. “I’ve found that when God closes a door, there’s usually a window.”

“And if there’s a window, there’s a good chance Tessa is jumping out of it,” Meredith said from behind us.

“Shut up. I was trying to be serious,” Tessa said.

“And I was being literal.”

I raised a brow as I stared at my cousin. “You jumped out of a window?”