“But it does affect you, Liv,” Rose said. “If it affects Gabriel…”

She let that one hang, but we all knew what she meant. If this decision affected him, it would affect me. And it definitely affected him.

Gabriel said, “I believe, then, it is, as Olivia called it, a no-brainer. To restore her humanity—and annihilate that part that might seek to harm Olivia, either for petty pleasure or for profit—seems only positive. But the fact you haven’t merely told us you’re doing so suggests it isn’t that simple. I certainly hope you aren’t asking because you think I would want her marked, as punishment for what she’s done to me.”

“No,” Veronica said. “We know you wouldn’t. The problem…”

When she trailed off, Rose said, “Memories.”

I looked over at Rose, seated on a chair, hands wrapped in her lap. She straightened and said, “The problem is memory. If they return her humanity, I’m guessing that means she’ll remember everything. How she treated her parents, her family, her friends. All of that would be bad enough. But what she did to her own son…?” She shook her head. “It will break her.”

I looked from Veronica to Patrick. “Is she right?”

“About the memories, yes,” Patrick said. “About breaking her…I didn’t know Seanna as a child. It’ll be hard on her, yes, but—”

“It will break her,” Rose said firmly.

“Rose is right,” Veronica said. “If we restore her soul, we break her mind.”

“What kind of a choice is that?” I said. “How the hell is anyone supposed to decide—?”

Gabriel’s hand squeezed mine, cutting me short, and he said, evenly, “Is there another option? And, yes, I suppose we could take her mark and then give her a merciful death, but I don’t believe we could ever agree to that. Is there another choice?”

“We can take the mark and make her comfortable,” Veronica said. “Use fae compulsions and such to let her rest and dream pleasant dreams. She’d have periods of lucidity, where she would be calm, but she would never be about to live a normal life. It would be, I fear, a form of institutionalization.”

“She’d stay in my building,” Grace said. “We’d look after her, Veronica and I. You’d be free to visit if you wanted, but that would be up to you.”

“No,” Rose said. “She’s my kin. My responsibility. If Gabriel agrees to this, I would look after her. In my home.”

Grace shook her head. “Our compulsions will work better in my building. She’ll be happier there.”

“But—”

“If you wish to be her caregiver, I won’t stop you,” Veronica said. “Yet Grace is correct—Seanna will stay in the apartment building. Under your care, but living there.”

Gabriel shook his head. “You did nothing to cause this, Rose. You shouldn’t feel obligated—”