She nodded, tears welling up. But she didn’t linger. She grabbed my hand and pulled me inside.

“I don’t think he can get up,” I protested as she led me up the stairs. If I left him out there alone, he might leave, and my plan would be ruined—or, at least, delayed. He’d need a few minutes to catch his breath, though, which gave me a few minutes to figure out how to convince him to stay. If all else failed, Saba could just drag him inside.

Normally Magnus would be up and about, no memory of what he’d done the night before. But as soon as we made it up the stairs, I knew something was wrong. Saba led me to the end of the hall. To the closet where we’d trapped the hyena. I didn’t have to ask. I couldn’t bear to, anyway. It was clear Magnus was still in there. That he’d never left.

As soon as I touched the doorknob, Magnus’s weak voice said from behind the door, “Go away, Saba.”

Immediately, she stepped back, new tears wetting her cheeks. I glared at the door. I would make sure this was the last day the Evil Eye would ever command her again.

“Saba, will you turn away for a second?”

She gave me a skeptical look, but turned her back.

I removed my amulet and placed it carefully on the floor, out of view of the doorway. This was the only moment I had to make eye contact with Magnus. Even if he fought me over it now, it didn’t matter—when he woke up later he’d never remember, and everything could go ahead as planned.

I swung the door wide, steeling my nerves. The house had absorbed the blood, leaving no signs of carnage … except for the few lumps deforming a portion of the wall and floor of the corner, which I’m sure only resembled part of a human thigh, shoulder, and wrist because I knew better.

“Magnus?” I stepped into the closet and knelt in front of him. He was shivering, his teeth chattering a little. But the house had taken the blood on him as well, thank God, the nightmarish image of last night decreased to something only devastatingly sad. “It’s Andromeda. I’m here to help you.”

“I was calling for you,” he said. “But you left me.”

“I-I know.” I didn’t know what else to add, how to justify it. So, all I said was, “I won’t do that again.”

“Why didn’t you just kill me like I asked?”

“Don’t be ridiculous.” I swallowed and leaned closer, touching his face. “Magnus. Look at me, please.”

His eyes shifted to mine without a word, fully aware of what he’d done, shamed, terrified. But somehow still hopeful, amidst all that.