When he opened his eyes, he was greeted by the familiar dim glow of shattered visions scattered around him, just out of reach, half-buried in sand. He jerked his leg and felt the cold, biting metal fetter around his ankle, felt the familiar weight of the chain tethering him to the center of the room. He forced himself to breathe, even as despair threatened to drown him—
The door cracked open, flooding the dome-shaped room with blinding light. He scrambled backward, slipping in the dark, wet sand—
Julieta stared at him, terror in her eyes, her hands flying to her mouth to hide her disgust—
Julieta became Pepa, screaming in his face, the air crackling around them, her quinceañera dress in shreds around her shoulders—
Pepa became Mamá, sneering down at him; Mamá became Luisa, became Isabela, became Camilo, Dolores—
Antonio, sobbing on the ground, clutching his leg—
Mirabel, green light glinting off her glasses, towering over him, her face blank—
"Rata—" she hissed, raising her knife high—
