Darius materialized behind her like a shadow, caught one of those clawed hands, and twisted it up and back. The neat, wet pop of bone leaving its socket was followed by Catherine's scream, raw and animal, ringing off every glass in the room.
Arthur lifted his chin. The far doors swung open.
The Voss guard came in like a tide. They lifted Catherine, sobbing and crooked and broken, off the floor and carried her out. She didn't stop screaming. Sebastian, hollow eyed and humiliated, bowed twice more and stumbled after her.
The doors shut.
Silence rushed back in.
None of us moved for a long beat. Then Damian let out a breath that seemed to take a year off his shoulders and dragged his tie loose. Damon rolled his neck, and the lazy half smile crept back as if it had only been on holiday.
"
