Page 39 of Through the Water

Morgan gnawed on her bottom lip. “I know it’s not much, but it’ll get you out of the city once you’re healed. I’d send you to Granny’s place, but she—she passed not long after we left.”

I didn’t understand. She’d had the means to disappear but was willing to give it away without a second thought? It didn’t make a lick of sense. The back of my eyes stung with unshed tears, but I wouldn’t show weakness now, not in light of what she was offering.

Why?

Her forehead creased. “What do you mean, why? Don’t you see? Those trackers are proof Tristan knows where everybody is at all times. Ashlynn didn’t die out here—” Morgan lowered her voice. “I think he killed her, Ari. And if you go back, he’ll kill you too. No one walks away from him.”

There was no time to process the full implication of her words because I was too busy freaking out at the sudden and unexpectedly loud knock. Morgan flinched, tearing her eyes away from mine and back toward the door.

The trackers.

“No,” she whispered as if reading my thoughts. “I took the bus. Tristan doesn’t know—he couldn’t.”

A moment passed, and then another, but Morgan stayed rooted to her chair in fright. I would have loved nothing more than to mentally check out for a while, but there was no time. She’d sacrificed herself for me once already. Now, it was my turn to be brave. I scribbled in the notebook before pressing it and the bear into her hands.

When she remained seated, I gave her a gentle nudge with my foot and gestured toward the bathroom.

Go.

Finally, she got up. I waited until the bathroom door closed behind her before moving toward the sounds of incessant rapping. My stomach gave another stern warning, but I ignored it and gently lifted the handle.

As his tall form and hopeful grin came into view, my hand fell uselessly back to the chair. I gaped at him; suddenly grateful I was sitting as the hallway appeared to be tilting. Nothing would have been more horrifying than stumbling into a man on crutches.

The edges of my vision swam in black, and I struggled to keep his face in focus as everything began spiraling out of control.

I was wrong.

Merely losing my balance would be nothing compared to swooning into his arms like a hapless southern belle at the least sign of excitement.

Not that it really mattered.

By that point, my body was already pitching forward into darkness without so much as a please or thank you.

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