Page 93 of The Last Session

“Thea.” She smiled, her eyes dry, as if she hadn’t just been crying a minute ago. “I know you want to help. But I’m fine, really.”

Oh really? She’d just had a psychotic break, memory loss, and catatonia—and she was claiming to be fine?

“Oh, look.” Catherine pointed to my arm; blood was leaking from my elbow. I must’ve cut it on one of my falls in the cave. She jumped up and pulled a first aid kit from a cabinet. I watched as she ripped open an alcohol wipe.

“Here.” She went towards my elbow.

“I can do it.” I snatched the wipe from her and swabbed my elbow, wincing at the sting. Then I wiped my left knee, which was also bleeding.

“I’m sorry you came all the way here.” She bit her lip. “Are you going to stay?”

“Stay?” I leaned forward to grab a bandage from the kit.

“Oh. I just meant—you’re not staying, of course. When are you leaving?”

“Tomorrow. Well, today, technically.” I had no idea what time it was—two in the morning? Later?

“Have you had your one-on-one yet?” Catherine was gripping the edge of the table.

“Not yet.” I pressed the Band-Aid down.

“Thea.” Catherine said it in a whisper. When I looked up, her eyes were again wide and frightened. I had the distinct feeling of vertigo. Her terrified look before—Ihadseen it. I hadn’t made it up.

“What?” My stomach flipped.

She leaned in so that her solar plexus pressed into the table.“You should leave.”

She said it so quietly I wasn’t sure if I’d heard her correctly. But before I could respond, the door swung open.

“Hi, beauties!” Moon strode in. “I don’t want to interrupt, but I was thinking we should all get to bed if we’re going to be able to function tomorrow.”

When I glanced back at Catherine, she was grinning widely, as if Moon had just told a hilarious joke.

“Totally,” she agreed in a normal voice. “Sorry to keep you up, Thea.”

“No problem.” Slowly, I got to my feet. Now that the adrenaline was wearing off, my cuts and scrapes radiated with pain. But I wasn’t tired at all. In fact, I was at my most alert.

Catherine might be alive. But she wasn’t okay. She needed actual mental health treatment. But clearly she hadn’t been given that option.

If this was a cult, Catherine wouldn’t have much of a say about anything.

“Will I see you tomorrow?” I asked at the doorway.

Catherine’s eyes went to Moon like a small child looking to her mother for permission.Can I?My scalp tightened.

“Of course, if you’d like.” Moon winked at Catherine. “You could probably use a break from your meditation practice anyway.”

I followed Moon down the winding hallways, up and down the sets of stairs. Questions I could ask rose and fell in my mind, and unease ballooned in my chest. I didn’t want Moon to think I was suspicious of her, of the Center. But there was still so much that didn’t make sense.

The shrine, Karen’s pretending to be a new attendee… There was something off here. Catherine’s fear and tears had proved it. She not only felt unable to leave—she’d had to look to Moon to know if she was even allowed to see me again.

You should leave.

By the time we reached the courtyard, I’d come to the firm conclusion: Catherine was mentally unwell, and the solitary confinement wasn’t helping.

I had to get her out of here.

“Thanks for walking me.” I smiled sweetly as we paused by the fountain.

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