Page 20 of The High Priestess

Conscious of Knight standing slightly behind me, my voice is strained as I say, “Thanks for everything, but you can leave.”

“No.”

My head turns, and I glance up at him again. “I appreciate all you’ve done, but we’re okay now. You don’t have to stay here.”

An impatient look flickers over his face, and confusion fills me as I stare at the man who doesn’t look like he’s going to leave.

“If Santiago ordered you to guard us, it’s not necessary on the island,” I tell him.

“Santiago doesn’t order me to do anything,” he mutters, the deep and gruff sound of his voice making goosebumps spread over my arms.

“Oh.” I glance away from him, unable to hold his stare for longer than a few seconds. “It’s really okay for you to leave. I’d like to be alone with my sister.”

So I don’t break down in front of you.

“Pretend I’m not here.”

I let out a huff and meet his eyes again. “That’s a little hard to do with you right behind me. Can you at least wait out in the hallway?”

He thinks about it for a second as he glances at the open door. With a nod, he stalks out.

Shit, that man is way too intense and needs to relax.

I turn my attention back to my sister, and as I stare at her, one after the other, destructive emotions pour into my chest.

I’m hit with a sense of failure because Eleni got hurt, then utter devastation rips through me when the memories hit me hard.

Kiki being shot in the head.

Dad being killed at the foot of the stairs.

Having no idea what happened to Mom.

The screams and gunshots.

The panic and terror of thinking the next bullet will be the one to end my life.

The blood pooling beneath Eleni’s head and also trickling from her nose.

My eyes dart over my sister’s face, and I place my hand against the side of her head as I lean closer. Needing to know how she’s doing, I glance over my shoulder to where Knight is leaning back against a wall in the hallway with arms crossed over his chest.

“Did the doctor say anything about Eleni?” I ask him.

He pushes away from the wall and comes to stand in the doorway. “Besides being shot and the bullet hitting her left lung,she cracked her skull, and there was swelling on her brain. They took her out of the induced coma at the same time as you.”

His tone is brisk, as if he’s reporting official information, and it agitates me.

“Can you get the doctor for me?” I ask while looking at Eleni again.

“Cassia wants to see Dr. Anthony,” he calls out, making my eyes dart back to where he’s still standing in the doorway.

The nurse comes hurrying down the hallway, and she has to wait a few seconds before Knight steps to the side so she can pass.

“Hi,” I say, my attention split between the woman and Knight. “I would like to know how my sister is doing.”

“The swelling on her brain is being monitored. We’ll only know more once she wakes up.”

“How long will that take?”

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