Page 107 of Martyr
Artemis burned down the last house that stood here.
And Saint’s first love died somewhere around where I’m standing.
But when Kade proposed building something new on this property for the four of us, his cheeks flushed, Saint didn’t object.
And our golden girl has no idea.
But I think she’ll be okay with it—she likes to build over her trauma.
Speaking of, she’s been busy rebuilding Bow & Arrow and helping Kora get Elodie settled back into Sterling Falls. Saint, Jace, Wolfe, and Apollo have been working on clearing out the rest of the Cyclopes imbedded in the city.
The sheriff’s sister is awake—and so is the sheriff. And Malik Barlow, for that matter. Still not sure I like him, especially since he barged into my life and threatened to keep Artemis away from me… but that was months ago.
Pre-invasion.
Kade wipes the sweat from his brow with the hem of his shirt. He has some new artwork across his chest and biceps, curtesy of Saint. The latter has split his time between helping his friends and repairing his tattoo shop. The huge front window was smashed in at some point, and there was graffiti across the walls. Some of his stuff was stolen.
The devastation on his face…
But the people responsible are gone or dead, and that has to be enough while he cleans up the place. He tattooed a vine going up Tem’s leg, from her foot up to her hip. It has thorns and flowers alike, and it moves with her so well it seems almost part of her.
Gotta say, I’m really freaking glad the dude got his memory back. There was a darkness in him for a while. I imagine that’s the Saint that Artemis had to deal with after Nyx was first killed and Jace asked him to live with her.
At least Kade and I were able to runsomesort of interference on that front. Kade was more effective at getting Saint to cut it out, but I was always down to comfort Tem when it got to be too much.
How did she handle it alone the first time around?
“You’ve got a look on your face,” Kade says.
I scowl. “No, I don’t.”
“The surprise is going to go over like a rainbow.”
“That is not a saying.” I glare at him. “You’ve been hanging out with Gabe too much.”
Kade just shrugs.
And that’s another thing—Gabriel. And Lyssa.
Shortly after the whole holy-shit-she’s-awake reveal, she opted to return to Isle of Paradise. And, the most surprising plot twist of all: Gabriel opted to go, too.
And that lasted approximately six weeks before he got kicked out.
Guess a psycho can’t truly ever change their stripes.
Anyway—Kade got the late-night phone call from Dr. Hawthorne, demanding someone come get Gabe immediately. That she was at her wits’ end and was going to chuck him into the ocean if he stayed another night.
Maybe she didn’t say it likethat, but I like to read between the lines.
So Kade and Gabe have been crashing together in Tem’s condo, while Tem, Saint, and I have been sleeping at the Bow & Arrow apartment. I’m pretty sure Kade would rather be plastered in bed with us, but he’s been deemed Gabe’s babysitter.
And yes, I call him Gabe purely to irritate him. Even in my inner monologue.
“We shouldn’t order furniture, right?” Kade asks.
“Right…” I head up the newly set stone walkway and go inside. It smells fresh and new and like drying paint. The floors are light wood throughout, the bedrooms upstairs have carpet. “Tem doesn’t know, and she might have some design ideas.”
Kade laughs. “Well, her condo is full of refreshing taste. I bet she’d do a better job than us.”
