Page 18 of Martyr (Sterling Falls Rogues #3)

Dr. Hawthorne meets me in the trees. She hands me a mug from the cafeteria. Her long, beige coat is buttoned up to her throat, the collar upturned against the cold wind.

It’s early. Too early for me to be out of bed—and much too early for trekking around the island. We have a view of the water from here, and up ahead, around the corner, is their dock. It has a boat tied off there, manned by a guy with a gun.

“You snuck out?” The doc’s tone is mild.

“I did warn you.”

She sighs. “I was hoping you were joking.”

Nope .

She hid her annoyance yesterday well. The concern overrode it, and she brought Saint and I into her office to interrogate us.

She was worried about Kade, of course, but Saint did his part and lied about him.

I took the fall for a bad assumption, explaining that my trauma must’ve muddled my perception.

It was a load of shit, but it worked out okay.

And then , after she dismissed Saint, I explained that we had some friends on the island and needed to spend some time with them. For our health.

I mean, I guess I didn’t exactly tell her we were going to sneak out after bed check, but close enough. She could’ve locked me in my room, but she didn’t.

So… it’s on her.

Technically speaking.

“Did you have a good visit?”

I scan the water. “We’re trapped, in a way, right?”

“Trapped?”

“We can’t leave.” I take a sip of the coffee. It’s good—maybe a little too much creamer, but tasty nonetheless. “That’s the definition of trapped.”

“Trapped implies…”

“Claustrophobia?”

She nods. “Or?”

“Like an animal in one of those metal claws. Some will gnaw off their own leg to escape.”

Her attention shifts more directly onto me. “Do you feel the need to gnaw off your own leg to escape?”

“Not currently.”

We’re facing Sterling Falls, but it’s out of sight. Too far across the water. It’s only sometimes visible on a clear night.

“But…?”

“But perhaps some other residents might get restless. If they know they can’t actually leave.” I shrug. “Just a thought.”

“Do you have someone in particular you’re worried about?”

I debate. “Perhaps I should check on Lyssa Laurent.”

“Perhaps.”

“She squeezed my hand. She could open her eyes at any moment.”

“You mentioned that,” she murmurs.

“I really think she could wake up.”

“Hope is a good thing to hold on to in dark times, Artemis. But it can also be dangerous.”

“I told Kade that optimism was adjacent to foolishness.”

“How do you feel about that?”

“I think I hit the nail on the head.” I pause. “But perhaps being foolish isn’t the worst trait in the world right now. Burying my head in the sand would be easier.”

“Hmm.” She tips her head toward the buildings.

We slowly make our way in that direction. My mug is empty by the time we get to the door, and she takes it back from me. Inside, I’d go right to get to Lyssa’s room, and she’d go left to return the mug—or left and then up the stairs to reach her office.

“I don’t consider you a fool,” she finally says. “And I know you’ll do what’s right to protect those who can’t protect themselves.”

Goosebumps erupt down the backs of my arms. She walks away without a backward glance. That sounded like she knows… more . More than anything I told her about my past.

Weird.

It’s weird, right?

I reach Lyssa’s room, but the door is open. There are voices coming from inside. I pause, straining to hear. Dr. Hawthorne didn’t say I shouldn’t visit. And Kade was passed out on the couch when I left.

Besides, the voices are female.

Physical therapy?

Fuck it .

I step inside like I’m meant to be there, then stop dead. There’s a doctor sitting on the edge of Lyssa’s bed, and she seems to be holding one side of a conversation.

The girl formerly known as Sleeping Beauty is holding the other.

At my entrance, Lyssa turns to look at me. Her hazel eyes meet mine, and she offers a slow, inching smile. “Artemis.”

I’m not proud of this—but between the vodka from last night, which may or may not still be in my blood, and now this?

I pass out.

Something cool touches my forehead. “She’s coming around.”

“…bumped her head.”

“Probably should’ve foreseen…”

It seems to take forever for my hearing to even out. I blink up at the ceiling and the orderly hovering around me.

“Welcome back,” he says.

I make a face and push up on my forearms.

“Easy does it.” He grasps my shoulder.

“I’m good.” I sit up, touching the back of my head. “That was embarrassing.”

No one stops me from getting to my feet. I focus on Lyssa, half expecting her to be asleep like every other time. But nope , she’s fucking awake. Sitting in a reclined bed position, pillows stacked behind her. Her body is probably weak, but her gaze is sharp enough to cut.

“Can we have a minute?” Lyssa asks.

The doctor and orderly both eye me. The orderly drags out a chair and motions for me to sit, then says something about getting juice for low blood sugar.

I take a seat and lean back in it. My skin is clammy, and I rub my palms down my thighs.

“Doc was just filling me in on…” She motions around the room. Her fingers are curled in, and the movement is jerky. She doesn’t lift most of her arm. “The time wasted.”

“A decade.”

She sighs. “This room is…”

I try to see it for the first time. From her perspective. The last time she was conscious, she was trapped in Terror.

And now we’re all trapped on this island .

“Excessive,” she lands on. “They said I was back on Isle of Paradise.”

Her gaze drifts to the window.

She seems a lot more poised than I would’ve thought. My head throbs, and I shift to rest my chin on my hand. Elbow on the arm of the chair.

Gabriel was always obsessed with Lyssa having a room with a view.

“So. How do you feel?”

She laughs under her breath. “Honestly? I’m tired.”

Kade is going to freak the fuck out.

“Talking is exhausting. My eyes open…”

That’s my cue, then. I push out of the chair and smile at her. The conflicting emotions inside me are too much. I’m happy for her. That she’s awake. Completely confused about why she opened her eyes now—and what kept her unconscious for so long.

“I’ll let you get some rest before your doctors come back.” I put the chair between us, walking backward. If I look away, she might disappear.

Imagine.

“Artemis?”

I cock my head.

She shivers. Her head is already back against the pillow more, her body seeming to sink into the bed. “Never mind. Later.”

Later .

“Promise?”

She barely manages a nod. I point, silently holding her to it, and exit the room before I completely lose my mind and burst into tears.