Page 67 of Bound to the Marak

But maybe now.

She glanced over at Alice. “Do you know what happened to Alfie? I mean—did anyone see him after I left?”

Alice cocked her head. “You said something about a sitter, right?”

“Yes. I left him with someone. But then they just… went dark. I couldn’t get in contact. I was so worried.”

“That’s strange,” Alice said, brows drawing together. “Because Alfie showed up here. About a week after you went missing. Just waiting outside your door.”

Leonie’s pulse jumped. “He did?”

Alice nodded. “He wouldn’t budge. Poor little guy. We fed him. Waited for the police to do something, but they didn’t know what to do with a dog. And none of us wanted to turn him in. Just in case.”

Leonie’s hands clenched over the edge of the table. “Where is he now?”

“Darius took him in. You remember him, right? Lives upstairs. Bit of a loner, but kind-hearted. He’s been walking Alfie every morning, feeding him. Says Alfie sleeps by the window, still looking out.”

Something in Leonie cracked open.

Her dog hadwaited for her.

Her neighbors hadprotectedhim.

These flawed, chaotic humans—so often selfish, messy, imperfect—had cared for her life when she wasn’t here to do it herself.

“I can’t believe it,” she whispered. “Thank you. Thank you for that.”

Alice softened. “You were one of the good ones. None of us forgot.”

Leonie glanced at the glowing screen. Her friends were still out there. Her life was still out there.

“I’m not staying,” she said quietly. “I’ll go see Darius and get Alfie. And then I’ll go to the police, ask them to close the case.”

“You’re not staying?” Alice echoed. “Where are you going?”

“Australia,” Leonie answered. “My grandmother still needs me. And… I need a fresh start.”

It sounded paper-thin even to her ears.

Alice didn’t press, though her eyes remained sharp and skeptical. “Well. You should at least take care of your things.”

“I will. Just a few days.”

Leonie stood and gave the laptop one last look.

She would need a new computer. A proper one. She had to find a way to write back. To explain things in some form—maybe not now, but eventually.

Surely,she thought,Karian can do that for me. With all his power, all his technology—surely he can get me something as simple as a connection.

Some thread that would bind her to this world, even when she left it again.

As she stepped out into the stairwell, her hands trembling, she felt the weight of everything. Every memory in this place, every kindness. And also every goodbye waiting to be said.

She wasn’t sure which hurt more.

Forty-Seven

She barely heard Alice’s parting words as she flew up the stairwell, heart pounding, boots thudding against worn concrete steps. Her breath came hard and fast, fogging in the cold air.

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