Page 118 of Warrior

“Hang on.” He goes to talk to Bobby and returns with a tiny notepad and pencil. “Here.”

Almost a lifetime ago, we had a friend named Daniel. He helped us on many occasions, but the most important time was when we had to save Kora from a certain madman. His skills on the computer are nothing to sneeze at. But because of his cautious nature—actually, he’d probably get along well with Reese and his love of burner phones—we developed a method of getting in contact with each other.

Correction:hedeveloped a method for me to get in touch withhim. He laughingly said I was one of the easier people to find, thanks to a digital footprint the size of Alaska.

I blame online shopping.

“Follow these instructions. Daniel can get you guys set up, just in case the sheriff…”

Well, I think we can probably count on the sheriff folding under new pressure. Or bribery.

“Daniel,” he repeats. “Is he in Sterling Falls?”

“He used to be.” I sigh. “He moved away after the war ended. He prefers digital carnage to actual blood, and it was a lot to handle. Being there kept triggering him.”

Reese accepts that with a quick nod.

I feel oddly out of my league here. The last time Sterling Falls fell to pieces, I was there. I was part of the shadows. Now I’m effectively being taken off the playing board altogether.

We sit in silence until we’re secured to the small dock. Reese and I both hop onto the moving dock. It lifts and falls gently with the rolling waves coming in, but this side faces land. The ocean isn’t at its fiercest over here.

Up a sloping gravel path that leads from the dock awaits a parked golf cart. Its headlights are on, pointed diagonally and illuminating a thick cluster of trees. The electric vehicle has two bench rows, no sign of actual golf clubs, and a woman and man stand in front of it.

“How did they know we were coming?” I whisper.

Reese eyes them, then me. “Maybe they saw the boat?”

Bobby joins us on the dock. “I had to let them know we were coming in. Isle of Paradise can be a bit… finicky… when boats show up in the middle of the night.”

Oh. I’m not going to ask how he knows that.

Has he delivered others to this island?

“Okay.”

I face Reese. “I don’t know if they allow visitors, but if you can get a call through…”

He grips my hands, squeezing tightly. “This isnotme abandoning you. I will be right here when you’re ready to come back. You’re a warrior, and this is just another battle you will overcome.”

He makes it sound almosteasy.

He kisses my cheek. “I choose you, Artemis Madden.”

My heart skips, and I turn my head fast to catch his lips with mine. I don’t know what awaits me on this island—all I know is thatparadiseis about as far away from it as possible. I kiss him like I’m never going to see him again, then pull away before it can get too intense.

“Good,” I whisper. “Remember that in a few weeks.”

“I’ll remember that every day for the rest of my life,” he says.

Shaking my head at him, I head toward land.

Toward the people waiting for us.

My hands shake.

“Hello,” the woman greets me. “Can we help you?”

I nod carefully. My throat is tight, my mouth dry. I don’t know how I can possibly force out the words—but then I do, I speak, and they float between us.

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