Page 188 of Sage Haven

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I headed for my office, pulled up the security system.

But before I could touch the keyboard, I stopped.

Something was on my desk.

Dead center.

A memory card.

Placed there like a gift.

Or a curse.

Ice slicked down my spine.

My jaw locked so tight I felt my teeth grind hard against each other.

I picked it up, slotted it into the reader and hit play.

I should’ve braced myself.

I should’ve prepared.

But nothing could have prepared me for this.

The feed was grainy—low quality.

But it didn’t matter.

I knew what I was seeing.

Sage.

Standing in the center of a clearing in some woods.

Surrounded by five men.

My lungs seized.

My body locked up as realization punched through me continuously, until I was hollowed out.

This wasn’t now. This wasn’t today.

This was then.

The night she ran from Sanele. The night she became a ghost.

I watched them circle her like wolves.

I watched them speak to her.

And then I watched her break.

I should’ve looked away. Should’ve spared myself.

But I didn’t.

Because I needed to see.

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