I closed my eyes as the memory of being trapped in that dingy room with other trafficked children washed over me again. The stale air, the whimpers in the dark, and that boy—Eleven—who'd made a childhood promise to save me.
A knock on the door pulled me back to reality. I blinked, watching as Captain Donovan entered my hospital room with a tall, slender man who looked vaguely familiar.
"Mrs. Sterling," Captain Donovan said, his expression apologetic. "I hope you're feeling better. This is Adrian Thorne. He insisted on seeing you."
Adrian Thorne. My uncle's son. My cousin.
He looked nothing like the jovial Uncle Henry I remembered from childhood, before he became estranged from the family. Adrian was gaunt, with hollow cheeks and dark circles under his eyes that spoke of sleepless nights.
"Thank you for seeing me," Adrian said, his voice barely above a whisper.
I nodded cautiously, aware of Arthur's protective presence beside me. "What can I do for you, Adrian?"
