With that, Lena turned and stepped into the narrow corridor leading toward the docks, every sense sharpened, every heartbeat loud in her ears. Somewhere behind her lay the island that had changed her, hurt her, awakened her — and ahead, the uncertain promise of freedom.
She took one last breath.
And walked toward it.
Lena moved exactly as Marla had instructed, her body operating on sheer will and memorized steps rather than courage, slipping through service corridors with her head lowered and her posture neutral, dressed in staff clothes that swallowed her identity and reduced her to just another shadow moving with purpose.
Every footstep echoed too loudly in her ears, every distant voice made her muscles tense, and every second felt like it stretched unnaturally long, as if the islan
