A Stone’s Message

ARTEMIS' POV

A knock was heard at the door. I froze in my seat. Who was at the door? Had Kane finally found out my hiding place? My heart hammered against my ribs, each beat echoing the fear that had become my constant companion. 

I held my breath, listening intently for any telltale sign of who might be waiting on the other side. Was it Kane, his eyes burning with betrayal and rage? Or perhaps someone else, someone I had wronged in my desperate attempt to survive?

Another knock, this time more insistent, shattered the silence. I had to know. I couldn't cower here, paralyzed by fear. With trembling hands, I reached for the makeshift weapon I kept hidden beneath the table—a heavy iron skillet, its surface scarred with the marks of countless meals. It wasn't much, but it was better than nothing.