“Throw the passport in the fire now, or I’m taking you back to the hut for another detox.”

I shake my head. “No. I’m not doing it.”

I have to trust Al. I have to.

I hug my injured hand to my chest. It hurts so much I want to tear it from my wrist.

“Do it.” He thrusts the passport into my right hand. “Throw it in the fire. Now. Do it now!”

“No. I can’t. I can’t.”

“Then I will.”

He snatches it from my hand and throws it into the firepit.

“No!” Johan grabs me as I reach for it. He locks me in his arms as the flames lick at the edges of the passport then creep across the book, turning the maroon cover black. When the passport is no more than grey dust, he shoves me in the direction of the huts.

“Start walking, Emma.”

Chapter 44

Chapter 44

“Where’s Al?” I ask as we cross the wooden bridge, the huts in our sights. “At least let me say goodbye to her, Johan.”

It’s dark, and with the fires burning brightly on the patio in the distance, his face and body are in silhouette as he looms beside me.

“I know Gabe’s going to kill Al tomorrow,” I say. “He’s going to bring her body back here afterwards and tell everyone they were attacked, then she’ll be cremated on the banks of the river. Just like Ruth was.”

Johan says nothing.

“Convince him that Gabe should take me instead. I know he trusts you; he listens to you. Tell him I tried to hurt you. Tell him I wouldn’t sleep with you. Tell him—”

“I can’t do that, Emma.”

“You can. You can convince him.”

“I can’t convince Isaac to do anything, no one can.”

“But you’re one of the original founders. You’ve got power, you’ve—”

He laughs hollowly. “You’ve got no idea.”

“But—”

“Emma, the passport I just threw into the fire wasn’t Al’s. It was Frank’s.”

“Frank’s?” All the hairs go up on my arms and I hug myself, suddenly icy cold.

“I took his passport from him a few days ago, before one of Isaac’s sessions. You saw me. You also saw what happened to him the other night.”

My heel catches on a rock as I take a step backwards, but I don’t gasp or cry out. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Yes, you do.” He takes a step towards me. “You saw what happened down here, by the river. You were watching from behind a lavender bush.”

He saw me. He saw me watching when they killed Frank. That’s why he’s brought me down here. To kill me too.