Page 203 of Scarbound

Noeul pressed himself against the headboard, gasping. His eyes darted around the room. For a second, even the room looked unfamiliar again.

Where was he?

Why was his wrist tied?

Who…

His gaze landed on Chung-Hee.

Something inside him recoiled.

He knew that face. Or thought he did. The thought slipped away before he could catch it.

The breakfast tray had tipped sideways. Coffee seeped across the carpet. Fruit rolled beneath the bed. Chung-Hee sat on the floor, breathing hard.

Then a sound came from somewhere beyond the bedroom.

A phone.

Noeul turned toward it. It rang once. Stopped. Then started again.

He stared toward the door. The sound stirred something. Not a memory exactly. More like the sense that it mattered. That someone, somewhere, existed beyond this room.

He tried to follow the thought. It disappeared.

The phone kept ringing.

Chung-Hee got slowly to his feet. Noeul watched him, confused.

“Phone…”

His voice sounded distant even to himself.

Chung-Hee looked toward the hallway.

Noeul pulled weakly against the cuff.

“My…”

He frowned.

Was it his?

He thought so.

The certainty wouldn’t stay.

The phone rang again.

Noeul pressed a hand against his forehead.

“Who…”

He couldn’t finish the question.

Chung-Hee grabbed his keys. Noeul looked at him.

“Where…”