87. Safehouse

The next morning, I woke up with a start, my heart pounding. I quickly made my way to Hadid's room. To my astonishment, Hadid was not only awake but up and about, pacing the small room with surprising energy.

"Hadid!" I exclaimed, relief washing over me. "How are you feeling?"

She turned to face me, a wry smile playing on her lips. "I told you, I won't die easily. It takes more than that to keep me down."

I marveled at her resilience. "I'm glad to see you're doing better. But you should still take it easy."

Hadid shook her head, her eyes gleaming with determination. "There's no time for that. I think I know a way to find your mother."

My eyebrows shot up. "Really? How?"

"She sent me a message last month, just before she disappeared again," Hadid explained. "Now I have no idea where she is or what's happened to her, but that message might hold a clue."

"What did the message say?" I ask anxiously.

Hadid's brow furrowed. "Something about 'returning to the place where it all began' and 't