Samuel nodded and gestured to him. “Sit down. No need to be so shocked—I’m a man, not a ghost.”

Alexander dropped into the seat across from Samuel, staring at him as if in a daze.

Confirming that it was truly a living, breathing Samuel, he shook his head, finding it all unbelievable. “How did you survive? Where have you been this past year? Why couldn’t we find you no matter how hard we searched?”

My God.

This man had actually ...