Page 171 of Valkyrie Unknown

“Zeke.” Finn stepped closer and lifted my chin to hold my gaze. “The last thing I want, ever, is for these prophecies to destroy you. For this world to take you.”

I traded a life fate would have taken regardless, for a promise made out of love.

The reason Finn said he was willing to let Kirby die without warning her. His reasons were selfish, and worse, he’d done it for himself andme.

The last few hours were still fresh in my mind—the frustration… the war—feeling as potent and real as life itself. Especially the things I saw before the others found me. “What did I see in the hallway, Tania?”

“Possible futures.”

I waited for her to offer more.

It made sense I’d see a world where I was powerful and Azzie was gone, if we were facing our fears. That didn’t feel right, though. “Was that what all of it was?”

“No,” Tania said.

Finn had confirmed the exchange I saw with him and Lugh was real. That they’d set all of this up.

I couldn’t forgive him for this, regardless of our past. “You know how I feel about Azz?—”

“No.” Finn cut me off. “Youdon’t know how you feel about her or this situation, so it’s bullshit to think I should.”

I thought the lies could be ignored, and instead Finn was willing to rain down destruction to get what he wanted, the same way he had in the past.

“We need to go,” Davyn said.

I looked at Azzie, who had been uncharacteristically quiet, but I wasn’t sure what I wanted to say.

She frowned. “You don’t have to ask what I think.”

Because it was the same thing I was thinking. Regardless of Finn’s reasons, what he did was unforgivable.

But was it lock him in a trap for who-knew-how-long levels of wrong?

Finn’s growl could’ve rivaled Davyn’s. “I love you, Zeke. That’s why I do this. For you. For love.”

There were those words again, and they sounded as foul as the first time he said them.Love. That wasn’t right. I didn’t?—

He didn’t. He couldn’t.

Part of me registered aclick, like a latch opening, but finishing this conversation was more important.

“We’re leaving.” Davyn’s voice was hard.

Not yet. “I can’t leave you stuck in this place, Finn.” I wouldn’t do that to anyone. “I’ll kill anyone who insists otherwise.” Somehow I knew that was something I was capable of, and the thought terrified me. “But you’re not coming home with me. I want you out of my home and out of my life.”

“Zeke, no.” Hints of pleading bled into Finn’s hard voice. “Listen to me. I can’t lose you. I did all of thisfor you.”

Except, “This isn’t what I want. I’ve told you from the start.”

“This is the only way you’ll survive,” Finn said.

What did I see in the hallway?

Potential futures.

That meant there was more than one path. “I’ll find another way.” I had to.

“I love you.” Finn was making me loathe that phrase.

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