Page 59 of Finn
And somehow, that was worse. I wanted to shake him, to tell him to let it all out, but I didn’t.
Silence felt like the safest choice, so I said nothing.
I turned to the old man behind the counter, who had been watching the exchange with a mix of curiosity and wariness.
“Thank you,” I said quietly, handing back the phone before heading for the door.
Unsurprisingly, Asher followed me.
“Hey!” he called, grabbing my shoulder and forcing me to face him. His grip was firm, but not painful. “We’re not done talking.”
I pulled away, but he didn’t back off.
“Finn, screw all of this,” Asher said, his voice dropping low, almost pleading. “Let’s just go home. Forget Gabriel. Forget everything that happened. We’ll figure out a way to lie to the Elders, convince them you’ve?—”
“I’m not going back,” I cut him off, my voice hard.
Asher’s jaw tightened, and for a moment, he looked ready to argue.
But then his expression softened, just enough to show the cracks in his armor.
Beneath the frustration and anger, I saw something else. Worry.
“Finn,” he said, his voice quieter now, tinged with desperation. “Has he already brainwashed you? Is that it? Are you so far gone that you can’t even see what you’ve done? The danger you’re in?”
His words hit me like a slap, but before I could respond, he added, “The vampire I followed to track you, Gael, he’s dangerous. He’s one of Beric’s enforcers. Do you even understand what that means?”
The mention of Gael sent a chill down my spine, but I refused to let it show.
I swallowed hard, my mind catching on the bigger picture.He followed Gael.
That’s how Asher had managed to find us. Of course. My brother was an excellent tracker.
If anyone could keep up with someone like Gael, it was him.
Still, hearing the concern in his voice made my resolve waver.
After our parents had died, Asher had taken it upon himself to look after Donovan and me, even when we didn’t want it.
And now, standing outside this dingy convenience store, I could see that he wasn’t just angry. He was scared.
But he didn’t understand. He couldn’t.
“Gabriel didn’t brainwash me,” I said firmly, my voice soft but unshakable. “I know exactly what I’ve done.”
“Do you?” Asher snapped, his frustration breaking through.
“Yes,” I whispered, holding his gaze. “And I’d do it all over again if I had the chance.”
Asher’s eyes darkened, his expression unreadable.
“Gabriel,” he said bitterly. “It was always about him.”
For a long moment, neither of us spoke. The silence was suffocating.
Finally, Asher let out a heavy sigh, running a hand through his hair.
“You’re going to get yourself killed, Finn,” he said, his voice low and tired. “And for what? For a monster who?—”
