Page 45 of Finn
Asher’s blood ran cold. He didn’t need to ask to know this had something to do with Finn.
He motioned for the class to pause, their stances frozen mid-kick and mid-punch.
“Continue without me,” he told them.
He met the messenger’s gaze, searching for any hint of good news in his eyes, but the man simply turned and led him through the halls without a word.
“Is this about Finn?” Asher demanded as they walked.
But the messenger only gave a slight shake of his head. Typical, he thought bitterly.
Finn was supposed to be home by now, and the silence was maddening.
He and Donovan had discussed the issue late last night. They both knew how dangerous Craven Hill could be.
He told Donovan about the last conversation he had with Finn.
There were blanks. Important details the Elders had kept hidden from Finn when they assigned him that mission.
Donovan had insisted on being patient, but Asher had been ready to go search for his brother then and there.
They’d fought and ended up disagreeing.
It took everything in him to school his expression into a mask of indifference as he reached Elder Marcus’s office.
His pulse hammered in his ears as he knocked.
“Enter,” came Marcus’s cold, measured voice.
Asher stepped inside, feeling every muscle in his body tense at the sight of Marcus’s impassive expression.
“Take a seat, Asher,” Marcus said, his voice as empty as the eyes that watched Asher take his seat.
But Asher couldn’t hold back anymore.
He leaned forward, barely sitting before the words tumbled out. “Is this about Finn? Where is he? Is he alright?”
“Calm down, Asher.” Marcus’s tone was dismissive, but it did little to quell the simmering rage just beneath Asher’s calm exterior.
Normally, he was the embodiment of restraint. A quality that had gotten him far in his training, that had helped him protect his brothers.
But now, he wanted nothing more than to shake answers out of Marcus, to make him understand that this wasn’t just another assignment.
Marcus leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers as he regarded Asher.
“Finn successfully completed his mission,” he said slowly, each word chosen with cold precision. “But he’s run into some…complications. He can’t get out of Craven Hill just yet.”
“Complications?” Asher repeated, barely keeping his voice steady.
Finn had been expected to return today, but he’d heard nothing. There were only so many reasons why that would be the case.
“What exactly do you mean by complications?” he demanded, his worry intensifying with every passing second.
Marcus’s eyes narrowed, though his tone stayed as calm and indifferent as ever.
“Finn was supposed to report to us today,” he said slowly. “But from what we gather, he may be in greater danger than he previously indicated.”
Asher was on the edge of his seat, a storm of anger and fear building inside him.
