Page 79 of Finn
Beric leaned back, his expression thoughtful. The silence stretched, suffocating and endless, before he finally spoke.
“Very well,” he said. “One more chance, Gael. Do not waste it.”
Relief flooded Gael’s chest, but it was quickly tempered by the weight of Beric’s warning. He nodded, his jaw tight.
“I won’t,” Gael said.
Beric’s cold smile returned. “See that you don’t.”
Gael turned to leave, his body tense and his mind racing.
As he stepped into the corridor, Bram gave him a questioning look, but Gael ignored it.
The memory of Asher’s face burned in his mind, fueling the fire in his chest. He wouldn’t let it end like this. He couldn’t.
This wasn’t over. Not by a long shot.
ASHER
The training grounds were quieter than usual.
Asher stood near the edge, leaning against the sturdy railing as he watched the younger recruits sparring below.
The clang of swords and the occasional barked orders from the trainers filled the air, but it all felt distant, like white noise muffled by the weight in his chest.
Finn was gone.
No matter how many missions he took, how many targets he eliminated, that fact lingered like a raw wound.
His brother had made his choice, and in doing so, he’d severed ties not just with the Guild, but with him.
A pang of anger flared up, sharp and bitter.
He’d tried to save Finn, to bring him back to reason, but Gabriel had sunk his claws too deep. Damn that vampire.
A voice interrupted his thoughts. “Asher, I knew I’d find you here.”
Asher turned his head to see Donovan, standing with his arms crossed.
There was a faint edge of frustration in his brother’s voice, but mostly it was curiosity.
“Just thinking,” Asher muttered.
“You’ve been doing a lot of that lately.” Donovan stepped closer, lowering his voice. “Some of the other senior hunters are starting to wonder if your head’s in the game.”
Asher shot him a sharp look, his jaw tightening. “My head’s fine.”
“Is it? Because our little brother just ran off with a vampire, and now you’re standing here like a ghost.”
Of course, he told Donovan about Finn. Donovan also had a right to know, but he was starting to regret his decision.
Still, Donovan’s words hit harder than they should have, and Asher bit back a retort.
Instead, he pushed off the railing and strode past Donovan.
“I’m fine,” he repeated, though his tone left no room for argument.
He didn’t stop walking until he reached the Guild’s archive room.
