AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“And this concerns me how?” Finn asks, sounding skeptical. He’s unsure but I have his interest peaked and that’s all I need.
“Show up with me to the meeting, and we’ll pretend we’re good. It’ll throw Silas off and maybe,”—if we’re lucky—“it’ll trip him up. Mess up his game somehow. Then we can figure out what’s really going on.”
Finn’s mouth twists, not buying it. “Silas is perceptive. He’ll catch on.”
“He won’t,” I disagree.
“How can you be so sure?”
“Because we already have an advantage.”
“How so?”
“My father doesn’t know it yet, but he’s been looking for this,” I say, pulling out the item from my pocket and tossing it over to him.
Catching it, his eyes widen, looking down at the baton-shaped item. The lines on his forehead crease the longer he tries to figure out what it is.
Honestly, I don’t know what it is either, but it has to be important. Why else would I have found it left on my bed after my mother took her own life? She wanted me to have it, and I need to find out why.
Finn’s gaze flicks back over to mine, swallowing roughly. “You think it could work? Us meeting up with him?”
“I think it’s a start.”
“What about Rory, by technicality, she’s now the only heir to the Casper name.”
I nod, already knowing this which is another reason why I’d sent Eli to go with Rory. I know Silas and I know what he’s capable of and if I can’t be there to protect her, I need her to be with someone who I know will. Without hesitation.
It fucking sucks that of all people it’s him, but I know Eli’d do anything for her.
I don’t know if Silas would try to do something to Rory, but we can’t be too cautious. Not withourfather.
“Another reason to go. The sooner we find out the truth, the sooner we’ll know she’ll be safe.” Rory thinks she knows this world, but she was only brought into it. Finn and I grew up knowing its corruption and cruelty.
Finn’s mouth holds. Locking the longer those words hang there like a balloon swelling as it takes up more space. The second his eyes steel over and his hand fists around the item, I know I have him.
He doesn’t have to say the words but does anyway. “Fine. We do this for Rory, butonlyher. Everything else is too fresh.”
My chest heaves, agreeing with a clipped nod.
Finn’s face stays pensive, but he does the same. “We stay calm, throw him off, and never mention the other matter.”
“One last thing,” I add, checking the time on my phone. “If anyone asks, we talked.”
“Of course.” A corrupted smirk slipped past his lips. “Brother.”
fifteen
Rory
Mynosescrunches.Thesmall hole-in-the-wall diner has become one of our regular hangouts.
“Is it just me or does this place seem,” I pause, looking for the right way to phrase it. “Moreoccupiedthan usual?”
The last of Eli’s burger loosely dangles from his fingers as his eyes follow a similar pattern to my own. After a beat he turns back, taking a bite unfazed.
“Do they bother you at school?”
My mouth flattens into a grim line. Knowing what he’s getting at without having to say it. No, they don’t bother me there so it shouldn’t matter that it seems like all of the students from KPA have started coming here as well.
