Amara''s heart was pounding in her chest as she sat motionless in the passenger seat. Finnian quickly got out of the car and gently helped her out.
They stood by the smoking hood of the car, staring at the wreckage in disbelief. Amara''s eyes were wide with shock, while Finnian''s face was etched with
concern.
"The driver fled the scene," Dorian said, shaking his head. "There''s something off about this."
"What do you mean, off?" Amara asked, her voice trembling slightly.
"I saw a car speeding towards us in the rearview mirror," Dorian exined. "I tried to swerve, but it seemed like it was aiming right for us. It didn''t feel idental-it seemed deliberate."
If it had been a typical rear-end collision, both cars would have stopped right there. But the other car hit them with such force that it sent their vehicle flying, and then it sped off. That kind of precision suggested intent.
Amara understood the implications. She clutched her wildly beating heart, her vision blurry with anxiety, and muttered through gritted teeth, "Elowen, it must be her!"
Elowen was a brainless fool, and after being cooped up at home by Larry Sullivan these past few days, she must be seething with anger. This was her way of getting back at Amara.
"It could be Elowen, or it could be one of my old enemies," Finnian said, trying to reassure her. "Don''t worry, I''ll get to the bottom of this."
Amara nodded, then asked, "So what do we do now? Should we call someone to pick us up?"
"Yeah, I''ll call Will toe get us. Meanwhile, I''ll check the car to make sure it''s safe. If there''s no risk of explosion, we''ll wait in the backseat."
It was early winter, and there was a chill in the air. Finnian popped open the hood to inspect the car. Once he was sure there was no immediate danger, he and Amara settled into the backseat.
Amara couldn''t help but find it almostical. They had set out to find Elysia and Dorian, only to end up in trouble themselves.
With the car out ofmission, the heater was useless, leaving the temperature noticeably colder. Amara hugged her shoulders against the chill.
Finnian noticed her difort and took off his suit jacket, draping it over her shoulders.
Amara immediately tried to give it back. "I don''t need it."
"Wear it," Finnian insisted, gently pressing her hand back. "I can handle the cold, but you might catch a chill."
Amara nced at his physique.
Finnian worked out regrly, his body was well-built, and he seemedpletely unfazed by the cold contrast, she was already breaking out in goosebumps despite wearing a coat. The disparity between them was almostughable.
Resolutely, she handed the jacket back to him. "I really don''t need it. It''s not that cold in here."
Finnian might be impervious to the cold, but that didn''t mean she should ept his jacket.
Finnian''s tone grew serious. "Is it so hard for you to let me take care of you?"
He gently grasped Amara''s chin, and she couldn''t shake the eerie feeling from his intense gaze.
The cramped confines of the car only amplified the tension between them. Finnian''s eyes bore into hers, and Amara relented under the pressure. "Alright, I''ll wear it."
This man, honestly. He was so insistent on her wearing his jacket. Well, she figured it was better to just go along with it.
Once she had the jacket on, they each retreated to their respective corners of the backseat. Amara''s mind wandered aimlessly while Finnian kept his gaze fixed outside the window.
Suddenly, Amara realized that they
had been sitting in silence for five minutes. In that time, Finnian hadn''t moved a muscle, his eyes
intentional, almost like he wel.ne
steadfastly avoiding hers. It felt
deliberately keeping his distance. It was unsettling.
Ever since she had taken off her mask, Finnian''s nces her way had dwindled. It had been less noticeable outside, but now, confined in the car together, the feeling was ringly apparent. Amara felt awkward and hoped fervently that Will would hurry up and arrive. Content bétongs to