Page 42 of A Dragon's Miracle (Fires of Fate)

“We need to talk about what we're going to do from here on out,” Finn said. “Because I want to be included.”

“I get that,” I said with a sigh, “but there really isn't much to do.”

“Because you're giving up? Is that what you're saying?” Finn's voice took on an edge that let me know he was not cool with that. Of course he wasn't. But he hadn't had as much time as I had to come to terms with this decision.

“I've exhausted all my options,” I said. “I'm not going back to Jin. Remember how you said we had to face our fears? That's what I'm doing.” I stepped back a few inches so I could look into his eyes. “I've been running from my fate for far too long, and I've hurt people in the process. I'm not going to do that anymore.”

Finn shook his head. “It's not your fate to die.”

“We all have to die.”

“Not you!” Finn said with such conviction that I was sure he didn't care that he was being unreasonable. “Not yet. Give me Jin's address.”

I blinked. “What do you want with it?”

“I want to talk to him. See if I can get him to give me that medicine you spoke of.”

“No,” I said flatly. “I don't want you to make any kind of deals with him. You can't trust him. He'll make you do things you don't want.” It was bad enough that Jin had gotten to me, but I would never forgive myself if Finn fell into his hands because of me. “I want this to stop.”

“I get that.” Finn shot me a sympathetic look before the lines of his face turned hard. “But I'm not going to stand by and watch you die.”

“And I'm not giving you Jin's address.”

Finn ran a hand through his hair, frustration evident in his eyes, but I wasn't going to budge on this. I didn't want Finn anywhere near Jin. “It's like you don't even care that you're dying!” Finn threw his hands up.

“I do,” I said softly. Too softly, maybe, because Finn didn't seem to hear my words. Either that, or he chose to ignore them.

“I need some air,” he said, and then he walked out. I couldn't blame him. I'd given him a lot to process, and he'd handled it well, for the most part. Hell, he'd even forgiven me for all the shitty things I'd done over the past few years.

The only problem was thatIhadn't.