“He’s not your brother. You need to stop thinking of him like that.”
Finn cast a disparaging look around my room. “Is that what this is all about?
You came back to say goodbye to all of this?”
“I’m not saying goodbye,” I said icily and stuck my chin out defiantly. I went over and sat on my bed, trying to make a physical point of laying claim to this space. Finn only rolled his eyes at my display.
“You can’t possibly stay here, Wendy.” Finn waved away the idea like it was completely preposterous. “Get whatever you need, and then we need to get out of here before Matt notices I’m here.”
“I am not going!” I insisted emphatically.
Finn was eyeing me up, trying to decide if I was really serious. I couldn’t tell if he disapproved or not. His expression stayed even and thoughtful. Crossing his arms over his chest, I hated how attractive he was and whatever power it was he held over me. Just the way he looked at me made my heart race and my stomach flip. It was going to be terrible never seeing him again, and I tried to push the thought from my mind.
“Do you realize what you’re giving up?” Finn asked softly. “You are a Trylle Princess. It isn’t just about money, Wendy. There is so much that life has to offer you. More than anything they can give you here. If Matt understood what was in store for you, he would send you there himself.”
“You’re right. He probably would. If he thought it was what’s best for me,” I admitted. “Because he really cares about me and always wants what’s best. Nobody there wants what’s best for me.”
“You think I don’t want what’s best for you?” Finn questioned incredulously, and there was an underlying trace of affection that shivered through me. “Do you really believe I would encourage you to do this if it would adversely effect you?”
“I don’t think you know what’s best for me,” I replied as evenly as I could. He had thrown me off my guard by hinting at caring about me, and I had to remind myself that that was part of his job. All of this was. He needed to make sure I was safe and convince me to get home. That wasn’t the same as actually caring about me.
“Elora can be… a difficult woman,” Finn said carefully. “But you are her daughter, and she loves you. You deserve to know your mother, and you deserve the life she has in store for you. You will live a life of royalty, and you will lead people! This is something that nobody else can give you!”
“Do you know much money my family has?” I asked pointedly. I wasn’t sure if Finn had any idea how valuable or invaluable I might be. “I mean, this one here, that I live with.”
“Yes, I do.” He looked taken back my abrupt change in questions, but he straightened up and answered me directly. “I know the exact amount in fact.
Elora had me checking finances yesterday.”
“Right. Cause that’s what matters.” I sighed and shook my head, then I looked up at him. “How much do they have?”
“Do you want to know your trust and what you stand to inherit, or your guardian and brother’s total wealth?” Finn had gone expressionless. “Do you want net worth? Liquid assets? Are you including real estate, like the house they still own in the Hamptons? Dollar amount?
“I don’t really care,” I shook my head. “I was just… Elora was convinced that we really did have a lot of money, and I was just curious.”
“Yes. You really do have a lot of money,” Finn explained. “More than even Elora had originally thought.” I nodded and looked at my feet. “You live well below your means here.”
“I think Maggie thought it would be better for me, and Matt and I never really cared that much about money.” I kept staring at my feet, then finally I looked up at Finn. “They would give me anything. They would give me all of it if I asked. But I’m never taking any money from them, not for myself and certainly not for Elora. Make sure you tell her that when you go back to her. I will never give her any of their money. Never.”
I had expected him to protest in some way, but Finn surprised me. His lips curled into the edge of a smile, and if anything, he looked almost proud of me. I was condemning their way of life, so I had thought he would defend it, but he approved of it.
“You are sure this is what you want?” Finn asked gently.
“Absolutely.” But I sounded more confident than I really was.
I was turning down any chance at getting to know my real mother, my family history, a throne, and spending more time with Finn. Not mention that my abilities, like persuasion, which Finn had promised their would be more of as I got older. On my own, I’m sure I’d never be able to master or understand them. So I was losing them too.
“I do think you’d find happiness with us,” Finn said, almost sadly. “But I won’t force you to come with me. If this is your decision, then I’ll have to respect it.”
“Thank you,” I smiled wanly at him.
We looked at each other, and I wished he wasn’t so far away from me.
I was wondering if it would be appropriate if we hugged when the door to my bedroom opened. Matt and Maggie planned on checking on me constantly to make sure I hadn’t escaped again. Unfortunately, Maggie was gone dealing with the police, meaning that it was Matt who opened the door. As soon as he saw Finn, his eyes burned with rage and his cheeks reddened. Quickly, I jumped up, moving in front of Finn to block any attempts that Matt would have at killing him.
“Matt! It’s okay!” I held up my hands.
“It is not okay!” Matt growled coming into my room. “What the hell do you think you’re doing in here? You are not allowed anywhere near her ever again!”
“Matt, please!” I put my hands on his chest, trying to push him back away from Finn, but it was like trying to push a brick wall. He reached over my shoulder, pointing at Finn as he yelled. I glanced back at Finn, and he just stared blankly at my brother.
“You have some nerve, you little bastard!” Matt shouted, and he kept pushing back on me, trying to get closer to Finn. “She is seventeen-years-old!
She’s a minor! That’s kidnapping! That’s statutory rape! I don’t know what the hell you did with her, but you’re never doing it again!”
“Matt, please, stop!” I begged. “He was just saying goodbye! Please!”
“Perhaps you should listen to her,” Finn offered calmly.
It was his composure that really pissed Matt off. He was screaming at Finn, and he wanted him to react in someway. Matt had been suffering and terrified, and he just wanted to make Finn feel an ounce of that. Unfortunately, Finn’s only reaction to things like this was to stand there, cool and collected. So, Matt’s only recourse was physically harming him.
Matt actually knocked me out of the way, and I fell backwards onto the floor. Finn’s eyes flashed darkly at that, and when Matt pushed him, he didn’t move an inch. He just glared down at my brother, and I knew that if they fought, Matt would be the one with a serious injury.
“Matt!” I wailed and jumped to my feet.
Already, I had started chanting Leave my room. Leave my room. You need to calm down and get out my room. Please. I wasn’t sure how effective it would be if I wasn’t looking at him, so I grabbed his arm and forced him to turn to me. His blue eyes were burning, and he tried to look away instantly, but I caught him. I kept my eyes focused and just kept repeating it over and over in my head.
Finally, his expression softened and his eyes glazed.
“I’m going to leave your room now,” Matt said robotically. Much to my relief, he actually turned and walked out into the hall, closing the door behind him. I’m not sure if he walked any farther than that, or how much time I had, so I turned to Finn.
“You have to leave,” I insisted breathlessly, but his expression had changed to one of concern.
“Does he do that often?” Finn asked.
“What?” I had no idea what he was talking about and I just wanted him to go before somebody got hurt. “What are you talking about?”
“He pushed you. He clearly has an anger problem.” Finn glared at the door Matt had left through. “He’s unstable. You shouldn’t stay here with him.”
“Yeah, well, you guys should be more careful who you leave babies with,” I muttered and went to the window. “I don’t know how much time we have so you need to go.”
“He probably won’t ever be able to come into your room again,” Finn explained calmly, brushing me off. “I’m serious, Wendy. I don’t want to leave you with him.”
“You don’t have much of a choice!” I felt exasperated and ran a hand through my hair. “Matt’s not usually like that, and he would never hurt me. He just hasn’t slept, and he blames you for taking me away, and he’s not wrong.”
The panic was wearing away, and I realized that I had just used persuasion on Matt again, and I felt nauseous. “I hate doing that to him. It’s not fair and it’s not right.”