An hour passed before William finally stopped reading, followed shortly by Finch, who gently closed his own book and placed it aside. Their black eyes drifted toward Asher, who had wandered off to the balcony earlier.
He now sat there quietly, completely still, staring up at the sky as though it held answers only he could see. William and Finch rose to their feet almost simultaneously, exchanging a brief glance before heading toward the balcony where Asher sat, lost in thought.
"Are you two done?" Asher asked without turning his head, his senses keen enough to detect their approach long before they reached him.
William lowered himself into a seat beside Asher, and Finch mirrored the action, settling into another chair with a soft sigh. "We are," Finch replied calmly, though his breath carried a subtle heaviness, as if the weight of their recent reading lingered in his mind.
