Chasing Shadows

Chapter Nine: Seeds of Doubt

Ethan’s breath came in short, shallow bursts as he stared into the darkness where Zane had disappeared. His mind raced, thoughts whirling like a cyclone of confusion and disbelief. He knew he should call Asher—tell him what happened, report the encounter, do something—but he couldn’t bring himself to move. The memory of Zane’s eyes, the strange vulnerability in his voice, kept him rooted to the spot.

“I see a lot of myself in you.”

Those words lingered, twisting in his gut like a knife. Zane was trying to manipulate him; he had to be. That’s what Asher had always warned him about—how people like Zane knew how to twist the truth, how to make you question yourself until you were no longer sure which way was up. And yet… Ethan couldn’t shake the sense that there was more to it. Something real hidden beneath the layers of deception.

No,he told himself firmly. Don’t fall for it. He’s the enemy. He’s dangerous.

But that nagging doubt refused to be silenced. What if Zane really wasn’t the villain everyone thought he was? What if there was some truth to his words, something Ethan had been missing all along?

He shook his head sharply, trying to clear the fog of uncertainty. This was exactly what Zane wanted—for him to question everything, to doubt himself and the people he trusted. He couldn’t let that happen.

Taking a deep breath, Ethan pulled out his comm device and dialed Asher’s number, his fingers trembling slightly as he pressed the call button. It rang once, twice, and then Asher’s voice crackled through the speaker, steady and familiar.

“Ethan? You okay?” There was a note of concern in Asher’s tone that made Ethan’s chest tighten with guilt.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” Ethan said quickly, though his voice wavered. “I, um… I ran into Zane.”

There was a brief pause, and when Asher spoke again, his voice was sharper, more focused. “Did he attack you? Are you hurt?”

“No, no—it’s nothing like that.” Ethan ran a hand through his hair, struggling to find the right words. “He just… showed up. Said he wanted to talk.”

“Talk?” Asher’s disbelief was palpable, and Ethan could practically hear the frown forming on his face. “And you listened?”

“I—yeah, I did.” Ethan closed his eyes, hating how small and unsure he sounded. “He didn’t try anything, Asher. He just… he said some things.”

“What kind of things?” Asher’s voice was low, controlled, but Ethan could hear the underlying tension.

Ethan hesitated, his gaze dropping to the ground. “I don’t know. Stuff that made me—made me think. He said he’s not my enemy. That he’s not the monster we think he is.”

A sharp intake of breath crackled through the line, and then Asher’s voice came through, cold and firm. “Ethan, you can’t believe a word he says. He’s trying to get inside your head, to manipulate you. That’s what he does.”

“I know,” Ethan whispered, his shoulders slumping. “I know, but… it didn’t feel like that. Not this time.”

There was a long silence on the other end, and Ethan could almost picture Asher standing there, his jaw clenched, his brow furrowed in that way it always did when he was trying to keep his emotions in check.

“Listen to me, Ethan,” Asher said finally, his tone softer but no less intense. “Zane is dangerous. He’s hurt people—killed people. Whatever game he’s playing, it’s meant to get you to question everything you know. Don’t let him. You’re stronger than that.”