Sherly’s worries

A heavy silence lingered on the line before Alex spoke again, his voice tinged with concern. "You have to be careful," he warned. "I saw Edwards at Vin's hotel. He's been around for days, and I'm sure he's here because of you."

Annabelle's heart skipped a beat, fear prickling at the edges of her consciousness. "I just escaped him now," she admitted, her voice trembling slightly. "He saw me at the festival. I'm sleeping over at Clary's place. She's driving home as we speak."

There was a pause on the other end of the line before Alex spoke again, his words heavy with regret. "I'm sorry I didn't warn you earlier," he confessed. "I didn't want to alarm you. But you need to be careful. Avoid public places for now. I'm sure he'll still be searching for you."

"Okay, I will," Annabelle promised, her voice barely above a whisper. She bid her brother goodnight before ending the call, her mind spinning with worry.