Chapter 4 — The First Exchange

Asher

The road stretched ahead like a ribbon of possibility, shimmering under the morning sun. Asher Cain adjusted his grip on the steering wheel, his vintage Jeep rattling slightly as it ambled along the uneven highway. The sky above was a wide, unbroken canvas of soft blues—the kind of day that begged to be captured. His ShadowLens camera sat beside him on the passenger seat, its leather strap coiled like a lifeline to the only thing that had ever made sense in his life. His fingers traced the strap absently, its worn texture grounding him as sunlight spilled through the windshield, pooling in the creases of his leather jacket.