But the further we paged back, the more my head screamed.

I sucked air through my teeth, trying to ride through the stabbity ache and the flames as time burned itself away—the crazy run, those few hideous moments sucking up to Darren, playing chess with Tair, and the first seconds, reeling, wondering how we’d just done what we’d just done…

Then the past and future snapped together. Both of us lurched and grabbed the tabletop as the clock restarted in our new present. The silence jangled in my ears.

I groaned and slumped.

Dizziness. Nausea. And headache central. It was worse than last time, but we were alive, and back where we’d started—in my little kitchen with our breakfast trays, sitting at the table like nothing had ever happened.

We made it. Tair’s fingers overlapped mine and he gave them a little squeeze that jolted through my system. Are you okay?

I’d been better, but a headache probably wouldn’t kill me. I resisted the urge to squeeze back. The more I focused on him, the easier it was to navigate through time, and that was already danger land. Fine. Just stop trying to get yourself killed.

And on that note.

I hopped up from my chair and give him the punch in the arm I’d wanted to give him since he grabbed me from the holo room. It didn’t hurt him. If anything, my knuckles stung. I pretended I was going to do it again so he could let go of the tray and grab my wrist. A meat shield? Really?

Tair’s eyes may have actually twinkled. I knew they wouldn’t hurt you.

That won’t work every time. If we got other times. I already knew I couldn’t keep doing this forever—we’d hit a limit at some point. Probably when my head imploded?

At least now I knew I could steer us onto one of the least awful paths. And they were awful. The futures where Tair and I escaped had evaporated to the point that I kind of suspected I’d imagined them.

My belly roiled at the thought of winding through time over and over and over again, but I couldn’t see another choice. I pretended to struggle against Tair, but didn’t really try to pull away. Now we need a plan for day three.

Tair’s gaze flicked toward the window where Darren was probably gnashing his teeth at all our play fighting, but how else were we supposed to talk? I’ve memorized the layout of your floor. We need to get onto a stair or one of the lifts. Then we can start looking for Darren’s lab or a way out. Whichever comes first.