Time roared in my head, stinging and flaying the same as it did on a timewind, but I held on. Just a little more. A little more—

Darren screamed.

Then the sound choked off. His retinas burst.

Finally, his muscles gave out and he fell to the floor like a puppet cut from his strings. I couldn’t see him in the present while he writhed on the floor, but I knew he wasn’t getting up.

Time kept whirling through my head, kicking up dust and aching. I bit down, twisting up my face as I tried to rein it in. Stop. Shh. It’s over now.

Slowly, slowly, the roaring quieted. The flaying eased off and most of the timeghosts burst and faded like little bubbles, but my head still pounded and the room kept spinning.

Seconds ticked. I poked at the future, still aching, and for the life of me, I couldn’t see what was coming next. All I could see was Tair in the next room, and he was almost gone.

I threw myself against my ties. “Someone get in here!”

They heard me. I knew they did.

The door whooshed. Not Nagi. Not Nagi. Please don’t be Nagi.

Akua stepped into view. She couldn’t help glancing at Darren, but she firmed her shoulders as she faced me. “What have you done?”

“I gave him what he wanted.” He’d just asked for something stupid.

“Is he…?”

“He’ll live.” Probably. Although I’d definitely broken him and I didn’t care. “Untie me. I won’t hurt you or anyone else. I just want to be with Tair at the—” My voice cracked. I couldn’t say it out loud.

At the end.

Akua’s breaths echoed like hammer strikes in the silent room.

Tair’s vitals weren’t beeping anymore. Darren lay still.

“Please, Akua.” I held my breath, waiting out her decision. “Please. Just let me go to him. I can’t escape. I can’t do anything. Just once. You’re not this heartless.”

She fiddled with her sleeves as her thoughts twisted behind her eyes. The future she wanted as a Seligo, all safe in a glass tower, battled against the morals of her childhood. That brilliant little girl who’d fought to get through the Trials and win a better life would’ve hated what Akua had become, and the present Akua knew it.

But what would she do about it? I waited in milliseconds that felt like millennia.

Then Akua stepped to the side of my table. “I never wanted to be part of something like this.”

“I know.” I knew better than anyone. “You don’t have to be.”

“He’ll take this out on me.” Akua’s long fingers trembled, but she started pushing buttons as she walked around the table. The plastic cords retracted.

“Maybe he won’t get that chance.” If Tair was still alive, we could…