No. I shook his shoulders. I gave the names out once. I won’t do that again. Better that he got out and spread the word. I’d stay and take the fate I was always going to have, except this time he didn’t have to go down with me. You won’t remember right away, but I know you’ll do the right thing when you do. Be a good scientist. Make a difference. The words couldn’t stick in my throat, but they were still hard to finish. And don’t throw away your life coming back here.

Quanta— He started, but whatever else he said got lost as a blade of nauseating, cold sweat pain slashed through my head.

I was running out of time in more ways than one.

It had to be now.

But I didn’t want to say goodbye. I wanted the happy futures to be real.

I guessed as long as I didn’t forget, they could still be real in a way. Not as good, but still.

There was no other choice. If I tried to hold on to him now, I’d break everything.

Instead, I did exactly what I’d done to Darren, pushing the timeghosts into him in a tidal wave of history and potential. Tair staggered back and I shoved him onto the ground as a last show for the cameras, pretending to snap and go for his throat.

I could already see future Tair at the edge of my vision, waking up safe in his bed with no memories of me to get him in trouble. Eva had set him to my frequency. I could overload him, but he wouldn’t burn out.

He’d recover where Darren couldn’t.

The researchers finally busted into motion. Two grabbed me away from Tair while another one unlatched the door.

My work was done.

And good thing, because vertigo had me spinning like I stood at the top of the senate spire.

I clapped my hands over my ears. Pain jackhammered in my head. Timeghosts whirled, all relentless-like.

I couldn’t see Tair or anyone else as the chaos faded to black nothingness.

Whatever came next…

I’d made my choice. Now Tair had to make his.

As my sight faded to a pinprick, I was pretty sure my heart cracked.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Chapter Twenty-Eight

ALTAIR

A rustling noise sounded close to my ear.

Sheets. High thread count. I lay in bed, in my apartment by the subtle smell of orange cleaning product. The mattress shifted and I reached out for—

For someone important.

Why did I think that? My fingers bunched in the cloth and came up empty.

Then I heard a disturbing crunching noise. Groggy, I opened my eyes and the last of whatever I’d been dreaming slipped away.