He felt like a buffer—or like I was the kite, getting whipped around the time stream, but now that I had a string to anchor me, I was finally grounded. But that was the point of Eva’s scheme to pair Reds. Matching them with someone who had a stabilizing influence.

Apparently she’d picked the right guy for me.

Too bad she hadn’t asked him first. Or me. Even if it was nice, I wouldn’t have agreed.

Tair pursed his lips, thinking through his strategy, and I nudged him with my toe. We need a plan.

Do you have any leads we can follow?

Good question. I let my attention slide off the board and pushed it out, looking for the bigger picture. Right out the gate, a future Tair and Quanta popped up and started snuggling.

Tair’s head snapped toward the movement. What is that?

You can see it? The panic shooting through my veins made my mental voice all shrill.

Yes.

Crap.

Crap, crap, crap. Where was this mind melding going to end? I hadn’t been trying to project. Not at all.

Tair stared transfixed as the ghostly figures nuzzled each other. Meanwhile, I had my foot up his pant leg and a blush crept up my neck. Just look at the board. I shook my head to clear it and the ghosts fizzled away, leaving us alone. Too late, though.

Tair turned his head, but his brown eyes flicked to mine, suddenly deadly serious. Is that our future?

The change in tone made me blink. I used my turn as an excuse to look away from him. It could be.

But it’s not decided yet. Still, his voice was hard.

There’s no such thing as fate. Even as tied together as we were, the strings didn’t have to choke us. Anything could happen. That doesn’t mean it will.

Tair’s shoulders relaxed. “Good.”

Don’t say it out loud! I nudged him under the table and tried to pretend that didn’t sting. It shouldn’t sting, but it twinged a little anyway.

Tair cleared his throat. “I mean, good move.”

Jeez. Although I shouldn’t talk. I was sitting here playing games and fantasizing when both of us were in so deep. Feelings would only make everything more complicated. I didn’t think I had serious ones yet, but that could change too fast.

My mistake. He moved his knight and then adjusted his glasses. Where are we on leads from your visions?

Nothing yet, but I’ll keep looking. For that and a way to get through this morning without dying.

This new power. Tair rolled his fingers, making a vague gesture. Can you do it again? Reversing time?