His face fell. “You smell of the night you died, the scent it haunts me–”

“I will change then.” I dove for my notebook in my bag. “I have a spell for changing⁠—”

“You have clothes here,” he said softly.

I looked up with a start. His cheeks flushed as he gestured to the far-left corner where a narrow door sat. I walked over and pushed it open and gasped. It was a closet the size of our bedroom. My jaw dropped.

“Everest? How old am I?”

“The same age as me, more or less.”

I blinked and shook my head. “So, you’re telling me there’s centuries worth of clothing in here?”

“We only keep our favorite pieces. the rest we give to those who need them.”

I walked over to where a pale pink gown was hanging. It was similar to the peasant gown I wore now but made of a thicker cotton and the sleeves draped even longer. “May I wear this one?”

“That was your favorite,” he whispered.

My chest tightened. “Then I cannot take it⁠—”

“Please, take it. When I come in here and find your favorite gown missing, I will know it is because you are wearing it, and you will feel less . . . less gone.”

“Everest—”

“Auryn is here.” He frowned and turned toward the door. “Change. Then come out. I want to warn her you’re here. her emotions have been . . . fragile of late.”

“I will be right out.”

He nodded then slipped out the door. Tears threatened to spill over but I blinked them away. My time here was limited, I knew that. Any minute Everest was going to remember that I could not stay, and he would throw me back into the tunnel. I wanted to see Auryn before I left. So, I made quick work of changing out of my peasant dress and into the soft pink cotton gown that was evidently my favorite. I needed to ensure this dress survived back to the future. But there was a mirror leaning against the wall, so I snapped a couple pictures of me in the gown just in case, I wanted my Everest to see me in it again.

God, I hope I’m not breaking all the rules here.

Please don’t let me screw up the future. Just zap me when I need to keep my mouth shut.

I was just walking out the bedroom door when I heard Auryn scream, “she’s here? Where?”

“I’m here.”