“You have to go.” He reached up and tucked my hair behind my ear. “You are losing too much time in the future that you will not be able to catch up on. The rules of time travel are specific, and when you return you will be sent to the most current point time has reached.”

“He’s right, Mother.” Auryn held her hands out. “I do not want you to go, but we need you back home in the future.”

I kissed Rae’s forehead then placed him gently in Auryn’s arms. “I am grateful I was able to meet him, even if only for a moment.”

“This moment means more to me than you could possibly know.” She sniffled and cradled her son against her chest.

I wanted to memorize this moment forever. Wait. With a cheeky grin, I reached into my bag and pulled my phone out. Auryn and Akecheta scowled at it. I grimaced. “This is a modern painting maker, so to speak. Just . . . just go with me here. It won’t make sense to you now, but it will before we are reunited. I promise.”

They nodded.

“Right, so everyone stand together as if you are posing for a portrait.” Thankfully, they understood what that meant so it only took me a few seconds to prop my phone up on the chair and set the timer, then I scooted over to them. “Just look at the device and smile until I move.”

I watched the timer count down then it flashed. With a grin, I slid back over and checked. A perfect family photo was now in my phone. It felt like illegal contraband, but I didn’t care. With a little skip in my step, I put my phone back into my bag but when I did something else flew into my palm. I frowned and pulled it out—-then gasped. It was that hand-held photo printer Mei-Ling had gotten me for my last birthday. A sticky note on top said Tegan said it was okay. I grinned. That girl. If she said the rule was okay to break, I wasn’t going to hesitate. I quickly plugged my phone into the little printer. Just to be sure, I pushed a tiny bit of magic into it then pressed print.

A small rectangular picture slid out the bottom of the printer.

With all five of our faces on it.

I grinned and spun around to find them all staring at me with wide eyes. “Remember, don’t ask. Don’t try to figure it out. And definitely do not show anyone else. This is a secret for our family, okay?”

They nodded but eyed my phone and printed like it was a demon ready to attack.

“Think of this as a miniature painting.” I held it out to them. “So you can always remember this day.”

Auryn’s hand trembled as she took the picture. “Thank you,” she cried.