Chapter 40
Bren
I ’ve said little since the Timekeeper appeared; my mind is occupied with a million details and theories. The only fact I can confirm is that Fin’s time meddlers belong to a corporation called Cronos.
An official organization that oversees time? It’s ludicrous! Even without the ability to manipulate time, Cronos is powerful. The Timekeeper’s ignorance was the first sign of their power, and this woman’s distrust is the second. Creating mindless drones is one thing, but manipulating an entity that appears to have free will is another. I have so many questions, but each one jeopardizes our safety.
“Jonathan Addington is one of your mates? I thought his sons were your daughter’s guardians.”
“You’re nothing like my daughter’s Rhett, are you?” The woman, helpfully dubbed by their first initials, cocks her head as she studies my brother. Her gaze turns to me next, but I look away. “You are very different, too,” she muses.
I really hope so. I hadn’t liked the other me.
“We think our Addington altered his sons’ genetics in utero,” Zosia says off-handedly as if discussing the weather. “Avery is presumed to be the same.”
Confusion flits across K’s face. “But vampires don’t have a fetal stage,” she protests.
Zo’s ears twitch with surprise. “Avery did. He’s a born vampire.”
The older woman’s mouth drops open, and I wonder if Avery is grateful for his vision. If I were granted sight for a certain period in my life, it would be wasted on this experience.
“The Avery duClair we know was turned as a child. I’ve only met him once, but he’s well known because his turning didn’t cure his blindness as his mother hoped.” The older woman shakes her head while I absorb this information.
Every new detail confirms my suspicions. If circumstances coalesce into a world that has the same individuals, wouldn’t they be born similarly? Garrett and I might be different due to Addington’s experiments, but Zosia and Avery should be more similar.
“And yes, Jonathan is my guardian,” K continues. “He didn’t become one until after both his boys were born, however. My mother retained her post until my daughter’s first birthday.” The recognizable shadow of grief darkens the woman’s elegant features. Which circumstances were altered to offer this library’s caretakers a loving relationship?
“Why are you so willing to release one of your guardians?” Avery asks smoothly.
The woman chuckles wryly. “That’s a very good question.”
I clamp my lips shut before I ask whether she was given a choice. Regardless of whether I think Cronos is an authoritarian overlord or not, asking questions pertaining to them might cause trouble. I don’t have any control over this strange situation, regardless of the Timekeeper’s claims.
Zosia’s tail thumps when K doesn’t answer immediately. She seems lost in a thought or memory but comes back to herself with the gesture. “When Cronos presented us with the decree, the accusations against Jonathan were steep. Although I banished him from the library, I resisted believing in them for a time. Love can make a person blind.” She speaks this last sentence to herself as she gazes over the half-wall into the bright blue sky.
Visually, the world is perfect. If it weren’t for other clues, I might have attributed its wrongness to being a stranger in another’s timeline. Nothing about this world looks as false as it feels, but I wonder if this is simply because we don’t belong here.
“‘They say love is blindness of heart; I say not to love is blindness.’” When K blinks at me, I add, “It’s a quote from Victor Hugo. Of course, Shakespeare said it first, but I like this reiteration.”
K’s assessment is familiar. It’s the look people give me when trying to decide whether I’m brilliant or bizarre.
Garrett shifts restlessly on his feet. “Is your mate on his way? Is he willing to comply with this decree?”
K nods, blinking rapidly. I think she might have something in her eye until I note the sparkle of tears. I can’t imagine anyone crying over Addington. The familiar sound of the stairwell door barely registers beyond my shock, which is why I’m unprepared when our father – no, J – rounds the corner.
Three men accompany the doppelganger, but I barely notice them. The subtle differences between him and our father are probably invisible to most. Garrett and I were attuned to his moods for twenty years; every action was geared to prevent an outburst that might lead to violent behavior.
Unlike Garrett, this doppelganger presents a mirror image until he ventures closer. As he gets closer, I see tiny wrinkles extending from the corners of his eyes, indicating this man smiles and laughs more than the one we’re familiar with. He’s not doing either right now, but his expression is still unfamiliar. The outward portrayal of shame, regret, sadness, and more turns this man into a stranger. Addington would never reveal those emotions or allow his posture to be anything but perfectly straight.
“Their arrival means the claims must be true. I almost thought they weren’t when no one showed.” K’s voice rings with sadness as she faces J. Her other three mates, one of whom I now recognize as Ansel, offer comfort without lowering their guards.
J’s attention focuses entirely on his mate. “I’m so sorry, Karasi. It was before, and I regret nothing more.” A heavy sigh bows his shoulders before his attention wavers to us. It flickers over Zosia before settling on Garrett and me. He might be as shocked as we are.
One of Karasi’s unfamiliar mates pulls her into his side, providing support, and his love feels tangible. It’s proof that the people in this simulation live, breathe, and have full autonomy. I can’t reconcile their validity with the world’s false veneer.
“That’s what our daughter would have looked like if you hadn’t betrayed us,” Ansel’s doppelganger growls. In this scenario, Karasi is alive and appears to return his affection. As a result, he looks younger, stronger, and less meek than the Ansel we know. “She would be able to shift!”
Zosia’s ears twitch, but she doesn’t intervene. My brother and I tense, expecting J to retaliate with anger or violence because this is what our father would have done. Instead, the man shrinks into himself.
“This is why I’ve accepted the punishment for crimes I didn’t commit. Maybe my cooperation will enable Zosia to shift after all.”
“It’s not as if you have many options,” the man holding K grumbles. It’s the closest thing to dissent I’ve heard thus far.
“You agree to come with us, then? You’ll answer for the crimes committed by your namesake in our timeline?” Garrett clarifies. I don’t blame him for wanting clarification. Our father would never agree to anything like this.
J is still confused by the form his eldest son has taken, but he manages to nod. “I realize that the crimes I’ll answer to are greater, but my heart is filled with regret. I’ll take the punishment.”
Although his words sound sincere, my brother and I share glances of disbelief. What has Cronos offered him in return? Does it matter as long as our enemy is no longer a threat?
“‘We are only puppets, our strings are being pulled by unknown forces.’” I offer a shrug when the strangers give me baffled looks. “It’s a quote by Georg Buchner.”
Zosia nods as if the quote has finalized a decision in her mind. “Another quote refers to the means to an end. As puppets, we can’t dictate how our strings are pulled … this time.”
Adoration for the fierce sphinx warms my chest. I love how strong she’s become, and I love that we’re on the same page. I’m not foolish enough to believe we will always agree on everything, but this decision is more important than most.
“The Timekeeper never told us the price of accepting Cronos’ assistance,” Garrett reminds us along the link.
“I don’t believe we have any other options.” Zosia’s mental voice is as soothing as her speaking voice. “We lack a plan otherwise. If we attack Addington, we must be prepared to kill him and I fear repercussions and losses on our side. He has powerful allies that could challenge my position as Librarian. We can’t chance that. Our first priority is protecting the Library. We can deal with the fallout of this decision when we return.”
“I trust your intuition and leadership.” The love and respect in Avery’s mental voice glows like molten silver in his eyes.
Although I am mostly focused on our communication, I believe the others are also conversing silently. When their expressions darken, I suspect an argument.
Garrett is paying more attention to the other group, but he manages to find an answer to Zosia’s unspoken question. Weary resignation makes his reply heavy, and I know how much he hates this. He hates the lack of control over our current predicament. “I will also trust in your decision, Zosia. Let it be known that I don’t trust Cronos or either of these Addingtons, though. We need to stay on our guard, but this appears to be the best option.”
“I’m in agreement,” I add when Zosia glances toward me again. Her tail thumps in confirmation.
“We’ll accept your cooperation, Jonathan Addington,” the sphinx decrees in a royal tone.
K complies as if our Zosia has power over her. Her face darkened with shadows, she turns toward J. “I revoke the mate-bond I formed with you, Jonathan Addington.” The words reverberate with magic and the older group reacts as if pummeled by a strong gust of wind. K doubles over. The men struggle as well but manage to rush forward and offer support to their mate.
The loss hits J with more force than the other men. His face pales, and he struggles to remain upright.
Zosia’s shock vibrates along our bond, and I easily guess the cause. “Breaking something is easy, but the mending requires formidable effort,” I murmur.
“Who said that?” Zosia asks with a lopsided grin when I don’t immediately follow with a name.
I pull at the hem of my t-shirt and offer her an equally crooked smile. “I think I just did.”
J isn’t keen on remaining where he’s not wanted. He whispers a farewell toward the others that goes unheard and presses the device behind his ear. If we don’t follow immediately, he might manage to get away before we return. Without any spoken words, the rest of us also reach for the strange buttons.
Before we’re whisked away, Zosia pauses to look longingly toward K. Her eyes sparkle with unshed tears. “Thank you, alternate mother.”
K lifts her head. The weight of her body is fully supported by her mates, and she appears to have aged a decade in the last few minutes. The strain of the broken bond is evident in every pain-filled movement.
“Good luck, daughter,” she whispers. Although our Zosia isn’t hers, she understands the child’s yearning. I don’t blame my mate. Although the three of us might have been better off without parents, we still longed for their love. Every child wants this; it’s a human desire that can’t be erased by magic or circumstance.
We step closer to Zosia as the strange sensation overwhelms our bodies. I pay closer attention this time, noticing the subtle shift in the air and the split second when my mind seems to lose any awareness. When it returns, I believe I have a better understanding of what has occurred.
I take note of our surroundings first. The library beneath us feels familiar and alive. The blue mist has dissipated and the Timekeeper awaits our return. Either J hasn’t attempted to run or Kodi has managed to waylay him. Garrett replaces the ghost when our mate returns, his expression fierce.
“Your devices please,” the Timekeeper prompts without hesitation. She refuses to answer or acknowledge Garrett’s questions as we hand the silver buttons back to her. I’d hoped to be able to study one, but it’s not to be. J appears reluctant, but the Timekeeper simply stares at him until he hands his over.
“Very well. Good luck.” And the Timekeeper disappears like one of the Library’s belongings. She doesn’t need to depress a button to travel, and I begin to question whether she was here at all.
Our world exists alongside others, and we have yet to uncover all the mysteries this knowledge presents. Cronos doesn’t have the ability to manipulate time, and neither do I. The magic collision had been pretty but its value was still unknown.
I hate that we have another enemy, but I’ve always suspected that Addington had assistance. His morals have always been questionable, but his access to advanced tech had fueled his success. If they’d been partners, what shifted to permit his capture? What resources does Cronos have at its disposal?
My new bond to the library and Zosia has given me clarity of mind and purpose. I know what to focus on, what to rely upon, and what to release. Our priority is protecting the libraries, starting with our own. Along the way, I’ll gather answers about Cronos and our altered reality.
If we are puppets, knowledge will sharpen the blade that can sever the strings. As long as we strengthen our bonds, we will succeed. Alone, I am nothing. Zosia and the other guardians, each with his own flaws and strengths, make me stronger. They are the reason I’ll fight even though fighting doesn’t appeal to me. Zosia, the library, and the other guardians are my destiny. I’ll protect them with all that I am.