I burned to keep arguing, to defend Karma, but there was no point. There was no arguing with Time. So I changed the subject, if only a little. It meant focusing on the mess I made, but at least we could leave this topic behind.

“You're right, at least in my case. I didn't mean for any of this to happen, but that doesn't matter.” It certainly wouldn't to the soldiers' families. Dozens of kids like Maya were now without a parent because of me, spouses waiting for a return that would never come… My stomach churned, and I looked at Maya's frozen features, the tears driving my failure deeper.

No, good intentions weren't enough. Actions were what mattered, and my determination solidified again.

“I killed hundreds of people, and I'm willing to accept whatever punishment you deem necessary for it, but please don’t make that kid pay for my mistakes. She’s already suffered enough.” More than any child should.

Time considered me, his heavy stare settling like cement as he raised an eyebrow. “You've already decided that you deserve to be punished?”

I laugh, dry and jaded. “I killed people. Not undead, but real people. Nothing makes that alright.”

I'd expected him to be angry with me over that–any sane person would be–but Time shrugged.

“We all make mistakes; some come with heavy consequences. You already lost your arm and have buried yourself in guilt. I doubt any other punishment could outweigh that.”

The laid-back air he held was a vast improvement over his near-frantic worry from earlier. A knot of tension in my chest eased, and I breathed a little easier.

Maybe he wasn't so bad after all. Though…I still wasn't sure about Karma's decision to ‘adopt’ me. She'd seemed pretty set on it, but even the idea of having two spirits as parents made my head spin. Not to mention, the thought of calling Time himself ‘Dad’ made my lungs burn with the urge to laugh.

Yeah, better to just not go there.

Time tensed, his gaze snapping to me from where he'd previously been examining Maya. “My wife did what?”

Icy realization dawned, and my stomach plummeted as two things occurred to me. One, he could read my thoughts. Two, Karma hadn't told him about her whole ‘adopting’ thing.

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…Great. Just great.

There was no anger in his words, just shock. That was the only thing that kept me from crawling out of my skin in panic.

Heat rose in my cheeks, and I choked, “You can read my thoughts?”

He stepped closer, his mouth twisting into a frown as his surprise melted into impatience. “You have my power; it creates a link between us. Explain about Karma…adopting you.”

I backed away, keeping well out of his reach. This was looking more and more like another Mr. Bugel situation, and I was not going through that again. Though distance would hardly stop Time if he decided to lash out…

Shaking the thought aside before I could spiral, I tried to wave the subject off, resolutely avoiding his drilling gaze. “It doesn’t matter. We have other things to worry about–”

“I asked you a question, and I don't like to repeat myself.” He didn't try to come closer, but his tone turned sharp and unyielding. His eyes mirrored it, boring into me as if he could pry the information out by force of will.

Being stared down by Time himself would usually cow me, but I was tired, my shoulder burned, and the new life I'd been excited for had turned to thirty-one flavors of misery. He wanted the truth? Fine, I'd give it to him.

Squaring my shoulders, I glared at him. “You wanna know so badly? Fine! She got it in her head to adopt me. Fuck if I know why. I didn't think it was smart to tell the clearly powerful spirit it was a bad idea, so I went along with it.” I gestured to Maya and hissed. “Now can we please focus on the literal child who has a sword to her throat not three yards away from us?!”

Asking for help from him left a sour taste in my mouth, but it wasn't like I could do anything on my own. Everything I'd tried had backfired hilariously, so relying on Time it was. Hopefully, the price for his help wouldn't be too steep.

I knew I'd wind up paying for this somehow. Whatever. If I can at least get him to save the kid, it doesn't matter. My life’s always been a dumpster fire, so why should now be different?

It wasn't fair, but life had never promised to be.

Time huffed. “I'm not going to kill you. My wife is clearly attached already, and unless you give me good reason, I won't hurt her by taking you away.”

The urge rose to press my hands to my temple like some kind of physical shield against his mind reading, but I resisted. It wouldn't help, and I only had one arm to use anyway.

Irritation bubbled in my veins, and once I met his eyes, I grumbled, “I like you reading my thoughts even less than I liked Karma doing it.”

Time's blank mask cracked, amusement breaking through. “You will adjust. In the meantime, we need to discuss what happens next.”

That pulled me up short. “What can happen? That prick can't get a hold of Fast Forward, and I wiped out the resistance. How in the world can we fix this?”

No amount of duct tape or super glue was going to help this mess.

He scoffed and crossed his arms, one eyebrow raised high. “Do you forget who I am? I am Time. I control its flow.”

And…yeah. To be completely honest, I had forgotten who he was, but to turn back time for an entire planet? Could he really do that?!

The idea of anyone being able to rewind an entire planet by nearly a full day was mind-boggling, but if anyone could do it, it would be the spirit of Time himself.