The hair on my neck stood on end, and I straightened, uneasy under the weight of Time's ancient stare.

“She is resting and you will not be bothering her. Thus, her exact location matters none,” he said, lifting his chin. His eyes flashed a warning.

His words were sharp, daring me to argue. I scoffed, rolling my eyes. “I don't want to wake her up. I–”

I just want to make sure she's alright.

The words caught in my throat, and I looked away, feeling naked under his gaze. Last I saw her, she'd looked like hell and redirected the conversation when I asked if she was alright. Now she was basically in a coma and I was partially to blame for that since she'd drained herself to save me.

It was normal to be concerned, especially for someone who'd done so much for me. It'd be weirder if I didn't ask.

Time stance softened slightly, the sharp glint leaving his eyes. “I can appreciate your concern. As for her current state, she has only herself to blame. I offered her more of my power to make the process less draining, but she insisted on doing it herself.”

His face twisted with fond exasperation. “My wife seldom keeps her own well-being in mind, and once her determination is set, nothing changes her course. Do not carry guilt that is not yours to bear. Karma will be most displeased if you do.”

The hard knot of unease in my chest loosened a bit, and I nodded. “I'll try, but no promises.” She was a force of nature. Seeing her so tired felt fundamentally wrong. I wished I could help her recover faster…

Time considered me for a moment before stepping closer to the sand ocean, gesturing down to it. “I will not take you to her. That would be an unnecessary distraction and would wake her. But this should put your worries to rest.”

I followed his gesture, watching as the sand rippled and swirled, colors flashing like a kaleidoscope. When it stopped, an image of Karma formed.

Her long crimson hair stood out against dark sheets that were surprisingly not made of sand.

If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

Time snorted, catching my thought. “We may live on a separate plane from mortals, but that does not restrict us from enjoying your creature comforts. Those sheets are made from the finest cloud silk, and the pillows are stuffed with Zephyr Pegasus feathers. I had them specially made for her.”

If the steady snoring was any indication, she thoroughly enjoyed them. A smile tugged at my lips, and I looked back toward Time.

“Thanks. It makes me feel better to see that she's okay… I never would have thought spirits snored, though.”

He nodded, glancing affectionately at Karma's image. “Most do not, but she has always been in her own category.” His gaze lingered, shards of longing flashing briefly before he flicked a hand, and the image disappeared. “But enough idle chatter. I have finished rewinding Nexus, and now, we must leave.”

I took in the shifting landscape one last time. It was peaceful here, despite my rough start with the nightmare. A twinge of loss twisted through me at the thought of never seeing it again, but I buried it quickly.

I had a job to do, and hiding from the world wouldn't get it done.

Time stepped away from the ocean, drawing my focus to him. “Once you land, focus on finding the king. When he is no longer a problem, we can move on to our next course of action.” He raised his arms, eyes glowing like twin suns as magic built to crushing degrees around us.

"Prepare yourself. The shift between planes can be jarring for a mortal.”

I didn't have a chance to respond before everything around us disappeared in a snap.

Endless dunes, shifting sky, and rippling ocean–all gone in the blink of an eye. Darkness replaced them, stretching as far as I could see, and instinctual panic raked nails along my back.

“Time?!”

His voice broke through the darkness, and just like earlier, the sensation of a hand on my shoulder came. “Breathe and be at ease. You'll be in Nexus soon.”

Letting go of the panic before it could choke me, I took a deep breath and nodded. “Right and…what is this place?”

He chuckled, though it sounded heavy with lethargy. “This is a pocket dimension, a link between the spirit world and Nexus. Any other questions will have to wait. Your thirst for knowledge is good, but there are things that must be seen to. Once we are settled and the king is finished, I will take human form. Then we will go about educating you about the world of Nexus.”

The idea of facing off with Silas and using Fast Forward–the very power that had turned one of my arms to dust–soured my stomach. But at least there was something to look forward to afterward. Nexus was an entirely new world for me to explore, filled with magical creatures, artifacts, and even spells that I could learn.

I'd have to devote most of my time to hunting down the catalyst to the apocalypse, of course, but that didn't mean I couldn't enjoy the journey.

Before my next blink, the darkness vanished, and the stone walls of the castle came into view. Relief twisted through me at the sight of something other than endless darkness, only for adrenaline to take its place when I started to fall.

Right, Karma had literally dropped me here. In all the chaos, I'd forgotten that…