Page 89 of Gifted Destiny

“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?” Garrettclarifies. 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 unheardand 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.

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