Page 90 of Gifted Destiny

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.

Chapter 41

Zosia

The return of the bond overwhelms any strange physical sensations on our return trip. Kodi is solid and has his arms around my neck, and I’m so grateful to feel the bond again that I barely notice anything else. When I finally come back to myself, I realize the blue miasma has faded, the Timekeeper is gone, and Garrett has J under control.

“I missed you,” he whispers.

“I missed you more,” I argue. I know he was still there the entire time, but he felt further away. His joking nature, cynicism, and love have carried me through the darkest times. I would have failed our mission if I thought he was truly gone.

He rolls his eyes but retains solidity long enough to place a kiss on my lips. It’s the first time he’s achieved corporeal form since he was surprised by the destructive spell, and I’m relieved that he still has the ability.

When he pulls back, a devilish smile crinkles the corners of his eyes. “I just kissed a cat,” he gasps dramatically.

I ignore him and force myself to concentrate on the next step. “Did anything happen?”

“Were we really gone?” Bren whispers excitedly.

Kodi is a ghost again, but his facial expressions are easy to read. His emotions grow stronger every day. His eyes widen, but I nudge Bren with my shoulder. “Let’s wait for that discussion,” I tell him.

The mage’s excitement falters, but he nods with understanding.

“Um …,” Kodi begins. “You were gone less than ten minutes, but I spent the time chatting with our residential Timekeeper. I think I gave her something to think about.”

Appreciation and love saturate the bond. “How did you know that’s exactly what I wanted you to do?” I tease. “I didn’t even know.”

“I have spent the majority of my existence in your company,” Kodi replies in an equally playful tone. “I know you pretty well. Ever since I read that one book to you, you’ve hated organizations that give the common people no choice. They’re required to obey and comply out of desperation. I’m not sure that applies here, however. I don’t think the Timekeeper realizes there’s an alternative. Maybe there’s not.”

I nod absently as I gnaw on my bottom lip. I'm as antsy as Bren is to uncover the mystery behind Cronos and its employees, but we need to deal with our captive first. Garrett has him contained near the stairwell door, which presents another problem. I’d rather throw J off the roof than deliver him into my library, but that will negate the trouble we went through to get him.

I almost run into the wall of Garrett’s back when he stops abruptly at the door to the stairs. Avery bumps into Bren and mutters an apology, his cheeks burning so brightly that my tail reacts. The wayward appendage strokes his arm as if it was another hand, and I’m shocked at the soothing motion. So far, my tail has only been good for thumping the floor.

“What’s …?” I start but Garrett clears his throat and steps forward again. He doesn’t have to answer because his movement reveals an elevator instead of the stairwell I’m accustomed to seeing.

The others might be just as surprised, but they sense my desire to distance J from the library’s vast collection. It’s also a sign that the library isn’t dormant any longer, despite her continued silence.

“So this is Addington’s double?” Kodi drawls once we’re all packed into the elevator. He hovers above me in ghost form to save room. The man in question faces my ghost mate’s hard stare with a look of awe. It seems that ghosts are rare in most worlds. “Why are you taking the fall for something you didn’t do?”

J’s expression shutters. “You know Cronos.”

“Actually, we don’t,” I drawl in a similar tone as my tail flicks behind me with interest. “We’d never heard of them before one of its representatives appeared on our rooftop.”

J’s eyes widen. Although we’re trapped in a small box with our sworn enemy, this imitation doesn’t evoke the fear that Addington inspires – in person and in my memories. Fiction might depict villains as caricatures, but humans aren’t necessarilyall badorall good. The Addington in our world probably believes that has probably fooled himself into thinking that his actions benefit the supernatural community, but he’s hurt so many people. His motives and reasons no longer matter.

“Your world must be different,” J murmurs almost to himself before he begins speaking rapidly. “The Cronos Corporation is the bogeyman we are taught to fear when we are still in our cribs. Magicless or supernatural – it makes no difference. We’re told they can manipulate time. Cronos places its employees into key leadership positions, but they also see everything and hear every spoken word.”

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