Chương 33: 033

I burned to keep arguing, to defend Karma, but there was no point. There was no winning an argument with Time. So I pivoted, even if it meant turning the blade on myself.

"You're right," I said.

"At least where I'm concerned. I didn't mean for any of this to happen, but intent doesn't matter." It certainly wouldn't to the families. Faces surfaced unbidden: soldiers who would never go home, children like Maya left waiting for parents who wouldn't return, partners staring at empty doorways. My stomach twisted as I looked at Maya. Too still, too quiet. Tears carving pale tracks down her face and driving the weight of my failure deeper. Good intentions weren't enough. They never had been.

"I killed hundreds of people," I went on, my voice steady despite the churn in my gut.

"Not undead. Not tyrants. Real people. Innocent ones." I swallowed.

"I'll accept whatever punishment you think I deserve. Just don't make her pay for my mistakes. She's already lost more than any child should." Time studied me, his gaze settling heavy and unmoving.

"You have already decided that you deserve punishment." A humorless laugh scraped out of me.

"I killed people. Nothing makes that okay." I expected anger. Judgment. Instead, he shrugged.

"We all err. Some errors carry catastrophic consequences." His eyes flicked briefly to my missing arm.

"You have already paid dearly and buried yourself in guilt besides. I doubt further punishment would outweigh what you are inflicting upon yourself." The casual certainty in his tone caught me off guard. Some of the pressure in my chest eased, and I breathed a tad easier. Maybe he isn't as bad as I thought. Then again… I still wasn't sure how he'd feel about his wife adopting a fully grown disaster of a man.

She'd seemed pretty determined he wouldn't hold a grudge against me, despite his reasons for not wanting to adopt. After everything so far, I was decidedly less certain. Time stiffened.

"My wife told you of our agreement?" His gaze snapped back to me.

"Of my reasons for refusing to take you in?" Ice slid down my spine. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. Oh. He could read my thoughts. …Fantastic. There was no anger in his voice, only shock, and that was the only reason I didn't bolt on instinct alone. Heat crept into my cheeks.

"You can read my thoughts?" He stepped closer, impatience replacing surprise.

"You carry my power. It creates a link between us." His eyes narrowed.

"Tell me what she told you." I retreated a step, keeping distance between us. This was starting to feel far too much like another Mr. Bugel situation, and I was not going through that again. Especially not with the equivalent of a god.

"It doesn't matter," I said quickly, refusing to meet his gaze.

"We have bigger problems-."

"I asked you a question, and I do not like to repeat myself." The words landed like a slammed door. He didn't move, but the pressure in his stare intensified, sharp and unyielding. Normally, being stared down by the embodiment of time would've broken me. But I was exhausted. My shoulder burned. And the fresh start I'd been promised had already collapsed into thirty-one flavors of misery. He wanted honesty? Fine. I squared my shoulders and met his gaze.

"She said you had your reasons for not wanting kids, and that it had nothing to do with me. She refused to go into details because it was personal. All she made clear was that you had no intention of playing doting father, and that any displeasure you felt wouldn't be taken out on me." Something I was doubting more by the minute…

"She also offered not to adopt me at all," I added flatly.

"Because the idea of pissing you off made me want to throw up. But that would've hurt her, and I wasn't going to do that." And now, dealing with this mess, I almost wished I'd taken her up on it. At least then I wouldn't be backed into a proverbial corner with Time looming over me. I gestured sharply toward Maya.

"Now can we please focus on the literal child standing three yards away with a sword at her throat?" The fact that he could hear me and had chosen to stay silent until everything went to hell left a sour taste in my mouth. But calling him out wouldn't help. I needed him. Clearly, I couldn't fix this alone. Everything I touched turned to ash, so relying on Time it was. If I could at least get him to save the kid, it wouldn't matter. My life's always been a dumpster fire, but hers could still be better.

It wasn't fair, but life had never promised to be. Though just once I'd have liked to not wind up paying in blood, sweat and tears for something... Time exhaled slowly.

"I am not going to kill you. You have a bond with Karma, one deeper than either of us fully understands. I would not harm her by harming you." He grimaced.

"As for my silence… thousands attempt to reach me daily. I assumed you would call for her. I was not listening for you among the rest." I fought the urge to press my hand to my temple, as if that might block him out. It wouldn't, and I only had one hand anyway. Meeting his gaze, irritation bubbled over.

"I like you reading my thoughts a lot less than I liked Karma doing it." Having her in my head was great, so long as she wasn't hellbent on teasing me. A crack formed in his impassive mask. Amusement flickered through.

"You will adjust." Then his expression hardened.

"For now, we must discuss what comes next." That stopped me cold.

"What can come next? The king can't get Fast Forward, and I wiped out the resistance. How do we fix this?" No amount of duct tape or super glue was going to patch that hole. He scoffed, arms crossing.

"Do you forget who I am? I am Time. I control its flow." And… right. Yes. I had, in fact, forgotten that. The idea of rewinding an entire planet, nearly a full day, was staggering. Reality-breaking. Impossible by any sane standard. But if anyone could do it… It would be him.