I waited until Dominicus was asleep before confronting Time. We’d made decent progress through the books, though we still hadn’t found any of the tomes. Hopefully, they were here—just imagining one in the hands of Silas’s generals made my stomach churn.

  Pushing the thought aside, I turned to Time. At some point, he’d rolled up his sleeves, and dark bruises had formed under his eyes. I’d tried convincing him to get some rest, but he refused. His determination would’ve been admirable if it weren’t for the fact that we’d both pay for it tomorrow—or later today, depending on how you looked at it.

  Reaching out, I caught his arm and cleared my throat. “We should call it a night.”

  He looked… well, like hell, if I were being honest. I’d planned to ask more about how he’d met Karma, but that could wait.

  He huffed, giving me an exasperated look. “I already told you how I met Karma. Why are you so fixated on this?”

  The words took a second to sink in, and when they did, I froze. Did you just hear my thoughts again?

  Time frowned, his head tilting slightly before his gaze dropped to my hand on his arm.

  It would appear so.

  At least that meant we had some privacy for the conversation I needed to have.

  He raised an eyebrow, his mouth a firm line. I am not answering more questions about Karma unless you explain why you are so set on this.

  I waved a hand, resisting the urge to speak aloud. That’s not what I’m asking about—not entirely, anyway.

  With a sigh, he gestured for me to continue. Thinking back to what he’d let slip earlier, I chose my words carefully.

  You said the slime wanted to force Karma into a marriage. How could any mortal manage that? She could just disappear into the Inbetween, right?

  Time tensed, his eyes snapping to mine, a scowl curling his lips. Curse this blasted exhaustion. You did not hear that, do you understand? For the sake of your own well being, you heard nothing.

  I barely held back a snort and gave him an incredulous look. You can’t snap your fingers and make me forget something just because you will it.

  He shook his head, irritation blending with self-reproach. This information is held to the highest secrecy for a reason, Nikolas. No mortal is supposed to know it. If word got out that you do, you could be hunted, tortured even.

  I raised an eyebrow. As if they wouldn’t do that anyway. I came here ready to face every asshole on the continent. I don’t care. And if you’re worried about me spilling the secret, don’t be. My pain tolerance is through the roof—they wouldn’t get a word out of me.

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  Unbidden, memories of the basement—cold steel biting into my chest, cruel eyes in the dim light—rose to the surface. My stomach churned. At least now, the torture wasn’t daily, and there was a chance it wouldn’t happen at all.

  Time stiffened, alarm sharpening his features as he choked out, “What was that?”

  I glanced around, half expecting Dominicus to spring to his feet, but the clearing was still, and he remained fast asleep.

  Time pressed a hand to his mouth, shaking his head with an eye roll. I was referring to your thoughts.

  Oh. Apparently, he could see memories, too. And I’d just shown him the basement. Fantastic. A slimy, heavy weight settled in my chest.

  Pushing that aside, I steered the conversation back on track. Don’t dodge my question. How could a mortal force Karma into anything? Did they blackmail her?

  If so, I’d hunt them down and gut them for her. A life as a cockroach would be too good for someone like that.

  Time’s scowl softened, his expression briefly lit by a flicker of vicious approval. Then, with a sigh, he shook his head. No. Karma would never allow herself to be controlled in such a way… but she was not always the spirit you know.

  I snorted, trying and failing to imagine Karma as anything less than the fiery woman I’d met. It’s hard to picture Karma as anything else.

  People changed; I knew that better than most. But Karma? Full of life, badass to her core? She was a force of nature.

  Time offered a small, pained smile. Oh, she was like that well before becoming a spirit.

  Everything screeched to a halt, and my neck twinged from how fast I whipped around to face him. Wait, what? “Before she was a spirit”?

  Spirits were made that way from the start. Time himself was!

  He cast a wary glance at our sleeping companions, then dragged his gaze back to mine. It was heavy, burdened by unspoken weight. Finally, he spoke. Near the dawn of Nexus, after the old gods shattered in their final battle, Karma was mortal. And you cannot share this with anyone.

  I had no intention of doing so. First, I needed to wrap my head around the fact that spirits could even be mortal. Then again, Time was one now, so maybe it wasn’t that far-fetched.

  Focusing on him, I asked. Spirits were mortal?

  He made a so-so gesture. Most of them, yes. But this information must remain secret. Do you understand me, Nikolas? If it gets out, it would endanger everyone—spirits and mortals alike.

  A chill ran down my spine at the gravity of his words. No wonder he was so guarded. If spirits were once mortal, that meant there was a way to become one. People would tear Nexus apart looking for it.

  No matter the world, those obsessed with power and immortality never changed.

  Time nodded. Exactly. That is why you must swear to me—you will not tell anyone.

  I didn’t hesitate. I swear. This stays with me. No matter what.

  It would probably endanger the spirits too and, even if I wanted to see people slaughtering each other for immortality, I would never risk Kama–or even Time himself.