Tyrez’s gut twisted. Ash’s talent, running wild. Unrestrained.
He didn’t need a glimpse of the chaos to understand what would happen. If Ash couldn’t get it under control, it would eventually drive him mad.
Maybe it already has.Ash was following Tyrez’s thoughts.
The Dragon would never believe Tyrez if he tried to placate him. So instead, he dove deep into the chaos and tried to make sense of it.
No. What are you doing? This stuff could eat you alive.
Did you control it before?
A hesitation. Then,yes.
Then let’s try. Together.
You don’t want to do this.
Yes, I do.Tyrez grabbed hold of the images of him entering the fortress.This happened to me. It is the past.
Ash didn’t answer right away. Then he offered up another image. Of Dragon bodies lying in the snow.
Yes. That belonged to this timeline as well. Connected to the fortress. And here—the memory of Dani. She almost died.
You saved her.Did he detect a hint of hope in Ash’s voice?
Yes. What about this one?Tyrez saw three large forms walking through a market.This was me and my brothers. Before the fortress. This is an older bit of the past.
One by one, Tyrez helped Ash sift through the myriad of events crashing around in his head. They placed the ones they could. Set aside those they couldn’t.
All the while, the Dragon moved along the tunnels. Closing in on Ash. Until he turned a corner, and there he was. Huddled against the stone, shaking. But as Tyrez appeared, he offered another image—of Jacques, standing beside Tyrez at the sunning stone.
“That was after we saved Dani in the cemetery,” Tyrez spoke aloud. “Watch, in a moment, there will be an angry red Dragona in the mix.”
And there she was. Clear as reality in Ash’s brain. His silver eyes flashed to him. “Wow, she was some pissed.”
Tyrez had never heard a Dragon speak the word “pissed.” Ash had picked up some interesting language over the years. “Yes, she was very angry.” He lowered himself to a sitting position, keeping some distance from Ash.
“Why was she so mad?”
“She was on cycle, and I was supposed to be giving her my undivided attention. Instead, I was a bit—distracted.” He met the silver gaze. “Now I know why.”
Ash swallowed. “You don’t want to do this.”
“You keep saying that.” Tyrez’s voice broke, and he cleared his throat. “Can you honestly tell me that you haven’t seen us together in at least one of your possible futures?”
Ash looked away. But Tyrez picked up the images along the link. They were enough to flush his body with heat.
“Not all futures are destined to come true.” Ash’s voice had gone hoarse. “The future is a fickle bitch.”
“So am I.”
Ash’s eyes widened as Tyrez sent him a few possible interpretations of that final word.
You’re insane.
Some have said so. No one credible, though.
Ash’s mouth opened, but both his verbal and his mental effort sputtered.
