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My dad shrugs. “It’s possible. Not to mention, there are other, less metaphysical explanations for what Nietzsche was referring to. What I do know is that Einstein was right about the distinction between past, present, and future being a stubbornly persistent illusion. Though whether you’ve lived this before is of no real consequence. What matters is that you’ve freed yourself from the tyranny of the past. Freed yourself so successfully, it seems, you’ve forgotten to check your target.”

With a hand on each of my shoulders, he turns me toward the archery target, revealing a shot so wildly off the mark, the arrow landed on the far left side of the wall.

“Shooting to the left indicates a reluctance to let go of the past,” he explains, and I can’t help but wince. I knew it was true, but it’s kind of embarrassing to see the evidence presented so plainly before me.

“We’ll revisit this,” he assures me. “It’s a good marker for the progress I expect we’ll make. But for now, I think it’s time I show you not just how to control an Unraveling, but how to summon one so you can use it to your advantage.”

8

“You’re serious,” I say, unable to mask my skepticism. “I can actually learn to summon an Unraveling?”

“Sure.” My dad shrugs. “Once you master it, you’ll be able to peer into the past, present, and sometimes, the future, at will.”

“The future?” I ask, surprise in my voice.

A wry grin plays at his lips. “You can view only a future that wants to be known. Still, I’m inclined to warn you against it. You run the risk of opening a whole Pandora’s box of destiny versus free will.”

I frown, needing more. “Meaning?”

“You and I are bound by our roles as Timekeepers,” he explains. “Yet, we still exercise free will in how we choose to navigate that destiny.”

I take a moment to consider. “It doesn’t feel like much of a choice.”

“Didn’t you choose to come here?” he counters, lifting his brow.

I nod, albeit reluctantly. “But only because someone needs to stop Arthur. And, as a Timekeeper, that someone is me.”

“But Braxton is also a Timekeeper. Why not leave it to him?”

Without hesitation, I shake my head. “Not an option,” I say. “I wouldn’t do that to him.”

“It’s still a choice,” he points out. “You’re framing it as moral imperative, but it’s still yours to decide. Consider this…” He leans closer, voice dropping an octave. “Theoretically speaking, I could go outside now, hunt down Arthur Blackstone, and eliminate him. That would solve your problem, right?”

I freeze, unsure how to respond.

“Arthur would be dead, but I would likely end up in jail. Which means no meeting your mom, no marriage, no you. And if there’s no you, then you wouldn’t exist to come back to this moment, which in turn makes my action impossible. Or you could leave here and eliminate him instead. But what then? Even if you did manage to evade capture, where would you go? Without Arthur, the technology doesn’t exist for you to return to the future. And, according to what you’ve told me, in less than a decade from now, you’d run the risk of crossing your own timeline.”

“My head is spinning,” I admit.

He laughs. “The point is, peering into the future isn’t as helpful as you might think. It raises more questions about whether we’re acting from free will, or merely fulfilling a self-made prophecy. Anyway…” He places a hand on my shoulder, instantly grounding me. “Ready to move on?”

I nod, pushing aside the whirlwind ofwhat-ifsspinning through my mind.

“Seeing as how this is your first lesson, nothing wrong with having a bit of fun. So, consider this your journey. You choose the timeline. I’m here only as your guide. You’ll start by choosing an object that links you to whatever time you wish to explore.”

He gestures toward a small table where he’s arranged an eclectic array of items: an ancient tome, its pages yellowed with age; today’s issue of theNew York Times, its crisp lines and modern typography making for a stark and modern contrast; and a small crystal ball that, according to my dad, once belonged to the sixteenth century seer, John Dee, an advisor to Queen Elizabeth I. Each item offering a sort of portal to view the past, present, or even the future.

My gaze wanders over these artifacts, pausing on the old, weathered book. Maybe by delving into history, I’ll get some insight into Arthur’s own obscure past. What drives him to do what he does? And, more importantly, what does he fear?

I start to reach toward it, then quickly change my mind. If this practice journey is for only me, then none of these objects will provide what I really want to see.

I lift my gaze to meet my father’s. “Can I have my talisman?”

My dad hesitates, studying me for a moment before reaching into his pocket and returning the necklace to me. “Now,” he instructs, “to prepare your mind to reach beyond its usual boundaries, close your eyes, take a few deep, cleansing breaths, and focus on your intention. What do you wish to perceive—a person, an event, a location? Whatever it is, center your focus, then visualize a door that will lead you from this reality to the one you seek. Can you see it—the doorway?”

I nod, enveloped by a sudden sense of familiarity. “So far, the ground isn’t shaking,” I say. “And the walls aren’t crumbling. But otherwise, it seems a lot like psychometry.”

“It is,” my dad explains. “Think of this as a warm-up. While psychometry is the ability to obtain information about an object or its history by touching it, an Unraveling allows you to see through time and perceive information about a distant target without the need of physical contact. And, if you’re very advanced, you can sometimes interact with that subject. Now, with the doorway clear in your mind and the charm in your hand, focus on merging your consciousness with the energy it holds.”