A Shade of Vampire 84 A Memory of Time - Bella Forrest Page 0,36

by brick until the tower glistened beneath the hazy sky.

“Thanks, Kale,” I said after she finished working her magic.

“Don’t mention it.” She gently squeezed my shoulder. “Hold tight, Esme. We’re not done fighting yet.”

I must’ve looked like hell for her to feel the need to say such things. Tearing up, I gave her a faint smile. “I know. It’s just that I’ve had Kalon by my side until now. It feels empty without him. I’m not sure that makes much sense…”

“Of course it does,” Kailani said. “I’d feel the same if someone or something took Hunter from me. You fell in love, Esme, at the worst possible time. For what it’s worth, you’re not the first or the last,” she added with a chuckle. “The most powerful and most enduring kind of love flourishes in the face of adversity, so all you can do is keep pushing until you reach the end. We’re all headed in the same direction.”

“Soppy love tales aside, we need to get moving,” Time interjected. I’d almost forgotten the First Tenners, Tristan, and Valaine had come along. “I’ve got an idea.”

He led the way into the tower and up the spiraling staircase. Dream, Nightmare, Phantom, Morning, and Soul followed. I was next, along with Tristan and Valaine. Kailani took Widow back with her to help with the protection wards around the city. Kelara and Seeley had already set up a broad range of defensive circles, but more was needed to make sure Roano lasted longer than Orvis had in case of a Darkling attack.

“What was your idea?” I asked as we reached the top.

Time stopped in the middle of the room, briefly gazing out the window. “Soul and I can put together a chamber of sorts,” he said. “A time spell inside an interdimensional pocket.”

“Ugh, like the one I put inside Zetos,” Soul muttered.

“Exactly. Tristan, Valaine, Morning, and Phantom can stay in it. Time will slow down inside it, making days pass while hours unravel out here,” Time replied. “They’ll be safe, and I will be around in case they need me.” He paused and looked my way. “I can do the same for Kalon. Slowing time in his interdimensional pocket will tamper with the curse’s progression. The Black Fever will take longer to… you know, kill him. He’ll have hours in there, and you’ll have days out here. By my calculation, this double shift will increase your chances of awakening Unending before the Black Fever offs Kalon.”

My stomach felt heavy, bile rising and burning my throat. As much as I hated being away from Kalon, it was his best chance at survival.

“How far do your time manipulation powers extend?” Tristan asked as Valaine settled by one of the windows, looking out at the ruined city below. Glimmers of familiarity persisted in her black eyes. I could tell she was remembering moments from her last trance.

“After she gave Unending the power of immortality, Death became more reserved with the abilities she bestowed upon us,” Time replied. “I cannot change the past, but I can look into it. I can go as far as it takes, provided I have precise parameters to follow. It’s not an easy process. Sometimes it takes days to find a single moment, for example. I can peek into the near future, as well. I’m talking half a day, tops… but that’s a trickier ability. Circumstances change. Once certain decisions are made, the future changes. If I look into the future now, it’ll show me one thing. If I look into the future five minutes from now, it’ll show me another. It’s a volatile process, at best.”

“Isn’t that similar to what Seeley did? During the Thieron trials, he admitted to analyzing the possibilities of survival for each of the GASP agents involved. It’s how he decided to give Acantha the nudge to put herself forward as the Eirexis sacrifice,” I said.

“What Seeley has is more of an instinct, rather than an ability. He’s able to analyze and determine odds based on the known facts,” Time explained. “My power is closely tied to the flow of time and the events that may or may not unfold.”

“And you can stop time,” I said. “That’s your main characteristic, right?”

He nodded. “Within certain limitations. I can slow it down. I can speed it up. I can stop it altogether. The longer I grasp the timeline, the longer I manipulate it, the harder it gets. Eventually, exhaustion sets in, and my soul wears out… I’m less functional afterward,