Dune placed his elbows on his knees, and one of his dark brown dreads escaped the leather tie, swinging into his eyes. He ignored it. “I thought Chronos was a myth.”
“That’s what they want you to think.” Dad’s voice was grim and layered in what felt like years of frustration.
Dune’s focus drifted toward Dad’s bookcase and his hourglass collection. They were the only things on the shelves that weren’t dusty.
“I didn’t follow Teague,” Dad explained, his expression resigned. “I’d begun researching the time gene, and I was ready to start the Hourglass. Cameron College offered me a position, and Cat and Jack followed me to Ivy Springs. It was past time to get out. She wasn’t completely certain how it worked, but Teague knew about my ability and Cat’s, as well as Grace’s.”
My stomach took a dive at the sound of my mother’s name.
“Why does Teague want Jack now? How can he repair the damage he … we did to the continuum?” Em focused on a spot on the floor. Pain. Sadness. But not one hint of regret. Michael took her hand.
“Poe didn’t say that Jack could repair the continuum.” I nudged Em’s knee with my elbow. “He said if we found Jack, there was a possibility the continuum could be repaired. You were kind of … out of pocket for that part.”
“Oh yeah. I was on the ground bleeding to death.” Em laughed halfheartedly.
No one else did.
“Can Jack fix the continuum?” I asked.
Dad put his hands in his pockets and leaned against the bookcase. He was hiding so much. I could feel it, but I couldn’t explain any of it. “I don’t think that’s why Teague wants him.”
“Why, then?” Em asked.
“That’s not for you kids to worry about.” He was protecting us. He was also terrified. After pausing for a moment, he seemed to make a decision. “I’ve already said too much. The message from Teague was for me, not all of you.”
“What? That can’t be it. We still have questions.” I pulled myself to my feet, angry. “You have to let us help you.”
“No, I don’t.” Dad shrugged with an air of finality, and then stepped forward to shuffle papers on his desk.
“Yes, you do.” I spoke firmly, enunciating, letting Dad know that I didn’t plan on backing down. “Everyone in this room was part of the plan to bring you back. If that doesn’t give us full rights as Hourglass members, then something is way wrong.”
“I have the help I need.” Dad’s words didn’t give the answer away, but Michael’s emotions did. I spun around to face him.
I shook my head in disgust. “Why doesn’t somebody just make you a freaking superhero cape?”
Michael’s expression didn’t change.
“Son. Michael’s an adult, and he’s capable of making his own decisions.”
“He’s nineteen.”
“I refuse to put anyone else in jeopardy, especially if they’re underage. What happened last year almost ruined us.”
“Oh, what, you mean how enrollment at school dropped after you blew up in your lab?” I laughed bitterly. “Or when it dropped after you came back from the dead? I can see why you’d jump to Michael for help, considering what an ‘adult’ handle he had on that situation.”
“All of this falls squarely on me,” Em spoke up. “Jack compromised the continuum because he wanted my ability to travel to the past. It’s not right for me to sit safely and act like I’m not responsible.”
“Jack didn’t kill me because of you, Emerson,” Dad assured her. “He wanted the Hourglass, and after that was his, he got greedy. He tried to use you as a tool for some grander scheme to change something in his past.”
“Please, Liam.” Em scooted to the edge of the couch and leaned forward, staring until Dad met her eyes. “I want to be a tool for the right reasons. Let me help.”
“Michael and I can handle it,” Dad insisted, his eyes shuttering any emotion. “I only wanted to catch you all up to speed. Oh, but I do need one thing. Someone to tell Ava that Jack is back.”
Everyone looked at me.
Chapter 6
I didn’t believe in delaying unpleasant tasks. I went straight from Dad’s office to the stone gatehouse on our property and knocked.