Tave's thoughts raced. Wild, untamed, desperate.
He tried to piece together any explanation, any logic that could justify what he was seeing. There were only supposed to be ten people inside this Rift Expedition. That was the rule. That was the structure. The entry was sealed.
And yet. This man was here. Now.
And not just any man. Theo.
Tave was sure of it. Absolutely, unshakably sure. That face was burned into his memory, from the very first moment he'd opened his eyes in this world…
Back then, after the coffee. Back then, when everything began.
He looked younger now. Sharper, more composed. But it was him.
This meeting. It wasn't supposed to happen yet. And certainly not like this.
Not in the middle of a Rift.
Not during a mission.
"Judging by your expression…" the man said, calm and unreadable, "…I'd say you recognize me?"
Tave stepped back slightly, instinctively tightening his grip on the sword.
