Jonah stood at the edge of the river, the water below reflecting the fading stars. Evelyne stood beside him, her presence a grounding force in a world that was falling apart. The weight of everything—the second he had returned, the memories slipping through his fingers—felt unbearable.
"You said I wasn't alone," Jonah said, turning to her. "But time's taking me. I don't even know if I'll exist tomorrow."
Evelyne met his gaze, her eyes unwavering. "I won't let that happen."
Jonah took a deep breath. It was becoming harder to breathe, harder to hold onto anything real. He could feel himself slipping through the cracks, but the warmth of her hand in his gave him something to cling to.
"You know what happens when you let go," he said softly. "The Archive was right. I'm not supposed to be here."
"No," she said firmly, squeezing his hand. "You are supposed to be here. Time may have broken you, Jonah, but we can fix it. You can fix it."
Jonah shook his head. "How? I've done everything I can. The second is gone. Time is still unraveling."
But Evelyne wasn't looking at him like someone who had given up. She looked at him like someone who had just seen through the fog. "You didn't just give the second back, Jonah. You chose to live. And that choice? It's stronger than any second."
Jonah paused, considering her words. She was right. He had chosen. Despite everything, despite the consequences, he had chosen to remain. He had chosen to exist.
He could feel the pull of time again, but this time, he fought back. He wasn't going to fade. Not yet.
"I can't undo what's been done," Jonah whispered. "But I can change what happens next."
The river surged, and in that moment, he felt something shift inside him. Time was no longer his enemy. It was his ally. He had become the thread that could stitch the world back together.
With a determined look, Jonah turned back toward Glimmertide. "Let's finish this."
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Next up: Chapter Nineteen – "The Last Stitch."
Jonah takes the final steps to reclaim his place in the world, but the cost may be greater than he imagined.