I found myself explaining everything that was happening on the other side of the barrier between Universes. Despite the commander's frequent grimaces and occasional grunts of disbelief, I managed to wind my way through it all, from Gabriel's first opening of the Gateway here-they were shocked to discover Ameline was the baddie in my Universe-to rebuilding Creator's statue and all the trouble I'd been having doing so.
When I brought up Max, Mabel shifted her position, perking.
"I thought I knew him," she said, wonder in her voice even as the ribbon around my wrist tightened and something sparked in me, a terrible feeling much like grief. "He led us once, millennia ago. But he gave his life when Dark Brother allowed us to evolve into the drachmor."