Amelia stopped pacing and glared at the Keeper. “There has to be another way. You’re the Keeper of Time—aren’t you supposed to protect the timeline, not destroy it?”
The Keeper’s expression didn’t change. “I protect the integrity of time. Sometimes, that requires difficult decisions. You disrupted the past, Amelia. Now you must decide how to mend it.”
Amelia felt tears prick her eyes. She thought of Amalina—the warmth in her smile, the way she spoke about their shared memories, the hope she represented in this fractured world. Could she really take all that away?
“I... I need time to think,” she whispered.
The Keeper’s voice grew colder. “Time is a luxury you no longer have. The fractures are growing. Delay, and the choice will be made for you.”
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