Kieran's POV
I grabbed Adrian's arm and yanked him into an empty classroom.
He tried to pull away, but I slammed the door shut and pushed my back against it. No escape. Not until he told me the truth.
"Let me go, Kieran."
"Tell me everything first," I said. My heart pounded so hard I could hear it in my ears. "How many times have you relived this?"
Adrian's face crumbled. For a second, he looked like he might cry. Then his face hardened into something cold and distant.
"It doesn't matter."
"It matters to me!" I stepped closer. "Adrian, I watched you die. I held you while you bled out. If you've been through that too—if you've been carrying this alone—"
"Four times," Adrian interrupted. His voice came out flat. Dead. "I've died four times trying to save you. And you died four times anyway. That's what matters."
The words hit me like a physical blow.
Four times. Adrian had watched me die four times. Had lived through this nightmare four times while I'd only done it once.
"How?" I whispered.
"The first time, I woke up and thought maybe it was a gift. A second chance." Adrian laughed bitterly. "I told you everything. Warned you about Cassian. We worked together to unmask him."
"What happened?"
"You died in two months. Confronted Cassian too early. He killed you and made it look like a training accident."
My stomach twisted. "And the second time?"
"I stayed away from you completely. Thought maybe I was the trouble. Maybe you'd be safer if we never met." Adrian's hands curled into fists. "But you still found the conspiracy. Still faced Cassian. Still died. And I wasn't even there to help."
I wanted to reach for him, but something in his face stopped me.
"The third time, I tried to destroy Cassian from the inside. Befriended him. Pretended to worship him like everyone else." Adrian's voice dropped to a whisper. "He caught me planning to kill him. Killed you right in front of me as punishment. Made me watch."
Horror crawled up my spine. " Adrian—"
"The fourth time, I was smarter. Didn't tell you about the rebirth. Just tried to guide you. Keep you safe. But you're too smart, Kieran. You figured it out anyway. And the second you knew I'd been reborn, you became obsessed with protecting me instead of yourself."
"That's not—"
"You threw yourself in front of Cassian's sword!" Adrian's voice cracked. "It was meant for me, and you just—you didn't even hesitate! You died in my arms telling me you'd do it again!"
Tears streamed down his face now. He didn't bother wiping them away.
"So don't tell me we can work together," Adrian said bitterly. "Don't tell me we can change things. Because every time I try, every time you know the truth, you die saving me. And I'm so tired of watching you die."
The confession broke something inside me.
Adrian had carried this alone through four timelines. Four deaths. Four fails. All while trying to save me.
I crossed the space between us and pulled him into my arms.
He went stiff with surprise. Then he fell against me, sobbing into my shoulder.
"I'm sorry," I said quietly. "I'm so sorry you had to go through that alone."
"It's not your fault." Adrian's words came out muffled. "It's mine. I keep failing. I keep losing you."
"You haven't lost me yet."
"But I will." He pulled back, looking at me with red, swollen eyes. "Don't you understand? This is the fifth try. And you already found out I'm reborn. Which means you're going to try to be the hero again. You're going to sacrifice yourself again. And I'm going to watch you die again."
"No," I said strongly. "That's not going to happen."
"You can't promise that!"
"Yes, I can." I grabbed his shoulders, making him look at me. "Adrian, listen. I know how I died in the original reality. I know what mistakes I made. And you've seen four more scenarios. You know things I don't. Together, we have more information than either of us alone."
"It doesn't matter how much we know—"
"It matters because we can be smarter this time!" I insisted. "No reckless fights. No heroic efforts. We plan everything carefully. We watch each other's backs. We both survive."
Adrian shook his head. "You don't understand what you're like when someone you love is in danger. You don't think. You just act. You'll sacrifice yourself without doubt."
"Then don't let me." I squeezed his shoulders. "If you see me about to do something stupid, stop me. Hit me over the head if you have to. We're a team now. We protect each other."
"I can't—"
"You can. You have to. Because I'm not doing this without you." I meant every word. "Adrian, you've been fighting alone for four timelines. Let me help. Let me share the load."
For a long moment, Adrian just stared at me. I could see him struggling—wanting to trust me but afraid of what would happen if he did.
Finally, he whispered, "What if we both die this time?"
"Then at least we die together instead of alone."
It was the wrong thing to say. Adrian's face went white.
"That's not better! That's worse!" He pulled away from me. "You dying is my fear, Kieran! It's the thing I'd do anything to avoid! And you're talking about it like it's normal!"
"I didn't mean—"
A knock on the classroom door stopped us.
We both froze.
"Hello?" A girl's voice called from outside. "Is someone in there? Classes start in five minutes."
Adrian and I looked at each other. His eyes were still red from tears. My hands were still shaking.
"We should go," Adrian said quietly.
"This conversation isn't over."
"Yes, it is." He moved toward the door. "Stay away from me, Kieran. It's safer for both of us."
"Adrian—"
He opened the door and pushed past the confused girl outside. I started to follow, but she blocked my way.
"Excuse me, are you Kieran Ashford?"
I recognized her now—the blonde nurse from earlier. The one who'd told me High Priestess Lyanna wanted to see me.
"Yes," I said warily.
"The High Priestess is still waiting. She doesn't like to be kept waiting."
Every impulse screamed at me to refuse. To run after Adrian. To fix whatever was broken between us.
But I couldn't refuse a straight summons from the High Priestess without making myself suspicious.
"I'll be right there," I said.
The girl smiled. That same empty smile from before.
As I followed her down the hall, I looked back. Adrian stood at the end of the hallway, watching me go. His face was pure terror.
He mouthed two words: Don't go.
But I had no choice.
The High Priestess's office was on the top floor. The girl led me there in silence. When we reached the door, she knocked three times.
"Come in," Lyanna's voice called.
The door swung open.
High Priestess Lyanna sat behind a desk, files spread before her. She looked up and smiled warmly.
"Kieran Ashford. How wonderful to finally meet you." She pointed to a chair. "Please, sit. We have so much to discuss."
I sat slowly, every muscle tense. Shadow power stirred beneath my skin, ready to defend if needed.
"I understand you're a shadow mage," Lyanna said pleasantly. "Such a rare gift. So misunderstood by normal people."
"Thank you, Priestess."
"You're welcome." Her smile widened. "Now then. I want to talk to you about something very important. Something I think you'll find... interesting."
She leaned forward, and her eyes flashed totally black for just a second.
"Tell me, Kieran. How does it feel to be reborn?"
My blood turned to ice.
She knew.
High Priestess Lyanna knew I'd been reborn.
"I don't know what you mean," I said carefully.
"Oh, I think you do." Lyanna's speech dropped lower. Older. Wrong. "Just like Adrian Vale knows. Just like you've both known through five timelines now."
Five timelines. Not four.
"You've been watching us," I breathed. "You've been watching us die and come back."
"Watching?" Lyanna laughed. "Oh, dear boy. I've been arranging it."
The room spun.
"The rebirths aren't accidents," she added. "They're not gifts from some kindly force. They're mine. My projects. My entertainment."
"Why?"
"Because I'm bored. Because I'm old. Because watching you two struggle across various timelines, always failing, always suffering, is the most fun I've had in centuries." She stood up, looming over me. "And now, in this fifth timeline, I think I'll try something new."
Shadow magic exploded from my hands, but unseen force slammed me back into the chair. I couldn't move. Couldn't breathe.
"I'm going to let you both remember everything," Lyanna whispered in my ear. "I'm going to watch you work together this time. Watch you plan. Watch you dream. And then, at the right moment, I'm going to destroy everything you love."
She released me.
I gasped for air, holding my chest.
"Run along now," Lyanna said happily. "Classes start soon. And Kieran? Don't try warning Adrian. He already knows what I am. Why do you think he's so desperate to keep you away from me?"
I stumbled out of the office, my mind spinning.
Adrian knew. Adrian knew that Lyanna arranged the rebirths. That's why he'd been so terrified when I was called.
I had to find him. Had to warn him that she knew about both of us now.
I ran down the stairs, searching the halls. Students stared as I pushed past them.
Finally, I spotted him near the main courtyard.
"Adrian!" I shouted.
He turned. His face went pale when he saw my reaction.
I ran toward him, but someone stepped into my way.
Cassian Thorne smiled down at me, all golden hair and lucky charm.
"Kieran Ashford," he said kindly, extending his hand. "I've been hoping to meet you. I'm Cassian. Let's be friends."