Page 87 of The Devouring Time

My shoulders straighten. “Then we don’t have much time.” The firmness of my voice surprises even me. “When Bianca and I looked into the future—into now—Dr. Dane’s time-viewing machine stood out like a beacon. Since the Swarm are emerging where it is, or where it will be, I have to assume they’re using it to navigate. They don’t require it, but perhaps it makes it easier for them all to end up in the proper channel of time. Maybe we can use it against them somehow, or at least destroy it before the Timekeepers take it to whatever cave we glimpsed?”

Mary looks as if my words have energized her. “Right. If it’s still at the university, we can just go there and wreck it. Though we know for sure it will be in a cave tonight, so if we can figure out which one, we can prepare an ambush.”

Helen lifts her head from her hands. “Will anything we do matter? You’ve already seen the future. The device will be in the cave.”

“We didn’t see the Swarm emerge.” I lightly touch her shoulder. “And you remember what Dr. Dane said, about time being like a river delta, full of branching channels. If we can get to the university before the machine is moved, maybe we can put ourselves on a path where we never have to go to the cave at all.”

Adrian rubs at his forehead. “All of this time-travel talk is making my head hurt. But I’m with Sterling—we have to try anything and everything we can think of to prevent the Swarm from popping out here and now.”

“Not to mention, Dr. Dane might have some idea if we can use her machine to, I don’t know, trick them or divert them or something.” Mary rises to her feet. “Dorset, get the car ready. Thurston, Dr. Yurevich—you spread the alarm. We need everyone ready to move in case we don’t succeed at the university. I don’t want to fight the whole Timekeeper cult if I don’t have to, but if we’re replaced by the Swarm, not only do we die, so does the Waking God. This is all hands on deck.”

Orders issued, Mary turns her attention to us. “As for you three…I’m still sore at you for snooping. But right now, I’m willing to let bygones be bygones. We’ll work together for now, yes?”

Her offer feels rather like a deal with the devil. But we don’t have any other options. “Yes,” I agree, and Adrian echoes me.

Helen sighs loudly. “Fine. But don’t think this gets you back in my good graces, Mary.”

Mary grins, exposing her teeth. “Wouldn’t dream of it, Hellion.”

She vanishes briefly into the parlor, returning with Adrian’s gun, which she passes back to him. We follow her out to the car Dorset already has waiting at the curb. Mary gets in the front with him, and the three of us cram into the back.

As we drive, Adrian takes my hand. “How are you feeling?” he asks in a low voice.

“Mostly grateful that you’re here with me. I wouldn’t want to do this alone.”

His smile is like the rising sun, and he runs his thumb across my knuckles. “Same.”

The university seems emptier than the last time we visited, with only one or two students visible in the distance when Dorset pulls up to the same curb where he and Mary abducted us. But I don’t realize why there are so few people around until Mary says, “At least it’s Saturday.”

Saturday. I lost all of Friday—well, except the very early hours before dawn—remembering. Another day gone, and it shouldn’t matter, but it feels monstrously unfair after spending a year and half imprisoned by the Swarm. My life is slipping through my fingers, and I’m not even aware when it’s happening.

If we don’t stop the Swarm now, there won’t be any life to live, only the prospect of dying amidst the decaying ruins of the Tschchch city, trapped in the wrong body. So I push the thought aside and focus on the present moment.

We all climb out of the car, including Dorset, and set off for the building housing the Metaphysics Department. It’s a crisp October day, the sun high in a clear blue sky, birds flitting through the turning leaves. It won’t be long before every market is filled with fresh-pressed cider, bonfires of leaves tint the air with their lovely scent, and invitations go out for costume parties.

Will the Swarm try their hands at those activities once they’ve replaced us? Mimicking our ways without understanding or curiosity, taking what they like and discarding the rest? Certainly they don’t seem inclined to create anything, so eventually the costumes will fall to pieces and the cider presses break.

A horrible revelation comes crashing down over me. “If the Swarm succeed, no more books will ever be written!”

Mary shoots me a look of disbelief. “That’s what you’re worried about?”

“Well, not just books, but surely that alone would be enough reason to stop them.”

Adrian chuckles. “That’s my man.”

Despite everything, his words make me feel as though bubbles of happiness fizz in my veins like champagne. We haven’t had a chance to actually talk about our relationship, but if he wants me to be his, then I will be, gladly.

When the astronomy tower comes into view, Adrian says, “The door may be locked, since it’s the weekend.”

“I can pick locks,” Helen offers. “You’d be surprised how often it comes in handy in my line of work. We just have to worry about whether or not there are magical wards. I’d prefer not to wind up cursed if we can help it.”

Adrian and I exchange a glance. Will we ever be unsurprised by the casual mention of sorcery?

Fortunately, we don’t have to concern ourselves with locks of any kind, magical or material. The door to the building is open, and we walk in as if we belong there. Our footsteps echo through the halls, and there don’t seem to be any students hanging about. The reception area on the fourth floor is mercifully deserted, so we turn our steps to Dr. Dane’s office. If there’s any way to use the machine against the Swarm, she’s the one who would know.

Though she had seemed awfully entranced by the very idea of the Swarm, and rather unconcerned that one had been puppeting my body around without my permission. But her curiosity about them would surely fade when confronted with the reality of their plans.

The door to her office is closed. No one answers our knock.