Chapter 5: Betrayal of Time
I ran, my feet carrying me through the dimly lit streets of the futuristic city, my heart pounding in my chest. The distant sounds of Kael’s struggle echoed in my ears, but they felt so far away, like a memory already slipping out of reach.
I had left him behind.
My thoughts were spinning, a storm of guilt and fear swirling in my mind. That woman—who was she? And how did she know Kael? Her words had shaken me, her intentions clear: she wanted the bracelet, and somehow, I was the key to it all.
The bracelet pulsed again, its light dimming. I glanced down at my wrist, a sinking feeling blooming in my stomach. Something was wrong—its power was fading.
I turned a corner, coming to a stop in a narrow alley. My breath came in ragged gasps as I leaned against the cold wall, trying to steady myself. The city’s towering buildings loomed above me, casting long shadows that stretched across the ground like dark fingers. I was alone, lost in a world that wasn’t my own, with no one to turn to and no idea how to get back.
I thought of Kael—his protective stance, the way he had thrown himself in front of me without hesitation. He had risked everything for me, and I had abandoned him. The thought sent a sharp pain through my chest.
But I couldn’t go back. Not yet.
Suddenly, a voice broke through the silence, soft but distinct.
“You shouldn’t have trusted him.”
I whirled around, my heart leaping into my throat. There, standing at the entrance to the alley, was the last person I expected to see.
It was her—the woman who had attacked us. Her short black hair glinted in the dim light, her sharp eyes fixed on me with an unsettling intensity. Her cloak billowed slightly in the wind, giving her an almost ghostly appearance.
“You,” I whispered, fear and anger mixing in my voice. “What do you want?”
She took a step closer, her gaze never leaving mine. “I told you. The bracelet. It belongs to me.”
My hand instinctively went to my wrist, but she shook her head, smiling coldly. “You think it’s protecting you, don’t you? But it’s already betraying you.”
I frowned, my fingers tightening around the glowing band. “What are you talking about?”
She took another step forward, her eyes narrowing. “Kael didn’t tell you everything, did he? The bracelet—it doesn’t just manipulate time. It’s linked to something much more dangerous.”
My heart pounded in my chest. “You’re lying.”
“Am I?” She tilted her head, her expression almost pitying. “You feel it, don’t you? It’s losing power. Soon, it’ll be useless.”
A flicker of doubt crept into my mind. The bracelet had been fading ever since I ran. But why? And why hadn’t Kael mentioned this? I felt a surge of anger toward him—anger for keeping me in the dark, for letting me believe I had control when I didn’t.
“You’ve been deceived,” the woman continued, her voice smooth as silk. “Kael has his own agenda. He always has. And you’re just a pawn in his game.”
I clenched my fists, my mind reeling. Could she be right? Was Kael using me? But the thought seemed impossible. He had saved me, protected me. There had to be another explanation.
“Why should I trust you?” I asked, my voice hard. “You attacked us. You’re the one trying to steal this bracelet.”
Her smile widened. “I’m not trying to steal it. I’m trying to take back what’s mine. That bracelet belongs to me. It was forged for a singular purpose—one that only I can fulfill. You’re just the unfortunate soul who got tangled in its web.”
I shook my head, stepping back. “No. You’re lying.”
But even as I said the words, doubt gnawed at the edges of my mind. Why hadn’t Kael told me more about the bracelet? Why did it feel like I was missing a piece of the puzzle?
“You’ll see soon enough,” the woman said, her tone almost gentle. “Kael has been leading you down a path of destruction. The more you use the bracelet, the more you alter time, and the more dangerous it becomes.”
I felt my resolve waver. Could she be telling the truth? I thought back to all the moments of tension between Kael and me, the things he had refused to explain, the secrets he kept. I had wanted to trust him, but now everything felt like it was unraveling.
The woman took another step closer, her voice low and persuasive. “Give it to me. Before it’s too late.”
My grip tightened on the bracelet. My mind screamed at me to run, to get away from her, but something held me in place. I wanted to believe Kael was on my side, that he had my best interests at heart—but now, standing here, I wasn’t sure of anything anymore.
Just as I was about to speak, a figure emerged from the shadows at the other end of the alley.
“Don’t listen to her.”
It was Kael.
His voice was firm, but there was an edge of desperation in his tone that I hadn’t heard before. He stepped into the light, his eyes locking onto mine.
“She’s trying to manipulate you,” Kael said, his gaze flicking toward the woman. “Everything she says is a lie.”
The woman’s smile faltered for a moment, then she laughed softly. “Of course, you’d say that. After all, you’re the one who’s been lying to her.”
Kael’s jaw tightened, and I could see the tension in his body, the strain in his eyes. “It’s not like that, Celia.”
My heart twisted at the sound of my name on his lips. I wanted to believe him, wanted to trust him—but the woman’s words echoed in my mind, filling me with doubt.
“She knows the truth now, Kael,” the woman said, her voice laced with triumph. “The bracelet is breaking, and when it does, time will unravel. You can’t stop it.”
Kael stepped forward, his eyes pleading with me. “Celia, please. Don’t give it to her. She’s using you. She wants to destroy everything.”
I looked between them, my heart pounding. Both of them were staring at me, each with their own version of the truth. I didn’t know who to believe.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” I whispered, my voice trembling. “Why didn’t you tell me the bracelet was breaking?”
Kael’s expression softened, and for a moment, I saw the vulnerability behind his stoic facade. “I didn’t want to scare you. I thought we had more time.”
“More time?” I repeated, my voice rising. “You’ve been keeping secrets from me this whole time! How can I trust you?”
He took a step closer, his hand reaching out to me. “Because I’m trying to protect you. I swear, everything I’ve done is for you.”
I hesitated, torn between my feelings for Kael and the uncertainty swirling in my mind. The woman’s voice cut through the silence.
“He’s only protecting himself. Give me the bracelet, Celia. Let me save us.”
The weight of the decision pressed down on me. Kael stood before me, his eyes filled with a mixture of fear and something deeper—something I couldn’t quite name. The woman waited, her gaze steady, her words still ringing in my ears.
And then, in the split second of hesitation, everything changed.
With a flash of movement, the woman lunged toward me, her hand outstretched for the bracelet. Kael reacted instantly, pushing me aside as the two of them collided in a blur of motion. They fought, their bodies twisting and turning in a dance of violence, and I could only watch in horror.
As they struggled, the bracelet on my wrist flared with light, pulsing wildly, as if it were alive. Time seemed to warp around us, the air shimmering with a strange energy. I staggered back, the world spinning, my heart racing.
And then—everything stopped.
The world froze, as if time itself had ground to a halt. Kael and the woman were suspended in mid-motion, their faces locked in expressions of shock.
I stood there, alone in the stillness, the bracelet glowing brighter than ever before. And in that moment, I realized the truth.
Time wasn’t just a tool to be manipulated.
It was a living, breathing force.
And I had just broken it.
***
The frozen world around me shattered like glass, splintering into a thousand pieces. Time twisted and fractured, and I felt myself falling, tumbling through the broken shards of reality. The bracelet pulsed, its power surging through me, and I knew—
This was only the beginning.