Zoe’s hand fell away from the Moirai's.

  100 days to live. Frigid tension clenched its fist around Ever’s stomach. It was a little over three months. How much time did he have left on Earth? It was something he had to remember to ask Death later. Right now, there was only one thing on his mind.

  “How can we help Zoe Ascend before she runs out of time?” He asked Nyx, before glancing at Moirai. “Do we have to find a cure for her condition?”

  Nyx made to speak.

  “Impossible,” the Moirai said flatly, interjecting her mother. “Once the Thread has been spun, there is no way a mortal can extend it. It can only be shortened should they choose to leave the Earth earlier.”

  “The Moirai speak the truth,” Nyx added gently. “There is no human intervention possible that can invalidate the Thread.”

  Zoe cleared her throat, causing everyone in the room to look at her. “If I’m hearing this correctly,” she said slowly, “while human intervention isn’t possible, perhaps divine intervention might be?”

  Ever might have been imagining things, but he thought Nyx’s enigmatic smile this time contained a hint of pride.

  “That would be the only way for you to change your Fate, yes,” Nyx replied.

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  “Is it something that you can help me with… Mum?” Zoe replied, as sweet as she could.

  “Oh dearest.” Nyx stood up, the top of her head nearly touching the ceiling. She glided to Zoe’s side and held the hand which had the Thread tied to it. “I would have done it in a mortal’s heart beat if I were able to. I simply do not have the Power.”

  “Power?” Ever echoed. “The strongest being would be Chaos then, as the first Primordial. Would he be able to help Zoe?”

  “Potentially,” Nyx said. “However this might not be as simple as just appearing before him and requesting a boon.”

  Ever thought back to the summer when he and Chaos worked together at Pagoto’s. Besides giving him all of his pay, the kindest thing that he did for him was force Ever to reveal what his “part time job” was to Taylor, and even that was dressed up in malice.

  “There is... another,” Nyx said hesitantly.

  A memory rushed towards him, dragging Ever back through time.

  Stepping out of the house, into an inverted world. Chaos meeting him outside. Walking a familiar path. Thanking him. Angering him. Eyes, eyes… so many eyes. Arriving at the place they both used to work at, now empty. Him turning to Ever, concern looking so strange on his face as he said the words…

  “'There is another,'” Ever repeated. “'He may help, or he may hinder.'”

  “Who told you that?” Nyx asked, a slight wrinkle creasing her brow.

  “Chaos, at the start of the year,” Ever replied. “He came to find me.”

  “I see,” Nyx said. “Then it seems that Father Chaos has accepted the reality here.”

  “What reality?”

  Nyx turned her gaze upon Zoe. “That the Primordials wish to intervene to ensure Zoe has every chance to Ascend.”