Chapter 32

Chapter Thirty-Two

Everest was back in the corridor again. Only this time, it was on fire. Thick smoke billowed along the ceiling. His mind was being destroyed, and he didn't know how to save it.

"Are you going to let me help you?"

He turned at the sound of the voice that didn't belong in his mind. Quentin leaned against the wall with his arms crossed, appearing untroubled by the destruction. He wore jeans and his boots with rainbow laces.

"You can't help me; you barely know what you're doing."

"I've read your books, and I've been training. I also have Kaine's strength helping me. If you trap me here, you'll be hurting your brother. You don't want to do that, given what you've gone through to save Olier."

"It's Oliver. That's the name they gave him. Is he okay?"

"He's alive…which is better than what you're doing. Your heart is beating, but if we don't get this mess under control." He pointed to the damaged doors and the smoke. "Your mind will be destroyed, and it may not recover. Ever."

Everest had thought death would be the reset he needed. He didn't want to die forever. There had to be a way to fix this, or he would've died a long time ago. "This isn't the first time."

"Cadel told me. From that memory, a whole bunch of other memories are busy unpacking, like a virus."

"Yes, they are chewing up too much of my brain. I don't know if I lived or died that time. I've been too scared to find out."

Quentin reached out his hand. "Let's go together. Maybe I can close some doors in that life which will stop some of this destruction."

"I don't want you to be trapped." Everest didn't take his hand. "I'm sorry I was an asshole last time. Tell Kaine I love him and?—"

"We need to do this now. Kaine will pull me out if needed." Quentin kept holding his hand out.

Everest looked at his hand and then up at his face. "If he's here, who is protecting Gerrit?"

"Dalmon and Malcolm. You need to worry about you."

"You need to tell Cadel?—"

"You need to tell him yourself."

He wanted that chance, but it seemed like a big ask given the current situation his mind was in. "Are you sure about this? I don't know how far back we're going."

"I've always wanted to hear some of the dead languages I study spoken."

Everest laughed and took his hand. In a heartbeat, they were back in the room with the stone walls, the gold, and the candles.

He dropped to his knees, clutching his head, next to the pile of ash that had been his lover. This time, he didn't fight the surge of memories that were even older.