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not too close. He imagined it had something to do with her relationship with her half-sister, Sonnet, though he didn't know the whole story. Sonnet wasn't around in the future.
    Because Jewl showed an interest in caring for him on occasion, Anj Willam, his father, did as well. Anj knew that Teague was a Fate, which bound them together. He felt an obligation to look out for Teague; it was so obvious in the way the two interacted. Teague was pretty sure if his father could have his way, he'd rather pretend his son didn't exist, which was amusing and heartbreaking all at once. Back home, in the future, Anj and Teague were practically best friends. Time changed a lot of things. But Teague was also a different person in the future, and if Anj knew he was his father, perceptions would change as well.
    Small details impacted so much of the bigger picture, it was mind boggling. Major events made even more dramatic changes to the world. Things in the future were already altering because of the actions Teague was performing in the past. He hadn't done too much, simply nudged Denver in the right direction. He'd also helped save his mother, something only his father, Denver, and another close friend were around to do in the original timeline of the past.
    Teague's memories of the future, and the obvious differences between what he'd grown up with and what was changing, didn't start showing up until he got more involved with Denver regaining control over the throne of Hades. Once the events of the past were altered, so were Teague's memories. As of that moment in time, he hadn't gotten rid of his existence so he could still go back home again. All the same, he had a firm reminder to be careful.
    "Things still not the same as they were before?" Denver asked.
    "Huh?" Teague raised his gaze back toward him.
    Laughing, Denver shook his head. "Before you went to sleep. You told me not to worry, because things were already getting better, so don't let everyone else make me doubt my actions."
    "Oh, yeah, that. Yeah, things aren't the same." He shrugged. Teague was pretty sure that was a good thing. Then again, anything would have been better than the alternative.
    "That's all I wanted to know." He stood and gave Teague a firm pat on the shoulder. "Don't know if I'll be coming back. I'll tell you where to meet me, though."
    With a nod, Teague closed his eyes and exhaled slowly. "Okay."
    Being alone was for the better. There were a lot of memories to sort through, both old and new.

 
    Chapter Two
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    The next time Teague woke up in the hospital, Jewl was at his bedside. Her being there surprised him, even more so that she was alone. Every other time she'd seen him at the hospital, someone was with her — a reluctant someone, but someone all the same. He imagined she needed the moral support. She always had a hard time dealing with stressful situations and worry on her own. It was part of why she and Anj made such a good team. Teague noticed how well his parents helped balance one another back home. Witnessing their relationship in the past was even more fascinating. There wasn't the same kind of seasoned maturity present, yet the deep, playful love was just as strong.
    His parents were far from perfect, but Teague admired them and found them inspiring all the same.
    Rather than disturb her by talking, he kept quiet and watched her sleep in the chair next to his bed. She was actually sleeping near him. For someone who claimed not to be affectionate or caring, she was being awfully sweet. What caused her to put up so much of a front? So many mysteries behind the woman who gave him life.
    He shifted in bed and stretched. Hopefully, the doctors would allow him to go back to his dorm. While he preferred the hospital, he wanted to go back to a place that was his own as well as more private. Denver wanted him to plan. Planning was hard to do with people coming in and out of the room every few hours unexpectedly. No one knocked or waited for him