Aarav's pulse quickened.
"Go back? Again? I just returned to my real today. What if I get stuck this time?"
Soren shook his head. "A controlled jump is different. You won't be alone, and you won't be drifting into unstable threads."
"That doesn't make it less scary," Aarav muttered.
Soren didn't argue. He simply watched Aarav with a steady, patient expression.
"As long as you hold the watch and I lock the thread, you won't fall into another memory. But we need to test the connection. If the watch truly chose you, it will respond."
Aarav swallowed. "And if it didn't?"
"Then I can safely remove the imprint and end its link to you."
Aarav stiffened. "End it? You mean… I won't be able to time travel?"
"You won't be trapped, either," Soren replied. "It's not meant for everyone."
Aarav didn't know why, but a strange feeling stirred inside him—not fear, not relief—something like… disappointment.
As confusing as the last two days had been, the watch had shown him something impossible. Something powerful. Something he hadn't felt since that regret buried inside him.
Maybe… maybe he wasn't ready to let it go.
Aarav sat on the bed. "Okay. What do I have to do?"
Soren pulled up a chair and sat opposite him. "Take the watch out."
Aarav placed the old pocket watch on his palm. Its metal was warm—too warm for something that wasn't powered by anything.
Soren extended his hand. "Give it to me."
Aarav hesitated for a second, then placed the watch into Soren's gloved hand.
The moment Soren touched it, the ticking softened, like the watch recognized him.
"You've handled one before," Aarav whispered.
Soren nodded. "I told you. I had my own Anchor once."
"What happened to it?"
Soren's jaw tightened. "It was taken."
Before Aarav could ask more, Soren continued, "Now place your hand over the watch. Don't close your eyes. Stay aware."
Aarav obeyed.
He placed his hand over Soren's, touching the cold metal between them.
"Good," Soren said softly. "Now breathe normally. Don't resist whatever you feel."
Aarav nodded, though his chest felt tight.
Soren touched the crown.
Instantly, the tick-tick-tick deepened—slower, heavier—like the heartbeat of some ancient creature.
A faint shimmer rose around the watch.
Not bright, not loud—just a warping in the air, like heat rising off a highway.
"Aarav," Soren said quietly, "think of a moment from today. One that you can safely revisit."
Aarav thought of walking down the hostel corridor this morning, seeing the torn debate poster.
Soren nodded as if he sensed it.
"Good. Hold that. Focus on the poster."
The shimmer thickened.
Aarav's vision blurred for a split second—
Then cleared.
He was still in the room.
The watch had calmed.
The shimmer was gone.
Aarav blinked. "Did it… fail?"
Soren shook his head slowly.
"No. It didn't pull you because you stopped it."
"I stopped it?" Aarav repeated.
"Yes." Soren's voice held something new—something like respect. "Anchors respond to will. You stabilized the moment before it could open. That means it recognizes you."
Aarav stared at him. "So… the watch really chose me."
"It did," Soren confirmed. "Which means removing the imprint won't work anymore. You are its bearer now."
Aarav didn't know how to feel—relieved, excited, terrified.
Soren stood. "But this also means you need training before the Timekeepers sense your activation."
Aarav got up too. "How long do I have?"
Soren turned slowly toward the window.
His expression shifted—alert, tense.
"Not long," he whispered.
Aarav followed his gaze.
Outside, across the courtyard, between the shadows of the trees—
two figures in dark coats stood still.
Too still.
Watching their building.
Aarav's breath hitched.
"Who are they?"
Soren's jaw clenched.
"Timekeepers."
Aarav's heart dropped.
"You said they didn't know about me yet."
"They didn't," Soren said. "Which means someone else has told them."
"Someone else?" Aarav echoed. "Who would—"
Before he could finish, one of the distant figures lifted something—
not a weapon, not an object—
but an old clock hand, glowing faintly.
Soren pulled Aarav back from the window.
"They found you," he said. "And they think I'm hiding you."
Aarav's pulse hammered.
"What do we do?"
Soren looked him straight in the eyes.
"We run.