Axel and I are sitting across from each other, our legs almost touching, both of us tense.
"Chloe," he starts, his voice barely more than a whisper, "I need to tell you something important."
I furrow my brow, unsure of what to expect. In all our previous lives, we had never shared secrets or confided in each other. But now, as the seconds ticked by, it felt like the weight of centuries hung over us.
"Go ahead, Axel," I reply, my voice wavering.
He takes a deep breath and look straight into my eyes. "I'm stuck in this time loop too, Chloe. We're connected – we are almost like soulmates, if you will."
My mind races as I process his words. It makes sense, in a twisted way: the inexplicable bond that always draws us together, the attraction I feel toward him despite our step-sibling relat
