Time is something that is indeterminate; it makes the future unforeseeable. And what defies time is something that is called 'fate.'
Ephraim, all in his life, did not attach himself to many people. He liked to keep the numbers low. It eliminated the uncertainty of who was real and who wasn't. It's not like he's got trust issues. Ephraim didn't want to interact with too many people despite him being easy to get along with. Besides, Lucian is already considered to be worth 5 people due to his garish mouth.
