This is my interpretation of how I think the last book in the Pellinor Series by Alison Croggon might end. The characters are as named in the copy right so no infringement intended. It starts two weeks after Maerad and Cadvan are reunited in Pellinor. Please leave comments so I can improve the story. Thanks.

Chapter 1

The silence was absolute. Maerad could only hear her stumbling footsteps no the burnt, dusty road. Where was she going? She had no idea other than to find where the road was leading her.

Despite her wariness she could not stop walking, something in the back of her mind nagged her to keep going. The fog that covered the landscape was beginning to clear and soon she would know exactly where she was.

The remains of abandoned carts and long cold fires littered the sides of the road. 'The people that left these must have been in a hurry' thought Maerad. The further she walked the more cluttered the road sides became until the fog had cleared enough for her to understand why they had been abandoned.

The ruins of the villages rose to the ground, the gardens once blooming and cool in the hot waste land, trampled on by hundreds of heavy leather boots and the remains of a child's swing swaying backwards and forwards as if waiting for its owner to come home.

Then, out of distance loomed a vast mountain of stone which could once have been the walls of a great city, now in ruins. The great spires collapsed and the gardens of mango trees buried deep within the rubble.

The hairs on the back of Maerad's neck began to tingle. Maybe she wasn't the only one after all, maybe someone survived the sacking of the city? She turned round just in time to the face of Enkir before the world turned as dark as midnight.

Maerad sat up, a cold sweat clung to her body and her limbs shook as she called out into the night. The was a scramble around in the darkness and then a mage light illuminated the clearing giving Maerad the opportunity to see her companion, dressed black riding trousers and a black shirt which was unbuttoned just enough to show his strong muscular chest.

'What's wrong Maerad? Did you hear something?' Cadvan, her mentor and closest friend questioned as he cast out his hearing, listening for threats in the darkness.

'No, I…I just had a bad dream, that's all.' Answered Maerad looking down at her hands, embarrassed at waking Cadvan.

'Do you want to talk about it? Was it a fore-dream like your others?'

'I don't know, I was walking along this road and a great city loomed out of the fog, but its walls were collapsed and destroyed. There was no-one left there. Then I turned round and Enkir was stood behind me.' Saying this, Maerad gave a slight uncontrollable shudder, just thinking about it made her feel uncomfortable.

Cadvan gazed at Maerad; a glint of compassion fluttered across his eyes but was quickly suppressed and replaced with a look of uncertainty.

'It may be a fore-dream but I know not where it could be. To my knowledge, no cities have yet been sacked by the Dark, although I heard news from the South that Turbansk was threatened by the army of Dén Raven and that Baladh had already fallen.'

Maerad let out an involuntary gasp as she remembered her last night in Norlock, saying goodbye to her brother Hem and friend Saliman who were departing to Turbansk to avoid the wrath of Enkir.

'I am sure they are safe Maerad,' Cadvan quickly added, seeing the look on Maerad's face, 'something in my Knowing tells me that they are. We shall see them soon. Now, do you think you will be able to sleep again? We have to travel many leagues tomorrow and we have very little time in which to do it.'

'I shall try,' Maerad answered with a sigh. Was there ever going to be a day when she didn't have to wake up and walk all day and not have to sleep on the cold hard floor for weeks on end?

More than anything she longed for a long relaxing bath and to sleep on the soft mattress in Silvia's apartment in Innail. 'No! I can't put anyone else at risk; nearly losing Cadvan in the Gwalhain Pass taught me that.'

'Thank-you Cadvan, for listening and never giving up even when I do,' whispered Maerad, partially hoping that he didn't hear her. 'Goodnight.'

'Goodnight Maerad; let the nightmares plague you no more.'

With that, the mage light faded out and both companions settled down into sleep.

The next morning they broke camp and continued on their journey south. Although heading towards Milhol, the pair had decided it safest to stay within the shadows of the Osidh Mountains whose tall peaks Maerad has once longed to climb to escape the tyranny of Giliman's Cot.

'How much life has changed in six months?' Maerad thought to herself, 'Back then I was a nobody; a slave with no chance of a future. Then Cadvan rescued me and taught me about the Light and about Barding. I just wish I wasn't the Chosen One; I just want to learn and live peacefully. Like Dernhill…NO! Dernhill is dead, he died because of me. It's my fault; he died protecting me, just like it was my fault that Cadvan nearly died in the Pass.

Maerad's eyes flickered up to her teachers back. 'He looks so much like a Hull from behind, dress in black. I shall have to ask him to wear something different.' It wasn't the first time this thought had occurred to her, once in Norlock she had accused Cadvan of being a Hull.

Then, unexpectedly he had opened his mind to her and had allowed her to scry his memories. Although Maerad had seen very little, her respect for him deepened and she wondered how she could ever not have trusted him.

'Any particular reason you are staring at me?' Cadvan asked, turning in his saddle and flashing Maerad one of his amazing smiles. Maerad smiled back and muttered something about day dreaming.

'You know, thinking about it, I am sure Darsor would be able to carry both of us. I can't believe I didn't think of it before. It would make the journey so much faster and I still think you're too thin so I doubt he'd notice anyway.' Cadvan said, more to himself than to Maerad.

He then went on to ask Darsor in the speech and a few moments later, Maerad was perched behind Cadvan, her arms linked round his waist to stop her falling off. If Maerad could have seen Cadvan's face at that moment, she would have seen a new expression; one of mixed compassion and a deep sadness, not for her but for himself.

Hope you enjoyed the first chapter. If you want to read more then leave some comments or leave me a message.