Cadvan put the book down after five chapters.
Somebody had written a book about him. A book that started just before he met Kimberly - except in this book he didn't. What was going on?
He stood and walked back into the bedroom, to see Nathan laying next to Kayla on the bed, holding her hand. She was still asleep.
"What is the meaning of this?" Cadvan asked. "I don't understand. How does anybody know that I went to the Cot? And who is this Maerad?"
"Maerad is the girl you should have met," Nathan replied, without looking up. "You come from -" he broke off and seemed to think for a moment, glancing up at Cadvan, before continuing, "the past. A very long time ago. And that book is what should have happened, except Maerad and Kimberly swapped places. Maerad is the One, by the way."
Cadvan stared at him wordlessly. Nathan's words, delivered in such a casual way, changed his whole existence. If the Foretold had been born, that meant it was time to overthrow the Nameless One.
Nathan kissed Kimberly's forehead and looked at Cadvan. "There's something you need to know about Kimberly. She has…problems…in her mind. A lot of the time you wouldn't even be able to tell but sometimes she just…" He clicked his fingers, "goes. Like her birthday, when she sat chanting your name. She makes these whole identities for herself, usually from books or films. She puts herself into the story; it's like her imagination is just working overtime."
Cadvan was reeling. He had never guessed it would be something like that; he had imagined a deception. He had even forced himself to examine the possibility of Dark forces, but this…
"I don't usually read her books. It's just too strange. But after she went missing and Maerad turned up, I remembered Kim saying something about it, so I read it. Did you scry her?"
"Aye. I did not want to, but I had to be sure. Why did I not see? Because she believes it so strongly?"
"I suppose it must be. She's been practising being Kayla for so long, dreaming about it, I suppose it's like part of her is Kayla." The two men sat in silence for several minutes, both quietly contemplating the young woman. "You did look after her, didn't you?"
"Aye. As best as I could…She is very beautiful."
Nathan smiled gently at Kimberly. "I love her so much. Despite everything she's been through, she's still so strong. When she was young, her stepfather set fire to the house while she was inside it. Ever since then she's had this weird thing about fire; she gets flashbacks when she sees it. But she's wonderful."
Cadvan didn't know what to say. He dearly wished to continue on their journey but it seemed that was impossible. If Kimberly had just been acting out a rehearsed part as Kayla she would surely not want to return with him.
Return…to the past? It seemed an incredible thing now that he pondered the concept. He came from the past, and Kimberly from the future. How could they ever overcome that distance? And Kimberly already had a life here; a house and a lover and no doubt countless other things that he could hardly guess at anchoring her to her life. With Nathan, not with him.
Cadvan felt a twinge that was like duty, and he thought he knew what he was going to do, but it was going to hurt more than he wanted to think about.
"Where is this Maerad?" he asked, his stomach contracting to show its dislike of the idea.
"I called her earlier. She's on her way here now."
"Now? The Foretold is coming here…now?" Cadvan's surprise was interrupted by Kimberly making a grunting, groaning noise.
--
"Nn..Nath?" I muttered, and I felt Nathan's grip on my hand tightening.
"I'm here, sweetheart. How do you feel?"
I couldn't help but grin. "I can feel. That's good enough for me!" I laughed with relief and Nathan kissed me.
"You're alright?" he checked, and I nodded.
"I'm good." Suddenly I remembered Cadvan and looked up to see him watching me with a pained expression on his face. I couldn't meet his eyes so instead I concentrated on answering the myriad questions Nathan was asking; did I want a drink, did I want something to eat, did anything hurt…
There was a ring at the doorbell. "That'll be Maerad," Nathan said. "I'll go and let her in."
He left Cadvan and me in an awkward silence. He kept watching me as I fiddled with the duvet.
To my great relief, it was not long until Nathan returned with Maerad behind him. She seemed to know where she was going, as though she had been here before. It flashed through my mind that maybe Nathan had been cheating on me, but the thought was gone before it had even fully formed. Nathan wouldn't do that, he just wouldn't.
Not like me.
I instinctively glanced at Cadvan with guilt in my eyes, to realise that he was watching Maerad enter the room. His face had softened as his eyes roamed over her face. I could only guess at his feelings; probably he felt shock at seeing the Foretold, surprised that she was just a young woman, and I was sure he thought her beautiful.
There was an instant's pause, before Cadvan stepped forwards to stand in front of Maerad.
"Greetings, Maerad. They tell me that you are the Foretold," he said as Nathan sat next to me again and held me.
"Yes," Maerad replied. She was blushing slightly, and I realised that she must have read the series and therefore know that the two of them became lovers in the books.
Cadvan took Maerad's hand in his own. "In that case I will help you in any way I can. It is about time the Nameless met his match."
"Thank you," she said quietly. "I think it will be easier than this Alison Croggon person writes. I already know the answers." She attempted a small smile, seeming almost paralysed by shyness.
Both Cadvan and Maerad stayed the night with us, and the next morning we opened the door of the shower to see Gilman's Cot. I hugged Cadvan goodbye and the others said goodbye to each other, and then they left.
A week later, I could hardly believe anything had ever happened.
--
I know it's short but that's how it is. The last chapter, the epilogue will be up very soon, I promise you.
Sorry the end is so lame but I don't know how else to do it.
