Inspiration Timeline

A year later – Bellaton Estate, Dene, Surrey

Tayan asked Nate to show him Lauryn’s pendant. Nate took it out of his pocket to reveal the shiny platinum surface.

“Life is change, and how we adjust will make or break us,” Tayan read out loud.

Nate took a breath in.

“Remain in break, if you wish, but you’re not a single drop of water. You are the ocean,” said Tayan.

Nate was struck silent.

***

Wade’s footsteps on the parterre broke the silence. “Nate, champ,” he said, “you want to see this.” Wade pressed play on his phone. It was a video of Keira Malone name-dropping Nate.

“The cycle repeats itself,” Nate sighed.

“She agreed to an NDA. We’re watching her words,” said Wade.

***

He returned to Bellaton one weekend in autumn and was horse riding alone, as he was prone to do lately. The horse stopped to graze, and Nate breathed in the countryside air.

A respite from his year-long sadness.

Another horse-rider approached from afar. Probably one of his aunts, or even Laine. He was waiting for Caliber to recover to move towards them. Except as the figure got closer, he recognised her. Keira!

There was nothing to say to justify herself!

Her horse reached his spot.

“Your mother told me you might be here,” she said.

“That’s not possible,” he said, shaking his head. Only yesterday, his mother was fuming over Keira’s indiscretions.

Her flushed cheeks perturbed Nate. It was awkward. Was she about to burst into tears?

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He remained silent, waiting for her apology.

“Nate, it’s me, Kenya,” she furrowed her brows.

“Of course!” Nate snorted.

“No, no, it’s really me,” she said, smiling whilst brushing a tear from her cheek.

“Keira, I have nothing to say to you,” he said, checking for paps in the bushes. He moved towards Caliber and was about to leave.

“Wait! Who is Keira?” she said, then shaking it off. She took hold of Caliber’s reins. “The strange thing about you and Finch,” she said.

“How do you know about-”

“- The strange thing about you and Finch is that it’s an anomaly,” she said, breathless “Had you been the same boy, I would have missed I moved timelines.”

His eyes widened as he processed her words. “Moved timelines?”

“Nate,” she said. “After my death –”

A thought crossed Nate’s mind. Syd!

“Are you joking? Did Syd put you up to this?” he said, turning his horse and galloping towards Bellaton.

“Wait!” she said.

Nate’s pulse raced as the thundering hooves of Keira’s horse neared them.

“Wait!” she cried.

How did she know about Finch?

“Wait! Wait! It’s really me, Kenya!” she rode fast next to him. “Stop! Listen to me!” she screamed, unable to catch her breath.

Nate stopped the horse. His finger was on the panic button. In seconds he could have had Ajay pick him up and Keira barred from Bell forever. But his mind was reeling. How far will she go with this?

“After my death, the Aurial Plenum descended!” she said. “They surrounded me with so much light I breathed again.”

Nate faced her.

“They thanked me for helping rebalance The Parallels.” She was breathless. “And requested I helped them find SkyRose.”

He had never mentioned SkyRose to anyone, not even his mother. Lifting his finger from the panic button, he froze, not daring to take a breath.

Their eyes connected.

“Milon took care of me in Bellatorn of course. I was safe. Also, Cairis stayed by my side. Just like Ethriel is your RayCrest, Cairis is mine,” she smiled. “Following my full recovery several months later, I ended things with Milon. I was desperate to find you, but the closed borders made it impossible. So, I took a server job in Scottishland.”

Nate’s eyes widened. He dismounted Caliber and reached for Kenya to dismount.

“I could never be his. It will always be you,” she said as he dismounted her. She welled up with tears of joy. “And I knew I crossed to Inspiration when I heard your name! I crossed the natural way! So, I rushed to Bellaton, and your mother allowed me access.”

Nate had to sit down on the grass, and Kenya sat next to him.

The enormity of what she was saying was sinking in.

“Astonishing,” said Nate, breathless. He reached out to hold Kenya’s hand, as if to confirm that she was real.

Nate gazed into her teary eyes, noticing her flushed skin fading her freckles, and the damp strands of hair clinging to her face. With a gentle touch, he raised his hand to brush away the tears cascading down her cheeks.

“Autumn,” said Kenya laughing, and glancing at the coloured hues of the surrounding trees. “Just turned to spring!” Her arms lifted in the air.

“It’s you,” he whispered, pulling her close. A rush of warmth flooded over him and everything faded.

Just then, Tayan coded a Markan.

The Aurial Plenum descended.

“We have four of the six,” Mireial smiled.

The End