Deceptions (Cainsville 3)

"No, you do not."

"Yes, I--"

"You chose me, Matilda. You said it was me. Always me."

While I heard anger in his voice, all I saw in his eyes was worry and fear, bordering on panic.

Yes, it's you. It's always been you. It will always be you. But we need to speak to him. He must know. That's only right. He's important. To both of us. You cannot do this to him. We cannot.

I felt the words inside, waiting to be spoken, and he paused for them, like an actor patiently waiting for his cue. In the other vision, it had felt as if I was a spectator, watching from inside the body of another, unable to control her words or deeds. This time, I felt the words, but they simply swirled there, awaiting release.

"Who are you?" I asked instead.

A flicker of confusion. "Who am I?"

"Yes. Who are you?"

His lips lifted in a slow smile. "Making a point, l'annwylyd? All right, then. I'll play along. I am Gwynn ap Nudd."

The breeze chilled, sun slipping behind a cloud, and I remembered the little girl, reaching for Gabriel's hand, and how he'd seemed to sense it and had pulled back with a scowl.

What have they done to yo

u, Gwynn ap Nudd?

I shivered. The man's hand gripped my elbow, his touch as warm and welcome as the sun in winter.

"Matilda?"

I looked at him, and I remembered the little girl again.

Not reincarnated. Reimagined. Not reborn, but born anew. As he is not Gwynn ap Nudd nor the other Arawn. You are and you are not. You are born to play the roles again.

"I don't understand," I said.

The man sighed, his arms going around me. "I know. You're angry with me for not wanting to tell Arawn. But it is only because I don't want to distract him from his duties. We'll tell him soon and he'll be happy for us, and he'll dance at our wedding."

His hands went to the back of my head again, pulling me into a kiss, but I broke free.

"No," I said. "I won't do this. I promised."

His face clouded. "Arawn? You promised--?"

I stepped back, squeezing my eyes shut. "No, I promised I wouldn't try to find answers. Not tonight." I took a deep breath. "Gabriel?"

A hand closed on my elbow, and even before I opened my eyes, I knew it still wasn't him.

"Matilda?"

I looked up at Gwynn and tried to see Gabriel instead, but I couldn't.

Not reborn. Not reincarnated.

And I was glad of it. One less thing for my overloaded brain to deal with, one less complication--

"Matilda?" He tilted his head, and when he did, something in the angle of his jaw . . .

"No!" I snarled the word and squeezed my eyes shut. "Gab-ri-el!"