"I am back!" Karla informed, making her way downtown to us. "I hope that you two got acquainted while I was gone."

My face flushed as I glanced at her. It is never a good sign when a person exclaims that he or she is back.

Because it is usually the enemy who says it.

Was Karla an enemy?

"Nigel, did Maxine tell you yet of how she and I met?"

Still staring at her, I gently pushed Maxine away from me and stood up. "Yes," I responded, clenching my hands into tight fists. "Maxine explained the whole story."

"And...?"

"And what?"

"Were you intrigued by the story?"

"Oh, yes. Very much." I stood in front of Maxine. I wanted to protect her. "I especially like the part when you admitted to Maxine that Oberious was your father."

Karla gasped. "What?"

"You told her that Oberious, the ruler of the Nerians, is your father. Is that true?"

"Well...I..."

"But you told me that you were an orphan. Was that a lie?"

"It is complicated..."

"What is complicated? That you lied to either me or Maxine? You probably lied to both of us!"

"I did not!"

"You obviously lied! You cannot be an orphan and have a parent raising you at the same time!"

"Nigel, please! It is really complicated! Let me explain!"

"You—" I started, but then stopped myself. I suddenly remembered something that Oberious said.
——————————————————————————
"Shade was never in your dreams. That was my daughter. She entered your dreams and pretended to be Shade, so you would think that the innocent guy was the guilty guy."
——————————————————————————
"You...you are the daughter. Which means...you framed Shade!"

"Huh?!" Karla's shadowy body shook.

"You are responsible for causing those nightmares!" I exclaimed angrily.

"I have no idea what you are talking about!" she said.

"Oberious told me that his daughter entered my dreams and looked like and acted like Shade! You are his daughter! You made the dreams happen!"

"Nigel, calm down. Please."

"It all makes sense now. You were not really going to help me get home. Crub, I bet that you were taking me to Oberious! Your father!"

"I would not do that!"

I frowned. "Do I look dumb? I was not born yesterday!" I looked at Maxine, and then back at her. "Be gone, shadow."

"Nigel, you do not understand..."

"I understand perfectly! You are the daughter, and you definitely do not want to help me or Maxine!"

"No! I—"

"Enough!" I was breathing heavily now. "I am not the hero, and that is that. Now go away."

Tears formed in Karla's eyes. Without saying another word, she ran off.

"There," I said. "Good riddance."

"Do you really think so?"

"Huh?" That voice did not sound like Maxine.

I spun around - and noticed another shadow standing by me.

"Hello," the shadow spoke. "I am Katherine, and I am the daughter of King Oberious."