“Um… I’m… f-fine,” he sniffs.
Alexander produces a pill bottle from within his pocket. “I found these…” He gives them to his son. “I thought you might… need them.”
Dash peers up at his father, appearing so young in this moment. “Thank you.”
He instantly pops two, his eager partner snatching the nearest bottle of water for him.
Kellan glares from Alexander to me. “We don’t have to do this now…”
“Okay, well, just know that the thing with Byron was an… isolated occurrence.” I swallow, peeking at Byron. “For both of your benefit. Not mine.”
Byron is gawking at me. “How on earth do you figure that was for me?”
“Michelangelo,” I hum pointedly, and realization dawns visibly. “AndyourOfficer Kemper,” I say to Dash, whose lashes flutter.
“Hang on, so exactly how much have you meddled in all of our relationships?” Ren chimes in.
“There’s no way for me to quantify that,” I grumble.
“Ballpark,” Lexington hisses.
“A lot,okay?” I breathe.
“Why?” Simon squints at me.
“Because it was fun,” I grunt. “Imagine a video game, or like a live-action movie playing out in front of your face that you can control, like one of thoseChoose Your Own Adventurebooks. It was entertaining as hell.”
“But these are our lives you’re playing with,” Trevel says, with a hand on Byron’s back. “It’s not a bloody game.”
“Yes, I realize that, but look at it this way… Without banding together to defeat a common enemy, would you all have teamed up? Squashed your beef, and become this team I’m seeing right now?” I look between Felix and Lemuel, and Byron and Trevel specifically. “The same way that I brought you all together, I brought youbacktogether. And everything I did, every test, every trial and tribulation, it brought you to right here, and right fucking now. Andright fucking nowlooks pretty awesome… Does it not?”
They’re all quiet for a few heavy seconds, and I can see them piecing it together. Searching for an instance of dispute, but coming up empty.
“For the times when things got out of hand… I apologize.” Turning to Lemuel, I gulp. “You have to know that I didn’t authorize Templeton’s actions.” My eyes fall to Felix. “I never would have signed off on something so egregious.”
“But you knew he was a sick fuck,” Lemuel barks. “You knew who he was—”
“As I’ve known who you all are.” I nod. “And the prisoners out there. None of you aregood… Some worse than others, but that’s true of humanity as a whole. I would have dealt with Dr. Templeton if you hadn’t, and Johansson and Hassan were pawns. You need them to play… But they’re disposable.”
I look around the group. “You here in this room are the ones whowin. The knights, the queens, the rooks…” I look from Joy, to Harley, to Jonathan. “The king. You’re fighters, survivors. Once enemies, but now… afamily. And so, I can’t feel too bad about what I’ve done. Some of it, but not all. Because out of the evil, you found good…” I peek at Angel. “As I have. There is light to be found in even the darkest places. Each of you is evidence of that.”
Turning to my former second in command, I hum, “Youare the real king of Alabaster Isle, Jonathan. You always have been.”
Reaching into my pocket, I pull out the skeleton key. His eyes round, all humor dissolving into shock and awe. It has me smirking as I place the key in his hand.
“The kingdom is yours now, Velle. Take care of her.”
“Holy fuck…” Joy gasps, and I chuckle.
“Oh my God, it’s like when Willy Wonka gives Charlie the chocolate factory!” Ren squeals.
“If this island is achocolatefactory to you, then I think we need to take you to, like, the M&M store, or Hershey’s or something,” Dascha murmurs.
Luthor and Felix laugh, crowding around him, hugging their friend, who seems to be feeling better already.
His gaze at me is still narrowed, bouncing to his father. I can tell he’s not quite sold on either of us, or the connection between us. But it’s fine. I don’t need any of them to love, or even like me. I just want them to understand how significant they are to the story of this island.
The history of Alabaster Isle is still being written, and it will continue on… thanks tothem.
