Fables & Other Lies

“Let go,” his father said, trying to pull his hand away from his. “You need to let go.”

“I can’t.” River felt his chest squeeze as he looked at his father, who seemed to be aging right before his eyes.

“You need to let go now, River. You can’t save us all.”

“I can’t save anyone.” He blinked hard against the gusts, trying to keep his eyes on his father’s.

“You can save yourself.”

“If I save myself she dies. You know how this works.”

My father nodded slowly, eyes turned sad. It was why he sent Sarah away knowing she’d survive, even though he wouldn’t. It was why he was so absolute in his decision. Staying, dying, giving into the inevitable, was the only way to save the woman he loved. And so, River didn’t let go of his father’s hand, even as they reached the Tree of Life. Even as they sat beneath it and looked out into emptiness. He heard the ocean waves nearing, but they weren’t calm and docile as they always were this time of year. They were charging, ready for war, ready to cause destruction. Wilfred lay his head on his son’s shoulder and closed his eyes, letting out a soft sigh. River set his head on top of his father’s and gripped a chunk of soil beneath him, touching the leaves that had fallen from the tree, and he shut his eyes as he watched the Manor collapse and awaited doom. He could swear he heard the Devil’s laugh even now.

Chapter Thirty-One

Penelope

“Did you hear?” Dee asked. She sounded out of breath as I answered the phone.

“Hear what?” I looked at the time. I felt like I’d slept three days, but in reality, it had been . . . “Holy shit. I think I slept twenty-four hours straight.”

“Never mind that. Dolos is gone.”

I shot straight up in bed. “What?”

“It’s gone. The fog is gone. The island is . . . gone.”

My heart leaped out of my chest. “No, no, no, no, no. I have to call you back.” I hung up and ran into the bathroom.

When I was finished getting dressed, I ran out of my bedroom and into the kitchen. Wela was there, distributing leaves and setting them in different metal containers.

“Your mother is awake.” She looked up at me with a smile.

“Dolos Island is gone.” I felt like I was out of breath.

“I heard.”

“How? Why?”

“I . . . ” She stopped what she was doing and turned to me. “I don’t know. Does it matter? The darkness has been lifted once and for all.”

I stared at her for a long moment, then shook my head and ran out the door, climbing on my Vespa and revving it as hard as I could. I got as far as Dolly’s bar before I had to stop driving because there were too many people on the street to dodge. News cameras, reporters, tourists, locals, people everywhere. Everyone was talking about Dolos Island and what could have possibly happened. I ran to Dolly’s, heading straight to her behind the bar.

“Where’s River?”

“How would I know?” She took a step back and eyed me up and down.

“Has he called? Did he say anything about his apartment? Did he—”

She put a hand up to shut me up and reached behind her for an envelope. She handed it to me and watched as I ripped it open. There was a key inside it. I glanced up at her.

“What’s this?”

“From River,” she said, smiling. For a split second, I felt joy, but then she added, “He said he wanted you to keep it.”

I swallowed, unable to fight the tears that welled up in my eyes. I blinked rapidly and walked past her, toward the stairs in the back, stomping up until I reached the third floor and then the apartment. I unlocked and opened it, shutting and locking it behind me. It was empty, and it was then that I began to cry. The furniture was still there, but there was no sound, no movement, and . . . I ran to the bedroom . . . it was empty. Why would he leave me his apartment? Why would he leave me? I paced it. I went up to the window and looked out over the sea of people. The ocean was back, the waves had come well into the iron gates, flooding the buildings that stood near it. Even the Devil’s Chair seemed to be gone. My heart squeezed even more so. There was no Manor, no Dolos Island beyond the gates. Only water. It was an impossibility. I cried harder as the word came to mind, and then, I climbed in bed and closed my eyes to hang onto the smell of him as I wept.

Movement woke me up. I gasped when I saw him. Threw my arms around him when he neared. Buried my face in his neck and inhaled him, squeezing harder.