I stop walking and grab Ollie’s hand. He automatically laces his fingers through my own. It’s what we do, who we are. We’ve done it a million times. His face is so close to mine, I can see, and hear, him breathing. “If Levi helped,” Ollie says softly, “if he made you less sad…”

I nod, unable to answer. “Less sad” barely even covers it. What Levi and I were… What we might never be again… I feel sick with the unfairness of it. Losing my best friend to gain Levi. Then losing Levi to gain back that best friend.

“I’m sorry, Emma. I’ve been meaning to say that to you for months, I just never…” He takes in a breath. “It’s all my fault. All your suffering. I wish I could go back in time and prevent it. You don’t even know—”

“What’s your fault?” I interrupt. I don’t understand. Nothing that happened to us in the last year was his fault.

Ollie drops my hand, shoving his own into his jeans pockets. He looks out at Dark Lake, squinting, his forehead creased with concern, and probably something more than that. “I was the one who broke into the science building in our second year,” Ollie goes on. “I was the one who insisted on digging, and asking questions, and visiting Albert Seymour. I was the one who traveled to Castor Island. If I’d never done that—” He breaks off, his voice catching.

“It is not your fault,” I say, my own voice sounding hard and tasting metallic on my tongue. “The only person to blame for all of this is Gravelle.”

“My biological father.”

“Your biological father,” I repeat, because I know this fact means something to Oliver, and I shouldn’t dismiss it, even though he couldn’t be anything less like the man who gave him half of his DNA. “The father who used all of us as pawns.”

“It was a trap, and I walked right into it.” Ollie shrugs.

“We all did! Me, you, your parents, Maude and Theodora and Pippa, Ansel and Jago. He messed with all of our heads. Manipulated us long before you ever set foot on that island,” I point out. “Ollie?”

“Yeah?”

“I need you to know something,” I say, my voice trembling. I need to get this out. I have to get this out. “Whatever Levi and I were last year, it doesn’t, it couldn’t ever take away our friendship. It could never change you and me. I know that’s the cheesiest thing I’ve ever uttered, but I need you to know that. Okay?”

“Okay.” He shrugs and smiles, in that Ollie way of his, and I feel instant relief. The world didn’t end because Ollie saw that kiss. We’re okay. I think.