The Gender End by Bella Forrest (the giving tree read aloud TXT) 📕

smiled. “When she found out the truth, when she learned what was really going on? She decided to do something, even if it meant going down as a traitor. That made her brave, and that made me respect her.”

“She never let us down,” I whispered. “Not once, not ever. I’m going to miss her guidance.”

“We all are,” replied Viggo. “But we’ll remember her like this. Not how they tell everyone else to remember her, but how she was. And we’ll tell our children the truth about her.”

I sniffled and smiled, his words like the first bit of sunshine poking through a mostly overcast day. I rested my head on his shoulder and slid my hand under his, lacing our fingers together.

“Oh God. Henrik,” Amber breathed, and instantly that moment of joy vanished, deflated under a heavy stone. “Do you think he knows?”

Before I could tell her about our conversation with him yesterday, the man’s own voice cut through the silence.

“He knows,” Henrik said gruffly, and I turned to see him leaning on the door, watching us—and my heart gave a leap to see Solomon standing solemnly behind him.

Henrik’s eyes were rimmed red, and he still looked exhausted. The two men moved into the room, and I once again threw my arms around Henrik. He accepted the hug stiffly, with a soft pat on my back.

“I’m okay, Violet.”

I let him go, but only because I needed to move on to Solomon, relieved to see him well. He was already hugging Amber, patting her gently atop her red curls. I thought about waiting patiently, then thought Screw it, and simply threw my arms around both of them.

I felt Solomon adjust his grip to include me as Amber and I squeezed him and each other, then eased back.

“I’m so glad you’re okay,” I told him. “I figured you would be, but…”

“I’m okay. Alyssa’s friends took care of us. We didn’t meet with much resistance—I assume you all drew them off…” He trailed off, then looked away, swallowing hard. “I… I regret even going with her. Maybe if I had been with you, we could’ve…”

“Don’t,” I said sharply, shaking my head. “We have no idea how you being with us would’ve changed things, and it’s pointless to dwell on it. What happened,” my voice caught, my mouth suddenly dry, “happened.”

Solomon’s expression did not lighten, but he nodded sadly. “I know. I was just supposed to do something useful.”

“You did,” Amber replied. “You were a part of getting Alyssa to help us. You kept her safe. That was important.”

He hesitated, and then sighed. “Yeah. I guess you’re right. Is it all right if I join you?”

Amber and I both nodded, and Solomon dragged an empty chair over to the now-crowded little table, Henrik following suit. He moved slowly, almost plodding, still favoring his injured side.

My fear and anguish for him must have shown on my face, because he picked up a fork and said, “Violet, you don’t have to worry about me. I know the score. I made my peace with it.”

“Just like that?” I asked, unable to stop myself, and he speared me with an angry look.

“No, not just like that,” he said bitterly. “But I’m an old man, Violet. And I’m tired. There’s been so much hatred, so much death… I just don’t have room for any more. Losing Melissa broke my heart. Is breaking my heart. Yet in spite of that, I can’t go on feeling angry for something she wouldn’t care about anyway. I don’t have the time left to waste on it, and I suggest you don’t waste any time on it either.”

“I’m sorry, Henrik,” I replied, contrite. “I didn’t mean it like that. I just… I wanted to know if there’s a trick to it.”

Henrik sighed and reached over to touch my hand.

“No, I’m sorry, Violet. I’m still a bit… raw.” He withdrew his hand to run it over his face, tugging on the edges of his beard. Leaning back in his chair, he looked at us. “I also wanted to let you all know that I’m staying here. I asked, and Morgan is allowing me to take over training in Ms. Dale’s old studio.”

“But why?” I asked, shocked by his revelation.

Henrik gave me a kind smile. “I’ve been told it hasn’t been changed, and I don’t want to change it. I want to spend the rest of my life doing what she did before all of this, if only so I can feel closer to her. They’re even letting me take over her apartment. Her things were boxed up after her defection, but Morgan is letting me have them. I know it sounds strange, especially since I’ve been working so hard to change Patrus in the past few days, but… I’m so tired of it all, and it’s time for me to let you kids take the reins for a bit. This is how I want to spend my remaining time on earth.”

My heart twisted, and I offered him a shaky smile. “I understand, but… we’ll miss you, Henrik.”

“I’m not going either,” Owen blurted, and I looked at him, my eyes going wide. He fidgeted, looking down, and, even in the midst of all this sadness and worry, I wondered if I could see a bit of pink tingeing his cheeks.

“I’m sorry, but I need to make a fresh start. I really feel like I could do some good over here—maybe even start training to be a Matrian diplomat and change some of the antiquated laws regarding males. Besides, Morgan hasn’t been here for a while. I figure she could use a friendly face. And with Thomas…”

He trailed off, and we all fell silent, and I felt a pang of guilt. I’d been so wrapped up in the injustice of what happened with Ms. Dale that I had… Well, it wasn’t that I had forgotten him, but I had prioritized her, and I was fairly certain that made me an awful person.

“Owen—God, I’m sorry,” I said, and he