to get my brother out of there,” Kalagan demanded. “We’ve never been apart this long before. I… I don’t know what to do without him.”
“What do you need us for? You’ll figure it out,” said Mr. Vernon. “You’re a crafty man, Kincaid.”
“No, you’ll figure it out,” Kalagan said, his voice growing louder. “You always figure out everything. All of you. You’ll use your magic skills to distract the officers. You’ll sneak the key down the hallway to the cell. You’ll—”
Carter stomped his foot, his cheeks flushing red. “If you think we’re going to help you and your lunatic twin…”
Kalagan whipped his head around and growled at Carter. “If you don’t help me out, I will never stop coming for you.”
When he paused, Ridley saw something in his gaze that she thought she might be able to use. But did she dare? Was she going to try to manipulate a master manipulator? And did that make her just as bad as him?
“You weren’t there,” she said quickly. “Were you?”
He raised an eyebrow. “What are you talking about?”
“Onstage. In the auditorium. That was Kilroy.”
“So what?”
“They were his plans. Not yours. You never would have gone as far as he tried to.”
Kalagan opened his mouth to retort, but nothing came out.
“You don’t want to hurt us,” Ridley said. “You never did. I can see it in your eyes. That was Kilroy.” She looked to the others. They nodded.
Leila chimed in. “You loved your brother so much that you went along with what he said. Isn’t that right?”
Kalagan’s silence spoke volumes.
“You can still be together,” Ridley said slowly.
“But you won’t help me.” Kalagan’s voice sounded childlike and elderly at the same time.
“I will help you,” said Ridley.
“We all will,” Theo offered.
“We can head down to the station together,” Ridley went on. “But instead of breaking Kilroy out, you’ll turn yourself in.”
“What? No!” Kalagan scoffed.
“Yes,” said Ridley. “I can’t even imagine how difficult your life has been. Living this lie. This trick.”
“Always having to be separate from Kilroy,” said Olly. “Never being seen together.”
“You told us your secret, Kincaid,” Theo added. “You broke the spell. It is over.”
Carter sniffed and then wiped at his nose. “You don’t need to lie anymore.”
“You can be with your best friend,” said Izzy, grabbing Olly’s hand. “Your brother.”
“People change,” said Leila, glancing at her fathers. “My dad changed when he sent you that apology letter when you were kids.”
“Kilroy ripped it up,” Kalagan replied. “I was the one who kept the pieces.”
“And you’re changing now,” Ridley went on. “Transforming. Right before our eyes.” Everyone was quiet for a moment. Kalagan stared at the floor. Was it possible that he was really listening? Taking it in? “Someone,” Ridley said, looking at Ms. Parkly, “once told the Magic Misfits that together we are strong.” The teacher nodded, her strawberry-blond bob bouncing. “You and your brother were taught that strength comes from power.”
“From control,” said Theo.
“And manipulation,” said Carter.
“From the things you could steal,” said Izzy.
“From what you thought you owned,” Olly added.
“Those things aren’t real,” said Leila. “They’re illusions.”
“I believe that what makes all of us strong is family. Togetherness.” Ridley looked at the group. The Other Mr. Vernon was still holding up his husband. Leila and Carter stood side by side. Theo rested his hand on Ridley’s shoulder. Olly and Izzy clasped hands. Ridley thought of her mother typing diligently at home and of her father working on the road. She imagined a time when they could all be together again.
“Honesty is strength,” said Ms. Parkly.
“And forgiveness,” said Sandra.
“They’re right,” Mr. Vernon told his old nemesis. “These are the things that make us stronger. Stronger on the inside.”
(Which, if I do say so myself, is the strongest type of strength that exists.)
The rest of the guardians stepped toward Kalagan, forming a circle around him. Ridley slowly reached into the panel in her chair that usually held pencil and paper, but now held Leila’s thumb-cuffs, which she’d forgotten at Ridley’s house a few days ago. “I’m sure you have all sorts of tricks up your sleeve to fight us now,” she said. “And knowing you, you’ll probably get in a few good jabs before we take you down again.”
“But that is not what you are here for, is it?” asked Theo.
“You didn’t really come to fight,” said Leila.
“The fight is over,” Carter finished.
Ridley gestured to each person standing beside her in that grand and crumbling foyer. “These are my friends. My family. They have helped me so much over the past