The Obsidian Key ✔️

CHAPTER THIRY-ONE

"This woman has lost her mind..." Li shook her head at me in what might have been shame.

surely everyone was glad to be off the island just as quick too, and it wasn't long before we were in the rowboats heading back to the ship. And in that ship I was reunited with Markey, Bear, and Darnel, and I hugged all three of them out of love and happiness.

Everything was over now...

Everything was going to be fine...

I will be starting a new future in the past...

And I couldn't wait for it.

Days later in the middle of the voyage back to England I was walking up to the deck after sending Markey to sleep. The sun was setting and I wanted to see it set over the horizon, I loved the beautiful sight, how many colors the sun could display. There were few guards on board now and Amul was steering the ship, heading back to England so that we could live there. To leave the past behind me. To be... happy...

As I stared into the ocean, however, in my hand in a tight fist was the key. Numera's key. The one I kept with me always since the past couple of days until I had the courage to throw it into the water.

I guess today was the day.

"What are yer doin', lass?" Caspian stepped suddenly to my side, but seeing the key he paused, grumbling. "I am starting to get tired of seeing that thing. Why do yer still have it?"

"I made a promise to throw it into the water," I whispered quietly to him. "It's Freya's sister... Numera. She wants to use the key for good."

"That key? For good?"

"I think she'll actually make it," I smiled at the object in my hand. "All I have to do is throw it in the water... and I never have to see it again."

"Yer will remain in this world?" With a grin, Caspian smoothed himself behind me, his arms snaking around me easily.

"For the rest of my life," I assured. "I chose to stay here... I told you I would always choose you. Only you. Always you."

"That is always nice for a man to hear from his woman," he chuckled tenderly. "How is lil' Mark doin'?"

"I just sent him to bed so please don't wake him up," I turned to look at him. "Or you're dealin' with him."

Caspian suddenly burst to laughter, confusing me. "What the hell is your problem?"

"Did yer just speaking this worldly, lass?" His laughter continued. "Because I am sure yer just said 'dealin'' on yer own."

"Oh gosh," my eyes widened. "I didn't!"

"Oh, yes yer did," He kissed me softly. "It seems this world has rubbed off on yer more than yer care to admit. Which is not a bad thing, I liked it," he stole another kiss. "Now throw the damn key into the water so I can take yer down to our room. Yer owe me weeks of lovin'."

I rolled my eyes at him, looking down at the key again. Goodbye, Numera... I held the key behind my head with a large effort, I catapulted the key through the air, hitting the water away from the ship.

And where –when– it would go, I will never know.

Caspian grabbed my chin and made me look at him with a chuckle, "Now it is all over lass. Now we're gonna go down to that lil' room and I'm goin' to show yer all I've been thinkin' about when yer laid by my bed when yer were sick."

I rolled my eyes at him, "Whatever, crazy man."

I went to head for the hatch to the lower deck until I saw six men standing at the stairway of the ship, all drinking, all chatting. When I blink, the men changed, they changed into six people I once knew in the past. There was Mark, who looked at me with a grin on her face as she wore her old pirating outfit with her bandana in her hair. Beside her was Bonny, who also looking at me with a smile.