Descendants 3 (H.S. & C.S.)

Chapter 8

I know I'm supposed to be good and all, but one harmless little lie can't be that bad, right?
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Calum's starter castle sat on the edge of the green forest near the outskirts of town. To no one's surprise, it was design perfection. The trendsetting decor and Isle chic vibe had already been featured in Castle Home and Garden. Calum's gray stone house had a terracotta-colored shingle roof, white stonework archways, blue-lattice diamond-paned windows, and a large patio lined with fruit trees where his friends loved to gather.

Calum and Harry talked in hushed tones in Calum's dreamy workroom, a breathtaking all-glass chamber with floor-to-ceiling windows and a glass roof that allowed natural light to stream in from every angle.

The office had everything Calum needed to run his successful fashion design company. He stored bolts of colored fabric in a round brass caddy and kept countless spools of thread on a red wrought iron bookshelf wind hand-forged scrolling. Completed tops, skirts, and frocks, waiting to be tried on, hung on a rolling rack. A framed copy of his Calum's 4 Hearts logo hung on the wall.

Calum listened with alarm as Harry confided in his, detailing all he knew about the museum break-in.

Looking ever the professional in an asymmetrical polka-dot top and cropped wide-leg trousers, Calum found the news startling. "Who else knows about the scepter and the crown?" he asked.

"No one," Harry replied. "I mean, think about it. People are scared enough as it is. We have to employ these entirely new safety measures."

The news vexed Calum. He put his hand in his hand. His next question had been eating away at him since Harry had begun to tell the story. "Will this delay our bringing over more VKs?" A cloud of apprehension and concern fell over his face.

Harry avoided making eye contact. "We're talking about closing the barrier for good," he said with difficulty. He felt horrible about the words as soon as he said them. He knew Calum would be crushed.

Harry was right. Calum was appalled at the very suggestion. "But you said no." He glanced at Harry expectedly.

Harry hesitated. He'd watched Calum spend months working tirelessly on the VK Day project. Transferring kids from the Isle to Auradon meant everything to his bestie. He couldn't bear to break Calum's heart with the complicated truth. Instead, he stayed silent and lied by omission.

"I mean, the four of us are living the dream here and finally get to share it. What could be more important than that?" asked Calum.

"Yeah, I know," Harry said, raising his voice and doing his best to match Calum's outraged tone. He didn't want to appear culpable for the decision. "I mean, maybe security? Or maybe peace of mind for everyone in Auradon?" he offered tentatively. Harry hoped Calum might see things from the other perspective. But all he saw in Calum's eyes was frustration and hurt.

"Is that what they're thinking? H, are they seriously thinking that no one will ever go in or out of the Isle ever again? I mean, what, we never get to go back and see our parents?" Calum wasn't running home for father-son makeovers with Bradley anytime soon, but he liked knowing he had the option. The idea of never was just so . . . well, final. "And what about these kids? We promised them they would go back and visit whenever they wanted."

"Yeah, I know," said Harry. He looked into Calum's concerned eyes and nearly crumbled under the guilt.

Calum stood up and closed the distance between them. He put his arm around Harry and searched for the positive: an Isle-born villain kid would soon sit on the throne. VKs would have a champion on the inside. Decision about the Isle would be made by someone who'd lived on the Isle, who understood its complexities and emphasized with its residents. This was a good thing—a very good thing. "H, I am so glad that you're going to be king. You will be part of these conversations. You will stand up for the VKs. Thank you for telling me."

Calum hugged Harry, and his embrace was full of gratitude and love. "You'll be a great king," said Calum.

Harry nodded miserably and couldn't bear to look Calum in the eye.