The South American heat is slowly catching up to her, sweat dripping down her back. She's grateful that she's only ruining Kitty Hawk's clothes, less so that she probably stinks... so much.

Everytime she crosses her father's eyes, her fingers reach for the ring around her thumb, only to find it bare. It's in her pocket, in a short that's discarded on the floor of the Palace. At least, she hopes so. That's where her mom took her clothes after Kitty Hawk got rid of them, right? If she lost JJ's ring, she's going to be mortified. But as of right now, it's just one more reason to go home.

The boat ride isn't as long as she feared it to be. Stuck in a confined space with Ward, Edward, Sarah, Big John and John B? A terrifying thought. Maybe everyone shared it, considering they remained silent for most of it.

Jose stops the boat on a little dock, in the middle of a village. Kathryn climbs out, resisting the urge to shove her dad back in the water as she does. Sarah and her share a long, meaningful look.

Hell is being the oldest daughter, they both decide.

"Well, welcome to El Tesoro, Bird," Big John says behind them, to his son, who he has yet to traumatise heavily like the other fathers. "We'll hole up here for the night. Move out at first light."

Kathryn hangs back to join him and John B, craving a sense of normalcy. "That's if no one is killed in their sleep. Which would be a total accident, by the way..."

Her best friend hums. "Sounds good."

His father rolls his eyes, trying to bring his spirits up, or to steer him back towards the right destination. Which is a huge mountain in the distance. Which is nowhere near his own personal issues, or his sister's personal issues.

"Somewhere up there is the dig site and El Dorado. With Kat and this gnomon, I think we got a shot, you and me."

His son doesn't seem all that entranced at the idea. Or at the choice of words, really. In fact, he frowns. "Kat's not a Mystery Mouseketool. And Sarah's here too, dad."

Kathryn didn't even clock it. She just nodded along. Of course they need her, she can read Kalinago. The fact that Big John didn't include her in his little spiel didn't even sound wrong to her.

Maybe this was why Edward's manipulation had been so easy.

The older man shakes his head. "Sarah ain't done the deep dive like we have."

"Uh, actually, if it wasn't for Sarah, we would still be with Singh," Kathryn reminds him, not particularly fond of him dismissing the girl. "Last I checked, she's the one who fired those fireworks at the house?"

"But I don't trust anyone with the last name of Cameron. Or Darcy, for that matter." She arches a brow. Oh? Interesting. "You only get a pass because you're my son's sister, Kat, but your dad and Ward are cut from the same cloth. And I'm afraid Edward's piece was used to create you."

"Dad, what the hell?"

She opens, then closes her mouth. She hates this analogy, like she owes her dad for existing in the first place. Most importantly, though; "But Lana Grubbs said my dad wanted to give you the entirety of the Merchant's gold? Sounds to me like you should owe him, really. I know, I'd hate the idea too."

Big John makes a face at her. "You still believe that, kid?

She scoffs. If she's sure her mother did try to protect her in her own way, she also protected herself. Build Edward the reputation of a god, and no one will dare to question her about anything she ever does. That came with its own share of lies, but it had been so effective, who would have believed anyone who said anything different?

Kathryn wouldn't have, if she hadn't stood in the proof of it, when JJ told her he needed to break up.

"You think him and Ward just showed up on their own?" Big John goes on. He pats John B's shoulder. "Just you and me. And Kat, the Mystery Mouseketool."

That doesn't seem to cheer his mood, the teenager looking more than dejected, as his father leaves. She hangs back with her best friend, rocking back and forth on her heels. That was weird.

"Um..." Kathryn hesitates. "Your dad is a bit too much into the whole thing."

"Yeah, you tell me," he scoffs. "He's been that way since we came back."

She hums. "Well at least he's focused."

She's not sure it's the compliment she wants it to be, not with the Routledges. Last she heard about Big John, before he came back from the dead, was that he had gotten so obsessed with the gold hunt he dismissed his son entirely. So even if he is back and they have been spending time together... the whole thing feels a little... calculated.

Of course, she is one to talk. Her own father set her on that goose chase to El Dorado, so. Maybe she shouldn't be giving anyone advice on anything ever again.

John B straightens up. "Darcy's coming over here." She groans. "You want me to kill him for you?"

"No, if anyone kills him, it's gonna be me," she answers flatly, turning towards her dad. "You jumped on our boat as we were leaving and I was courteous enough as to not throw you in the fucking water, what makes you think I want to talk to you now?"

Edward splutters. John B whistles. "I'll, uh... I'll just be over there... not listening in... not enjoying any of this."

He walks away, backwards, not making any effort to pretend he's not staring at the scene. Kathryn can't even help her amused smirk. They both know whatever Edward says, it won't be well-received.

Her father opens his mouth. She beats him to it again. "Is this the part where you reveal more stuff to me? Like how I always believed you were killed or went missing because you wanted to help Big John when that's actually not true? Is there more lies to this whole thing, because I'm losing my damn mind over here."

Edward falters. Clearly, this takes him aback just as much as it did her. "I'm not sure I should be held accountable for the lies your mom told you. Clearly, she benefited from the fact that I helped around the Cut because Hen asked me to. She just wanted to further that idea to win you and the island over, and it worked."

She grounds her teeth, thorns prickling at her chest. "Yeah, that's on me, sure. Look, if you're here to tell me you just came along to protect me, save your breath. I know damn well the only reason you followed me is El Dorado."

He winces. It seems that at every turn, he expected this to be easy, and she kept disappointing him. Poor guy. "I learned my mistake, Kat, I promise you. I'm here for you."

"Okay, I don't want you here, now leave."

"Kat..."

"No, no, because how do you even think I'm going to believe you?" she spits out, crossing her arms on her chest. "We've been having the same conversation for hours now. You tell me you feel bad, that you're oh, so sad, and that you want to make it up to me, and I tell you to eat shit. Honestly, dad, you say you're here for me and not for the gold when you forced me into this bullshit in the first place. You didn't seem to care about me all that much then."

Kathryn had always been good with words, always knew where to hit. She'd say she's still good at it, considering the look of shame on her dad's face. These last few hours have just been him relentlessly trying to build his pedestal up from scraps. The scraps were sharp, and Kathryn willed him to bleed to death on them.

They're going around in circles, and she's tired, and she doesn't want to see his face. She wants to go home, to her boyfriend, to her uncles. She wants to tell Henry everything, to apologise for discarding him when her father still acted like a god, because she knew, now, that he had always been the father she wanted.

But no. No, instead, she was stuck in the same conversation with the usurper.

"I know you don't believe I've changed, but that's because I haven't," he tells her, and she arches a brow. Awful start. "I was always like this. I was always focused on finding the treasure, first and foremost. You blame me for a version of me that never existed, Kitten. But I've worked hard to get you where you are now. For you, not for me."

She scoffs. "Yeah, you just forgot to ask if I wanted any of it first. No, wait, you did know I wanted out, right? Because that's when you told JJ to break up with me." She tilts her head. "Are you going to tell me what you told him yet?"

He bites his lip. Somehow, this was what it always boiled down too. "I can't. If I do, you'll hate me. You're like me, Kat. I know you won't let it slide, not when I've hurt someone you love."

"Yeah, I'm like you," she says, the words burning her tongue. "So we both know I'll hate you anyway, just to be sure."

Kathryn walks away, not caring very much about where her dad is going, maybe to pally up with Ward, she doesn't give a fuck at this point. Instead, she grabs John B by the shirt, and leads him to the side of the docks, where Sarah is sitting, waiting for someone to come talk to her about her own dad, most likely.

The blonde stares at the pair for a good long while, a bit dumbfounded at their sudden appearance, the way John B was grinning proudly, and Kathryn was scowling in anger. Then again, they always looked like that.

"We should found a club," Kathryn declares, sitting down heavily next to her. "Because our dads are not at their peaks right now, I can tell you as much."

Sarah hums, smiling a little, happy for Kathryn's scorching humour. "Mine says he's just here to help. Yours?"

"Pretty much the same. He still won't tell me why he broke me and JJ up, because apparently I'll hate him even more, but I felt like that was just a given."

She doesn't seem as happy, suddenly. "He's the reason why JJ broke up with you?"

Her boyfriend sits next to her, nudging her. "'Course, Sarah, why do you think we hate the guy? Because he used Kat? C'mon."

She snorts. "Right, that's my bad..."

Kathryn rolls her eyes at them, even if it's technically true. Kathryn is angrier about what he did to JJ rather than what he did to her, so what? Her father had some sort of right to hurt her. Shedding a blood, that was a family issue. Hurting JJ, that was just a crime.

"I don't trust either of our dads," she says.

Sarah nods. John B looks uneasy. "Well, my dad doesn't necessarily trust either of you, so..."

The blonde, who had been trying very hard to please her boyfriend's dad, looks dejected. "Yeah, I gathered that much. I don't blame him. Not after what my dad did to him. But didn't Kat's dad help to–"

"Nope, another lie," Kathryn finishes before Sarah says anything. "And, you know what, I'll blame Big John, actually. Because we've done nothing wrong, our dads did, but we are not them and I won't let anyone convince me or you that we are."

She blinks at her, before smiling softly. "Thanks, Kat," she says, genuinely touched at the fact that Kathryn, who always found a way to blame herself about the littlest of things, didn't. And if she didn't, well, maybe Sarah didn't have to either. "I know we've been through a lot... all three of us, really. But we're still good, right?"

John B nods, smiling at her. "Yeah. We're good." He had forgiven Sarah a long time ago, really. Longer than his best friend, that was for certain.

Even Kathryn, who had a hard time with Sarah's cheating, who had a hard time letting go of anything, really, felt like torrential waters had run under that bridge. "Yeah we are."

They stand like this in silence, Kathryn, John B, and Sarah, sitting close, but not too close, with the South American heat.

Until Sarah nudges her with her knee. "Hey, Kat... What's the story behind El Dorado?"

She blinks at her. "You came all the way over here not knowing?"

"Don't be an ass, bug." John B shrugs. "Just give us the SparksNotes version."

Kathryn rolls her eyes, trying to hold back a sigh. Really, the couple is just trying to pass time. And indulge Kathryn, a little. Sarah's strife with her father was old. Kathryn's was fresh. She deserved to have a hint of distraction from it.

"So, there was that Guajiro king who found El Dorado as he was dying, right? He said that he wouldn't just give his gold over to his sons. That they needed to deserve it. To be worthy. So, those who sought the gold would be tested by the Jaguar God, which is represented on the idol. I guess... for five hundred years, no one was the right fit, if we follow the myth. But if we're good, and wise, and maybe the tiniest bit lucky, maybe we'll be the ones to be worthy of the treasure."

They stay in silence again, the words hanging over them. Could they? Could they actually be worthy? It all seemed a bit too far-fetched, a bit too mythical. This was just the story of an old man trying to make his sons be better, and failing miserably. Kathryn hates that stupid king. Somehow, she hates the children more, for failing. Even if the goal was unachievable. Even if a literal god had been against them. They should have fulfilled their father's vision of them, right?

She's heard that story before.

"You could put me to sleep like that," Sarah says.

John B forces a yawn. "Will you give me a good night kiss?"

"I hope you both die tomorrow."

🍓

The village is still enveloped in blueish light when the group gets ready to leave towards the mountains. Kathryn isn't the best trekker known to man, and doesn't particularly trust herself to climb up there and not break an ankle, but she figures the prospect of putting all this behind her is quite alluring.

That and El Dorado.

"That site's a whole day's walk," Big John tells them, putting the idol away. "We gotta get up there before moonrise. If we miss the solstice, then all this was for nothing."

"But no pressure, right?" Kathryn hums, fastening her backpack.

"Yeah, listen, girls, I'm telling you right now, if you fall behind, I ain't waiting."

Her eyes blow wide, as Sarah's narrows at the old man. Is he serious? Is he saying that because he doesn't trust them and is just waiting for something to push them away from the gold hunt?... Or is he really just saying this because they're girls? What is it with those dads, lately? They should just get rid of their generation altogether.

In any case, John B isn't a fan. "Dad. Stop!"

"I ain't! It's a matter of fact."

Sarah scoffs. Kathryn smiles. "I'd worry about your old knees more than ours, Big John."

He grumbles something about her always having snark, but John B is already walking up to them. "Sorry about the cranky old man."

Speaking of cranky old men, Ward walks up to them, Edward coming from the other side, cornering them in what is potentially going to be the most awkward conversation ever.

If Kathryn can get her lick in, she's here for it.

"I'm going to tell those sons of a bitches they ain't coming," Big John lets out.

Apparently, Ward beats him to it. "Hey, listen, fellas. I'm real sorry, but, uh... I'm not gonna be able to make it up that mountain, not on this leg. I'd be slowing you down, that's all. So I'm just gonna hang here."

If Kathryn is suspicious, she can't help the obvious joy that brings her. "Dunno what makes you think you were coming with us in the first place? But go on, I like how pathetic you sound."

He clenches his jaw. "Tell you what, I got a flare gun. If I see Singh come through here, I'll send up a flare, let you all know he's coming." Sarah nods once. "Least I can do."

She thanks him, which is a courtesy Kathryn won't allow her dad, as he walks up to her. Ward wants to stay here, that's fine with her. He's got to have an ulterior motive, though, she isn't that naîve. But she knows someone who would rather die than be left behind, and she can use that to her advantage. To make sure that at least, this wasn't part of his plan, and he will actually do as he's told.

"You're not coming either, my guy."

He blinks, anger floating over his face. This is his life's work. This is everything he's worked up to, and his daughter is just benching him? Well, that's his own fault. "Excuse me?"

Kathryn shrugs. Two birds, one stone. "You said you wanted to make it up to me? Stay here. Prove to me you don't care about the gold, and make sure that piece of crap doesn't warn anyone."

She figures two assholes gotta cancel themselves out. Or at least, she hopes so. Besides, it brings her great joy, seeing the conflict on her father's face. Maybe he is genuine about trying to make it up to her, not that she cares, not that it isn't too late.

What it is, though, is useful.

"You need me," he says. "You need my expertise on the matter–"

"Your expertise so far has been scarce, and I've completed it," she fires back. "I don't need him up there. I do need you to keep an eye on Ward." She smiles, acidic. "Or do you not want to make it up to me anymore?"

Getting Edward to choose between her and the gold is some sort of final test, really. One has always been more important than the other. That much, he had made clear. But he'd mentioned he wanted to change, and Kathryn did like to steer people in the right direction.

Besides, she wasn't leaving him a choice. If he even thought of denying her, she was grabbing the idol and knocking him out with it.

Her father seems to realise that, for once, he's not in charge. For once, she's the one choosing for him. And god, with that sour look on his face, seeing his life's work just out of reach, never to touch, and in fact missing it? Oh, it was glorious.

He rolls his jaw, unhappy. "Fine," he grits out. "Your way, Kat. Don't come crying when it gets too hard for you."

John B scoffs. She only snorts, walking away already. "Yeah, whatever helps you sleep at night, dad."

Kathryn was going to find El Dorado. Not because she was worthy, or some shit like that, but because she was going to prove her father wrong. She didn't care about any gods on her way, she'd succeed.

The only thing godly will be her spite.

Author's Note: We are finally free of Edward, this is the greatest day of my life.......

Also only five chapters left? I can't think about that too hard or I'll start crying!!!

And I still have some plot twists up my sleeve, not to worry