Chapter 15 - Alaric
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
ALARIC
The noni juice worked wonders. Instead of leaving her, I kept watch on the porch.
Why haven’t my men found the twins? I wondered. And where were they? If they were going to hunt Malia, shouldn’t they be here by now?
I fell asleep on the porch, dagger in hand.
The following morning, Malia was up before me, humming as she tended the house and made breakfast. I got up and went for a run on the beach. I needed to get my body moving, both to heal my body and, hopefully, my spirit.
I was torn.
Malia.
Or whaling.
It seemed like the answer should be simple.
But a battle raged within.
Instead of heading straight back to the house, I veered into the woods to scout for trees worth chopping.
And then—
Flowers.
She deserved them. I don’t know what possessed me, especially when everything between us still felt impossible.
But I wanted to do something kind.
Malia was changing.
Each time she was seen, appreciated, it was like her whole world brightened. Her shoulders eased. Her eyes sparkled like starlight.
She looked like a queen.
I wished I could make her feel that way every day.
I picked a bundle of orange tropical flowers. Didn’t know their name, but they reminded me of her.
Bright. Beautiful. A little wild.
After gathering the bouquet and marking a few good trees to cut later, I headed back. Her cottage needed serious repairs.
And maybe… if I showed her I cared—really cared—she might consider coming with me.
Or maybe not.
If she didn’t, I still wanted her home to stand strong while I was gone.
Because I’d come back for her.
It was foolish to think that way. If she didn’t want me now, who’s to say she ever would?
Still… I had to try.
I wasn’t used to losing. To waiting. To not being in control.
But for her, I could learn.
I was halfway down the trail we’d walked so many times when my foot caught—
Snap!
I was suddenly dangling upside down.
A curse slipped out, something I’d stopped doing around Malia, but it tore loose anyway.
Grunting, I reached for the borrowed dagger in my boot and sawed at the rope.
It cut easily—too easily. The dagger had truly never been used.
I hit the ground with a thud.
“Oh no!” The voice came from the bushes and I immediately recognized two lanky teenagers hiding. Their voices meshed into chaos.
“We caught the wrong person–”
“He’s getting out!”
“We gotta get out of here–”
“Stay where you are!” I exclaimed. “Both of you, or I will follow you this time and you will be sorry.”
The teenagers froze.
“We thought you left her already,” said Lilo, her face pale.
“Who are you both really?” I asked.
Niko folded his arms, trying to look brave, but his eyes showed his fear of me otherwise. They knew that, against me, they didn’t stand a chance. Especially after what happened last time… “Why would we tell you?” he asked.
“Because if you don’t, there will be consequences.” I took a step forward and they both visibly flinched.
“We work for Queen Sereth,” Lilo admitted. “We’re witch hunters. We bring any witches–or those committing witchcraft–to her.”
“Why did she send you here, to Corallure?” I asked, knowing full well it was my duty to bring them here.
“She wanted us to search the land and make sure Malia didn’t come hiding here after all these years.”
I frowned. “So Sereth sent you to kill her?”
Lilo hesitated and Niko glared at her, as if annoyed that she’d shared too much. That was an answer in itself.
“Why does Sereth want Malia dead?”
“It’s Queen Sereth,” Niko muttered, then spoke up. “Why don’t you ask the witch yourself?”
“She’s innocent.”
Lilo and Niko smiled at each other, and a knot began to form in my stomach. They knew something I didn’t. But did I want to know?
Yes. It would make it easier to part ways with Malia. The more ugly and unwanted things we found out about each other, the more we would see that a future together was not only impossible, but impractical.
“What did Malia do?” I asked.
“She made the poisoned apple,” Lilo said.
I frowned. The poisoned apple? The poisoned apple that nearly skilled Sereth?
Rumors said that the stepmother was a witch, which was why Sereth went crazy with the witch hunt after she became queen. Some claimed the apple came from the queen's presumed dead daughter, who vanished years ago.
But nobody had said anything about a different witch getting involved.
Malia… That sweet, gentle woman that I was in love with… she couldn’t have done this. And then it dawned on me. How many times had she been misunderstood? How many times had people spread rumors and lies about her?
“She’s innocent,” I said again.
Lilo sighed. “We were there when she made the apple. She’s guilty, Captain. Guilty of the poisoned apple, guilty of nearly murdering the queen. You just don’t want to admit it.”
“She protected you,” I fought back. This time, Lilo and Niko tensed, even looked away. “She did nothing but care for you–probably more than your own parents ever did or could.”
“She did,” whispered Lilo and Niko sighed.
“Here’s the problem.” I folded my arms, the bouquet of orange flowers spread all around us. I’d have to pick them up again later. “Sereth gave me orders to take you to the king. So why did she give you different orders? Shouldn’t she have given you orders to stay with me?”
They looked at one another, confused.
Now they were understanding.
Why did Sereth give us conflicting orders?
There’s only one way to find out.
I pulled the sealed letter from my pocket.
Knew it was against the law for me to break the seal.
But Malia’s life depended on it.
“Sereth gave this to me. Ordered me to give it to King Halstead when I delivered you both safely to him.” I held it up, just to prove it had Sereth’s seal on it. Lilo’s eyes narrowed and Niko frowned.
To His Majesty King Halstead, Sovereign of Corallure Kingdom,
It has come to my attention that my loyal efforts to secure the stability of Moanalei Kingdom have been undermined by those closest to me—specifically, the twins entrusted with sensitive duties.
Their actions have proven not only disloyal but dangerous, threatening the peace and security of all in the Tempest Seas. Intelligence reports confirm their intentions are in direct opposition to the crown’s interests, rendering them a liability that can no longer be tolerated.
I hereby request that Your Majesty exercise your authority to detain and permanently remove these individuals.
Their continued existence poses an unacceptable risk, and their elimination is necessary for the preservation of order and loyalty.
Their father is gone and their mother’s origins are from Corallure. Thus they are under your jurisdiction.
I trust Your Majesty’s judgment and discretion in this matter, and expect swift and decisive action.
With respect and allegiance,
Her Majesty High Queen Sereth of Moanalei Kingdom
For a moment, I couldn’t speak.
The twins just gaped, wide eyed.
“This is a death sentence,” I said.
“She wouldn’t,” Niko whispered, stunned. Then yelled, louder, “You’re lying!”
“How could he?” Lilo snapped back at him. “How could he be lying? We saw papa on the ship! He’s not dead… so she has to be lying.”
And then they argued, their faces red with anger, betrayal, and confusion.
“Stop!” I ordered and they both turned to me. A tear streaked Lilo’s face.
I felt sorry for her.
Truly sorry.
“Leave Malia alone,” I said.
Niko shook his head. “You’re trying to twist all of this. Sereth wouldn’t kill us. All she’s ever done is care for us.”
“She’s trained us to be killers,” Lilo said, grabbing her brother’s arm. “Malia cared for us, Niko! She loved us–”
“She would’ve given us that poison–”
“Niko!” Lilo threw her hands up. “Can’t you see?”
But her brother was inconsolable. He grabbed her arm. “Come on, we have to get out of here.”
Not before I stopped them. I stepped forward and they both froze. “Don’t ever show your faces around here again,” I said. “Leave Malia alone, or next time you try to hurt her, you will not be so lucky.”
“If Sereth hears you’re crossing her plans, she might not take it well,” Lilo warned, but I didn’t care.
“Give me your word–”
“We can’t,” Niko said plainly. “We don’t serve you. We serve Sereth.”
Even after they heard the letter? They still didn’t believe me?
It was then I realized that, no matter what, Malia might not be safe.
That killed me.
For a moment, I considered my options. It would not be hard to dispose of the twins, right here. Right now.
But I’m not a murderer. That hit me like a storm wave.
How could I ever think that of myself? Because I was a murderer. I killed whales for a living.
But not people. I wanted to protect Malia, but I couldn’t just kill these kids.
She changed me. Perhaps my old self, as scary as it now made me, would’ve seriously considered ending them right here. I was cruel. I was unmerciful.
But, because of Malia, I became a different man.
“Get out.” My voice was low, almost a growl, and they nodded, running away and leaving their trap behind.
When I was left alone in the woods, I rubbed my hand over my face.
Sereth ordered their deaths? Why? Was it because they became more powerful than she?
And then another question arose… Who exactly ambushed us? They bore the Corallure flags, but the king said it was not theirs.
If Sereth wanted to get rid of the twins because they’d become more powerful than her, was there a possibility she wanted to get rid of me for the same reason?
I picked up the flowers, eager to return to Malia.