Chapter 18 Malia
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
MALIA
Darkness.
The ship, where I was imprisoned, rocked back and forth, but I could see nothing. The guards had not bothered to cover my eyes, masking where we were going, because I couldn’t see anyways. It was dark, and I struggled to tell where anything was.
But I was sure only a few hours had passed since the twins and Sereth’s guards came to get me. Lilo had the scent of the poisoned apple on her cloth and when she put it to Alaric’s nose, he passed out.
Alaric. I couldn’t stop thinking about him, hoping, praying that he was alright.
And that he won’t come after me. He had to move on, had to realize that I was not worth fighting for. Never had been.
Now I sat behind bars, listening to the water lap against the side of the ship.
Tears streamed down my cheeks. My sobs were drowned by the sound of approaching footsteps.
“You were always such a crybaby.”
The voice was gilded with scorn, yet carried that infuriating, flirty lilt that Sereth wielded like a dagger.
I wiped my eyes and stepped closer to the prison bars. “And you were always terrified someone might see through you.”
Her lantern tilted upward, bathing her in gold light. She was painfully beautiful—snow-white skin, blood-red lips, dark curls cascading like they’d been poured from a bottle of ink. Her beauty had sharpened in five years. It was the kind that could cut.
“The truth,” she said slowly, “is that you made a poisoned apple, gave it to your mother, and she brought it to me.” Her smile was all blade.
“That’s the lie you’ve been polishing for years.” My voice shook, but my eyes didn’t leave hers. “Mother never brought it near you. You came to me. Said you needed it to escape her. And then—” my throat tightened “—you used it on yourself when it suited you.”
Her expression faltered for the briefest heartbeat. A hairline fracture in a ceramic bowl.
“I did what I had to,” she said, voice lower now, stripped of its mocking edge. “Do you know what it’s like to grow up knowing you’re… nothing? No matter how pretty you are, you’re still someone else’s pawn.”
“Is that what this is about?” I cut in. “You were jealous. Always. It didn’t matter what I did. You wanted anything just because it was mine.”
The vulnerability vanished like a snuffed candle. “I played the game better than you ever could. And if I had to shatter you to get free, so be it.” Her gaze glittered. “That’s the difference between us, Malia. You hide when you’re hurt. I make sure everyone else bleeds.”
I almost laughed, though there was no humor in it. “And yet here you are, sneaking into a cell to tell me how clever you are. Sounds more like you need my fear to keep you warm at night.”
Her grin tightened. “Mother was a fool. She sent that huntsman to kill me. That’s betrayal worth burning for. And I made sure she did.”
My stomach knotted. I couldn’t imagine mother’s painful death wearing those hot shoes. “She was still your family.”
“You’re not one to lecture me on loyalty.” She arched her brow. “Speaking of which… I hear you’ve taken a liking to that huntsman.”
My heart stumbled.
“Good,” she purred. “Because he’ll be dead before the night ends.”
My hands gripped the bars. “What did you do?”
“I sent my assassin. He won’t stop until Alaric is gone. And he’ll die trying if he must.”
“No—” Tears ran down my cheeks.
“Cry,” she said lightly. “You always were good at that. But crying won’t save him. He was too powerful. People listened to him more than me. I couldn’t have that.”
She stepped close, tilting my chin so we were eye to eye. “You were always too pretty, Malia. Too… good.”
“But that’s the part you never understood,” I said, my voice raw but steady. “Being loved isn’t the same as being better. And no matter what you take from me, that’s the one thing you’ll never have.”
Her eyes darkened. “I’ll have your crown. That’s enough.”
“Not if I’m still alive to take it back.” I had never considered it. Never wanted it. But now… I knew she could not rule. Sereth’s heart had turned completely dark. Unmerciful. Ruthless.
A muscle twitched in her jaw before she stepped back, lifting the lantern. “Tomorrow you’ll be drowned.”
“Not hung?” I winced. Drowning sounded like agony.
“A witch must sink to truly be gone.”
“But Sereth.” A whisper. “I’m your sister.”
“Stepsister,” she corrected, the word flicked like ash, before turning away.
I was left in complete darkness again. I slumped to the ground.
Alaric! He was going to die.
I was going to die.
And there was nothing I could do about it.
Except… I hugged my arms. Akua… help us…
I knew I had done the wrong thing in making the apple.
I should’ve known Sereth long ago. She had always been cruel to me and then that one time, when she came, the kids were there, and she seemed so nice.
She seemed like she was struggling and desperately needed the apple so mother could sleep while Sereth escaped.
But she lied. And because of her lie, and because I couldn’t reveal the truth to anyone who might listen–because nobody listened to me anyways–I was going to die.
That wasn’t the worst part though. The worst part was knowing that Alaric was going to die. And there was nothing I could do to stop it.
I didn’t sleep, tormented as I was about everything: Alaric, the twins, the truth. Sereth had orchestrated everything, except it was all wrong, like a tea brewed with all the worst kinds of herbs.
I thought about how I loved Alaric, and, if things were different, maybe we could settle down and live a quiet, happy life together.
But he loves the sea. He loved whaling. He wouldn’t be able to stay put for long.
Then the thought occurred to me. Would he stay if I fought for him? For us? All my life, I ran from a fight. I hid. It was easier.
But what had hiding done for me? I’d lived in isolation for five years, and when Alaric showed up on my doorstep, everything changed.
I changed. I sat up and wiped my tears, feeling like sunlight was pouring into the room, even though it was still pitch black. He showed me I was worth something: tending to me, talking to me, listening to me, even defending me–without a thought–to the people in town.
And then… I looked up. I couldn’t see the stars or the sea, but I imagined it in my head.
I’m worth something to Akua. He spared me time and again. How many instances had I evaded my wicked stepsister and survived?
And I’m still alive.
I swiped my hair back and thought about Alaric. He had easily overcome the assassin last time.
He can do it again. And, for some reason, I just knew he wasn’t dead. He couldn’t be. Nobody could touch him…
Except me. A smile crept up my lips as I realized he loved me. He really, really loved me. And though I didn’t know what our future might look like, especially with our different views of whaling, I had to make the most of these last moments. I had to fight. And so that is what I did.
I wasn’t sure what time it was, but when footsteps approached, I expected to see the guards. Instead, two tall teenagers stood at the prison doors.
I quickly stood. “Lilo. Niko.”
They stared at me, and I could tell they were probably feeling as lost as I felt earlier. But now… Now I was ready to take on the world. For Alaric. For myself. For our future.
“I’m not sure why we’re here,” Lilo said, then looked at Niko. He couldn’t meet my eyes, and I knew it was because of the guilt. They had burned me, thrown me into the furnace and left the house to crumble to the ground. They cornered me, poisoned me, and captured me.
“It’s to say goodbye I guess,” Niko said, adding, “But last time should’ve been goodbye.”
“We tried twice to kill you,” Lilo said. “But you survived. Against all odds.”
Another confirmation that Akua had saved me for a reason. “She would’ve killed you too, you know,” I said and they frowned.
“We serve Sereth. She cared for us and took us in when nobody else wanted us. We aren’t going to listen to you.” Lilo’s voice was firm.
I held onto the bars. “I cared for you, and the apple you saw me making wasn’t for Sereth.
It was for my mother, because Sereth said she needed it to escape from her.
My mother ended up loathing Sereth, and yes, she did send a huntsman to kill her, but Sereth came to me for the apple.
And she lied to you behind my back. She planned all of this. ”
The twins looked at me like I was crazy. “The ship that ambushed Alaric… that was from Sereth. She wanted you killed.”
“She’s lying,” Niko said. “That ship was sent by Prince Elias and the crown of Corallure.”
“No it wasn’t,” Lilo argued and Niko faltered. “Alaric showed us the letter, and this confirms it.”
“It was a setup.” I pleaded with them. “You must listen to me. She’s not who you think she is.
All she wants is power, and she’ll get rid of anyone who stands in her way.
She sees you as a threat because not only are you both strong, powerful assassins and witch hunters, but you’ll eventually become stronger than her.
You’re getting older, and you’ll be harder to control, which she hates. ”
“Let’s go.” Niko grabbed his sister’s arm, but she hesitated.
“Wait.”
A spark grew within me. Lilo was listening and pondering my words.
I pushed on. “You are both smarter than this… and kinder. I know who you are because, when I cared for you, you cared for me too. You were just little children who needed to be loved, and I loved you.” At that, my eyes watered.
“I still do, even if you despise me. Even if you think I’m evil.
I would’ve loved to keep raising you as my own.
You didn’t deserve to be turned into murderers.
You should’ve been able to have a childhood, like any other child.
” My heart ached. “And I’m sorry your parents abandoned you.
No parent should ever do that to their children.
Your father searched for you—and he found me instead.
He cried because he wished he could go back and never abandon you. ”
Silence.
Lilo looked at Niko. “See? He is looking for us…”
“But we can’t just…” Niko sighed, looking confused as ever.
“I know how you feel,” I said. “My mother abandoned me—maybe not physically, but in other ways. It’s why I ran away years ago. I know how that feels.”
Lilo’s eyes began to water, and I knew she felt the pain, the isolation, the feeling that nobody in the world cared for her. Niko steeled himself, turning away and rubbing his face.
“It can’t be,” he said to himself, over and over. Then…
“Come on, Lilo.” This time he grabbed her arm more forcefully. “Let’s go.” And she followed him. With my blurry vision I did see her turn once, and I hoped with all of my heart that she would give my words some time and thought. Because, truly, my life might depend on it.