Chapter 16
Hollyn knew she couldn’t just walk through the palace with the infamous god of the sea, so she asked him to wait in the tunnel through which they’d snuck back into the city. Now, she was on her way to find Kai so that she could give him a heads up. She wanted the introduction to be less of a surprise for him. He’d had to adjust to quite a bit of surprises over the last week. She wanted to set up the best first meeting between father and son.
But as she searched the palace, she couldn’t seem to find a single person anywhere. Kai was nowhere to be found, but neither was anyone else. Where was everyone?
She heard an uproarious noise and knew almost immediately what was going on. The ceremony had already begun, and she wasn’t there.
She looked down at her soaking wet clothes, but she knew she didn’t have time to change. With urgency, she began to make her way toward the throne room despite her shaky navigation skills. Instead, she pulled out the compass and thought of Kai. He was what she most wanted, and she needed to get to him right now.
As she burst into the throne room, she paused for just a moment as she spotted a disgruntled looking Makoa sitting on the throne. The minute he realized she was there, though, he stood from the chair and began dusting his hand over the seat.
“Just keeping it warm like I’ve been doing the past fifteen years, I suppose.”
She didn’t have time to waste on a man who was basically a powder keg, set to go off at any minute, but he was now between her and the door. She’d have to defuse the situation and quickly.
“I am sure you were a wonderful king, and I’m sure you will be an invaluable member of Kai’s council. That will be such a high honor.”
Just as the crowd clapped and cheered, Makoa gave a frustrated yell in her direction. “Why? Why did you have to show up and ruin my life?”
He started straight for her, and Hollyn began to back up a few steps. Murder was in his eyes, and she feared he was about to take out all of his anger on her.
She thought about Kai and how much she just wanted to get to him. Her heartbeat pounded in her ears, and she did the only thing she knew to do. She opened her mouth and sang.
Coral had told her that she could control her ability, and in that moment, she needed to believe that she could. She directed her song toward Makoa, and at first, he didn’t seem to be affected as he continued to march toward her. But then, his steps faltered, his face filled with confusion, and he stopped altogether. His gaze locked onto hers and a smile formed on his face.
“Hey! How you doin’?”
Like instant happy pills, her ability had evaporated the intense rage he’d been feeling, and he stared at her with a goofy grin on his face. She knew what she needed to do in that moment. She couldn’t pass up such an opportunity.
“You don’t want me. Oleen is your everything—your sun and moon! Anything she says, you will do. Do you understand?”
He gave a dazed nod in her direction.
She shook her head at him and tore past him to the door to the hallway that led to the arena. She entered the arena behind the seating area and made her way through one of the short tunnels until she stood among the crowd. She jostled her way forward just as Leilani took the stage in front of Kai.
One look at Kai, and she could tell something was wrong. He looked pissed and bored, and she wanted so badly to be by his side.
Yet, as Leilani began to sing, a beautiful, lilting melody, he sat forward and a look of bliss took over. The realization nearly knocked Hollyn to her knees. Leilani might not be a siren, but she was definitely a distant cousin to them. Her song could mesmerize, and it was currently working on Kai.
Hollyn began to work her way through the tightly packed crowd, trying to get to Kai. She called his name, but the projected voice of Leilani drowned out her shouts. She had barely made it thirty feet when Leilani hit a crescendo and finished with a flourish. The entire crowd erupted with applause, and Hollyn felt so helpless. How could she ever compete with that?
Before she exited, Leilani addressed Kai as she said, “I think we would rule together well, King Kai. I’m sure I can make you happy.”
That bitch! She was using his mesmerized state to convince him to choose her. Frustration and desperation fought inside Hollyn as she fought to move past the people in the crowd. She had to get to Kai.
But push and shove as she might, she barely made any headway.
Her heart dropped as Uma announced, “Unfortunately, our final contestant didn’t show today, so this was the final gift, and now King Kai must make his decision.”
Hollyn shouted, “I’m here! Here I am! No! I’m here!”
But the sound of the crowd drowned her out. She had to do something quick or she’d lose Kai forever.
With a quick glance around, she saw a flat area at the top of a nearby tunnel on which she could stand. She made her way up along a stairway next to the seats. She climbed up on it, took one long look at Kai and began to sing.
At first, it was still drowned out by the noise of the crowd, but eventually, those around her began to fall silent, and she sang louder. In no time at all, the entire section had quieted enough that Oleen turned her head toward the silence. Hollyn knew when she spotted her because she stood from her seat and pointed, talking rapidly to everyone around her. Uma saw her next, and making her heart soar in her chest, Kai turned his head away from Leilani meeting her gaze with a look of relief.
A pair of guards made their way through the crowd and pulled Hollyn down. She stopped singing as they walked her toward Kai. That was all that mattered right now. Yet, as she reached him, she looked down at her clothes and realized she probably looked a mess. But all she cared about right now was that he was here, and they were together once more.
“Alright, siren. You certainly didn’t dress for the occasion, but you have your chance now. Present your gift.” Uma’s irritation was evident in her tone.
“My gift?” Oh, shit! Her gift was still waiting down in the tunnel.
Uma latched onto her hesitation and said, “We don’t have time for this! Do you have a gift or not?”
“Kai, I…I have a gift for you, but I don’t have it with me.”
Hands thrown in the air, Uma shouted, “Without a gift, you are disqualified, which means this has all been a waste of time.”
“But I do have a gift! I have a great one for Kai!”
Kai stepped toward her, his hand outstretched for hers. His touch was reassuring even as he asked, “Then, where is it?”
“It’s right here. I… am… the father.”
The booming voice of Poseidon filled the arena as he stood at the head of one of the tunnels. Everyone’s attention zeroed in on the huge being, including Uma’s.
The crowd began to jeer and boo at the unwanted visitor. They clearly didn’t like Poseidon, and they weren’t afraid to show it.
“Silence!” His deep-voice command shook the arena, and everyone went instantly quiet. Poseidon turned his attention toward Kai’s mother. “Uma, why did you not tell me we had a son?”
The entire crowd gasped as one and everyone’s focus returned to Uma. She squirmed in her seat but held her chin high as she answered, “You left us!”
“You left me! You were the one who fled my palace. When I came after you, you said you wanted nothing to do with me.”
She leaped from her chair. “That’s not true. My father said he sent a message to you from me. I swallowed every bit of my pride and begged you to come to me. But you never showed.”
“I never received a message, Uma. I would have been here in a heartbeat.”
Silence filled the packed arena as Uma and Poseidon stared at each other, likely replaying the events of the past.
Uma broke the silence as she said, “All that time wasted thinking you’d abandoned me and our son.”
She sat down heavily in her seat, staring at her hands. “My father had thought you weren’t good for me. He thought he knew best and had taken the choice out of my hands.” Her gaze sought Kai’s, who had wrapped an arm around Hollyn. “You should get the chance to choose who you want by your side. I’m sorry I put you through all of this.”
Kai took a deep breath and addressed his mother, “I choose Hollyn.”
The whole crowd erupted with cheers and applause, and Hollyn was surprised by the level of support she, a lowly siren, received. It was heartening, but what really made her happy was that Kai had chosen her.
He wasn’t finished though. With a determined tone in his voice, he shouted for the entire crowd, “I renounce the crown. I am not the one meant to rule Hanupali City.” The crowd chattered amongst themselves, confused and dismayed. But Kai continued, “The one who cares most about the people, the one who should take the throne, the one who will rule with grace and rationality is none other than my sister, Queen Oleen.”
Once again, the crowd raised their voices in cheers, louder than ever for the one person fit to rule. They began to chant, Queen Oleen! Long live Queen Oleen! And Hollyn caught the watery gaze of the other woman, her friend. She gave her a reassuring smile as Oleen stood and waved at her people.
Kai stepped away from Hollyn and turned to his sister, wrapping her in a hug. He pulled back and looked at her for a few seconds before he asked, “What do you say? Do you want to be the Queen?”
She nodded vigorously and shouted, “Yes! I have so many ideas! I will be the Queen.” She turned thoughtful for a moment. “What about Makoa?”
Hollyn stepped forward. “I think we leave him as Queen consort. I think you’ll find he’s open to all of your ideas and always will be.”
Poseidon had crossed to where the family were, and he pulled Uma into his arms. She giggled like a young woman and stared up at him like she was still in love.
Poseidon turned to look at Kai, their eyes so similar. “I have a son! And what an amazing one at that!”
They talked for a little while, Kai catching Poseidon up on his childhood and all the adventures he’d recently had with Hollyn.
Once they settled into a budding relationship and promised to find time to really get to know each other, Uma interrupted to ask, “Kai, can you ever forgive me? I thought I was doing what was best.”
Kai reached out a hand to his mother and said, “All we can do is use the information we’re given and make the best decisions in the moment. If you hadn’t done what you had, I might never have met Hollyn.” He squeezed her against his side and kissed her on the cheek. Hollyn’s heart soared at his words, but she couldn’t help but feel the anxiety of her own situation.
She leaned forward and said, “There is one thing that we need in order to feel at ease.”
Kai nodded and asked, “Could we have the jewel fragment in the Queen’s crown. It is the third and final piece we need to defeat Hollyn’s father for good.” He pulled her back into his arms, and it felt like coming home. “I want to make her mine forever, and in order to do that, I need to find a way to keep her safe.”
Uma and Oleen didn’t even hesitate as, in unison, they said, “Of course!”
Like he had done it a thousand times, Kai lifted the shell in the necklace and inserted it into a corresponding shape on the crown. The fractured jewel fell into his hands, and he handed it to Hollyn. She snapped it into place to create a bright, red heart-shaped amulet set into the center of a medallion. Their gazes locked as they joined hands. Kai and Hollyn had the final piece of the amulet, and they were ready to fight.