Chapter 8
CHAPTER EIGHT
“Tell me, is your husband fond of you?” Kalani asked, and I cringed a little.
I mean… if I looked at the way Keanu treated me from a practical perspective, he showed all the signs that he liked me, maybe even romantically loved me.
But I didn’t believe it. Anyone could pretend to be in love if their survival depended on it.
“Why does it matter to you?” I asked, finally finding my voice. Much to my relief, it didn’t tremble as much as I thought it would.
Kalani grinned, his tattoos creasing where his dimples were. “You don’t know what to believe, do you? I hear you bargained with your husband.”
My eyes narrowed. “And where did you hear that?”
“I have my sources. Now tell me. Do you really believe Keanu has your best interests in mind?”
“He’s my husband. Of course he does.” I didn’t believe that answer, but I had to say something.
“If you were any wiser, you’d know better and join me.”
“What do you mean? Why?” I scanned the room, but my husband truly was nowhere to be found. Oh, I’d have a word with him if I survived! Keanu begged me to trust him! But how could I when he disappeared, leaving me at the tip of his enemy’s blade?
I trust him as much as a storm cloud over calm seas, I thought woefully.
My eye caught hold of something that I didn’t expect: Peter Wittingham talking to Kalani’s wife.
What was he doing? He smiled, and they seemed to have a pleasant conversation, as if they were friends.
I blinked and quickly returned my attention to Kalani.
Peter had seemed like a trustworthy person, maybe because Kiki liked him so much. But he now spoke with the enemy’s wife?
My head was tired.
The warlord approaches, and if Keanu does not ally himself with me, he will destroy Keanu's armies. Kamehameha will turn his people into slaves. The warlord could even force you to be his concubine.”
I hesitated to reply, then shuddered.
Kalani noticed. “You don’t know who to trust, do you? I heard of how he chose you for his bride.”
“You did?” Did everyone know more than I thought they knew? And how?
Kalani’s grin only widened. “Are you sure your husband isn’t using you as bait? Are you sure he’s going to keep his end of the bargain by keeping you his wife for a month?”
“It’s the only time he has,” I said.
“Ha, he can get as many months as he wants, as long as he keeps bargaining.”
I blinked, remembering the words “first bargain” on his payments to the district of Ka’u.
“He’ll just get killed repeatedly,” Kalani said. “So you may as well help spare him the misery.”
The strangest feeling caused my chest to constrict, as if I couldn’t breathe. Keanu had been killed.
Not once, but twice.
Kalani confirmed it.
I had seen the notes with my own eyes–payments to Ka’u for the first bargain, then payments to Pulu to keep his part of the second bargain.
So he had taken someone else’s days before mine. Who? And how could he live with himself?
Another thought came to me: How did Kalani know so much about the bargain? I thought that was only between Keanu and me…
Wait… Malakai knows, I thought, and swallowed hard.
Think, Oli, think! It seemed everyone wanted to confuse me, and that included my husband.
Sure, I was the plain girl from the lower class, married into royalty.
But I was not stupid. And I would let no one treat me as such.
In fact, I could play their game. I could pretend I really didn’t know who to trust and let them try to persuade me.
Then I’ll see their genuine characters. Yes, that was brilliant.
Good work Oli.
I looked around, as if worried that someone might hear our conversation. Kalani smiled.
Yes, this is working.
“Time is running out,” I admitted. “My husband is my ally, I want to believe, but…”
“He’ll use you to his advantage. If the warlord approaches within the month, as we predict he will–”
That was new! Was the warlord really this close? And should we be afraid? Malia was terrified, while Pua said it was superstition.
“Your husband must make a choice, but you can help him. You can help yourself too.” Kalani nodded, as if we had some unspoken understanding. “Convince your husband to ally himself with me. I’ll have my kupuna do what they can to crack the riddle.”
He even knows about the riddle? I kept my mouth from parting in surprise.
“And what of Keanu?”
“When he joins forces with us, I’ll take care of him. And then you will be free. I can promise you freedom and safety in my kingdom, a life you could dream of.”
I didn’t reply right away, giving the appearance that I had to think this through.
“What of the murderer?” I asked. “What if he attempts to kill Keanu again? Surely Keanu will use me as bait, as you suggested.” I frowned. “He doesn’t care for me, and I fear I must confront the truth.”
“Ae,” Kalani agreed, sounding almost sympathetic. “He has never cared for anyone. Just look at what happened to his family.”
I looked up. “What happened?”
The man laughed. “Ha, of course he wouldn’t tell you that! Don’t fall for his sweet talk, Oliana. I promise you he wines and dines those close to him, fattening them up before the slaughter.”
What was he talking about? I could not imagine Keanu doing such a thing, but then again, I didn’t know him.
Kalani suddenly looked alert, glancing around us, then leaning in to say, “I will ensure the murderer does not lay a hand on you.”
Aha! So Kalani had something to do with Keanu getting killed over and over.
“Do I have your word that you will convince your husband to join forces with me? In return, I will free you both from the curse and protect you in my kingdom.”
It sounded like a good bargain, considering I really didn’t know who to trust. But I would not agree to Keanu’s death. Or anyone’s death.
I’m not Keanu. I’m not Kalani.
Unlike those vipers who seemed to place a minimal value on existence, I was different. Keanu had willingly taken the rest of my days, and Kalani’s troops were on the borders of Keanu’s kingdom, ready to inflict death.
They don’t care about anyone but themselves.
The song ended, and the couples parted from one another. Kalani’s eyes filled with desperation as he awaited my reply. Then his expression turned to anger.
The crowd was thinning around us; the men lining up on one side and the women lining up on the other. The next song played, and Kalani had to step back.
I turned and fled into the crowd, trying to get as much distance between Kalani and me as possible. He was probably raging that I hadn’t agreed to his bargain, but that I had discovered much more.
Hurry, hurry Oli! Kalani didn’t want to make a scene, but he was still dangerous. After all, he pointed his dagger straight at me.
I comforted myself with the fact that I had gained some insight. Kalani knew more about Keanu than I did. This included Kalani's connection to the murderer and his knowledge of the riddle.
And I will not waste this information. I would leverage it against Kalani, and Keanu, if I had to.
I jumped, startled, as someone grabbed my arm. It was Keanu. His grip was firm, but he didn’t yank me the way Kalani had earlier. He pulled me into the hallway until we turned a corner, finding ourselves alone. He took both of my arms and looked me up and down, his eyes frantic.
“Are you alright?” he asked, his face too close to mine.
“What?”
“Did he hurt you? Did he touch you?”
“No. No.” I brushed his hands away, ready to lash out in anger. But Keanu looked down and breathed a sigh of relief.
Before I could ask where he was and why he didn’t protect me, he asked, “What did he tell you, Oliana?”
“Would you like to know?” Anger coated my voice.
Keanu pulled away in surprise. “Yes, of course. What did he say?”
“Where were you?” My fists clenched. “Did you know he was going to ask me to dance? Is that why you disappeared?”
The brief look of guilt told me he had indeed left me alone. “I suspected he would,” he said when I pushed him away.
“I have one month to live.” I wasn’t sure if this was the best move I should play at the moment, but the guilt on Keanu’s face made me think it might help…
Maybe he’d feel so guilty about putting me in that situation, he’d tell me the truth about everything.
Maybe I’d learn whether I should trust him, or turn around and take up Kalani on his offer.
After all, what was the difference between the two? Sure, Kalani held me at knifepoint, but Keanu took my days.
“I’m sorry, Oliana,” Keanu said before I could continue. “I wish things were simpler. It’s a complicated time right now, but I wouldn’t have let anything happen to you.”
“He held a dagger to me,” I shot back. “I’m nothing more than a pawn to you, is that right?”
“Is that what he told you?” Keanu asked.
“It doesn’t matter what he told me.” I felt so silly standing there, with the extravagant dress, a nobody in a world of somebodies. But I told myself I could get through this.
“I am determined to break your curse, Keanu,” I said. “But I’ve already wasted another day because of you. If you want something from Kalani so badly, why don’t you get it from him yourself instead of using me?”
With that, I marched down the hallway.
“Wait, Oliana!” Keanu came after me, grabbing my hand. I yanked it away.
“I’m exhausted,” I admitted, which was the complete truth. “And I don’t wish to talk to you.” But I had nowhere to go. Except home, which was his palace.
Someone turned the corner of the hallway, and we both turned to see Malakai. He looked between us and hesitated. Keanu rubbed his face, his shoulders hanging lower than I’d seen him in all the time we’d been together.
“Malakai,” Keanu motioned to his cousin. “Is the carriage ready? We’re leaving.”
Finally.
Keanu offered his arm, and I glared at him before taking it.
When we got to the carriage, he helped me in, then stepped in after me.
I opened my mouth to protest, but changed my mind and sat on the opposite side of him, as far to the end of the carriage as I could sit, with as much distance from my husband as possible.
Keanu looked like he wanted to say something, and he even leaned forward a few times, as if he wanted to engage in conversation.
But I closed my eyes and ignored him, pretending to sleep.
The ride was rocky and uncomfortable though, and, much to my annoyance, I knew we’d be in here for a few long hours.
At some point, I felt Keanu move next to me. I gave him the look. “You can rest on my shoulder,” he offered. “You’ll be more comfortable.”
“I prefer this wall.” The carriage hit an exceptionally large bump, and my head slammed against the side. Annoyed, I sat straighter and tried to tip my head back, but it was to no avail. I looked again to find Keanu watching me.
“Look. Whatever you say or do tonight will not make up for your abandonment of me to Kalani,” I said.
“I’m on your side, Oliana.” He didn’t seem to hear what I said, drowning in his own thoughts.
“If you were on my side, you’d tell me why you fed me to Kalani, like chum to the sharks.”
He sighed. “I need your vision, Oliana. I need your discernment. Is Kalani someone you would trust?”
I frowned. “I trust him as much as I trust you, Keanu.”
The hurt reached his golden eyes and, for a moment, I felt guilty for being so harsh. He avoided my gaze and sat back, reflective. I closed my eyes once more, exhaustion finally overwhelming my anger and frustration towards Keanu. My head slowly rested on his shoulder, and I fell asleep.