Chapter 10 #2
I somewhat understood why Keanu kept trying, even bargaining with a mortal a second time.
But who was the first mortal he bargained with? Was it a girl, like me? Peter said that Keanu had not been married before, so what happened the first time?
My mind was in a fog. Perhaps I was a little spooked.
Bodies. Ghosts. Murders.
I shuddered.
“Does that answer your question about my body?” Keanu seemed amused at the question as he led us up some stairs.
I tried to keep from rolling my eyes. “Yes.” But I wasn’t done just yet. “What happened to your parents, Keanu?”
“Ah.” He smiled but it seemed sad. “Did Kalani say something about that? He likes to use my parent’s death against me. It seems to be his only tactic, though it lacks any kind of creativity.”
“Kalani said you killed them.”
Keanu didn’t hesitate. “When the foreigners came, they brought many diseases that our people did not have the immunity to fight. You probably know this.”
I did, because the same thing happened where I lived. Many of the generation before me passed away because of the sicknesses that were introduced.
“My parents sent out a decree to cast out all the foreigners, but I got the help of the foreigners to create remedies and medicines to aid my people. Many of them recovered, and after persuading my parents, they allowed the foreigners to remain in our land. But it wasn’t long before my parents caught another sickness and passed away. ”
“I’m so sorry,” I said, meaning it.
“Many say it was my fault, and that if the foreigners had left sooner, my parents would not have fallen ill.” He sighed.
“I used to blame myself. Before my parents passed, they reassured me it wasn’t my fault, and that these sorts of things happen.
I promised I would take care of our people and protect them from outside enemies and forces.
So if Kalani said anything about me murdering my parents, then that’s what he spoke of.
” He stopped in front of two large doors.
Painters had stained the doors black, with gold trim and embellishments, just like the rest of the palace.
“Here we are,” he said, opening them.
I gasped.
A library.
While I knew they existed in wealthy kingdoms and had heard of them, I had never encountered one.
Just the sight of all the books hit me like the first rays of dawn over the ocean, filling the world with light and wonder.
I felt as though I were drooling. How could one have so many books?
What did all of them contain? I wanted to sit and start devouring each one right at that moment.
“You like it?” Keanu grinned.
I caught myself gaping. “Yes. I mean…” I swallowed, hoping that I wasn’t actually drooling.
“I think we can find information in these books about previous chiefs.” Keanu stepped in and headed to some shelves on the right.
I couldn’t help walking to the nearest shelf and brushing my fingers against the spines of each book.
The books featured muted tones, and gold letters formed the titles on their spines.
Stunning.
I passed fairy tales, foreign tales, histories, and more. If I lived past the month and remained married to Keanu, would I have access to this place? It was incredible. There were sofas and live plants in the middle of the room, the nicest place to get cozy and read.
I pulled out a book titled “Legends of Ancient Hawaii” and flipped through the pages.
“You can read?” Keanu stood behind me. I turned around, startled.
“Yes, of course.”
He tilted his head. “How?”
I frowned. How rude of him to assume I couldn’t read, just because I was from the lower class!
“The missionaries taught me. Father kept getting ripped off by the foreigners at the port. He couldn’t read the contracts and agreements he made with them when he sold fish, so they kept taking advantage of us.
It got so bad that I went to the local school taught by the missionaries, and I learned how to read. ”
It was then I realized Keanu had placed his elbow on the shelf above me, basically pinning me to the books behind me. He grinned, his fresh sandalwood scent filling my senses. “Just when I think I know a thing or two about you, you keep surprising me,” he said.
His eyes were so bright, it almost hurt to look at them. “Well, then…” My voice was unusually soft, but he was so close to me… why would I speak loudly?
“What else are you hiding, moon of my tide?”
Not that nickname again. Even if somewhere, deep down, there was the nagging realization that I could like it.
His eyes lowered to my lips, and again, I thought he might kiss me. I could feel his warmth against me, luring me like the ocean on a cloudless day.
Would it be so bad to let him kiss me?
My reasoning screamed at me.
Oli, he’s just trying to trick you into liking him!
I cleared my throat and slammed the book shut.
It was an accident–I didn’t mean to slam it, but I was so nervous, it happened that way.
We were both startled, though Keanu seemed more entertained than annoyed.
I turned around and shoved it back where it had come from.
“You mentioned there were books about previous chiefs?” I asked, my face as hot as lava.
Keanu was still grinning as he pulled away. “Yes, over here.” He showed me the shelf, but instead of helping me, he stood against the shelves, arms folded, watching me. He seemed very amused with himself, and all I could do was bite my lower lip to keep the fluttering in my stomach at bay.
“Are you going to help me?” I asked. He stood close to me as he pulled out a book, obviously enjoying flirting with me.
Flirting? Blast this man. I would not catch feelings. I could not. It was impractical! But as he flipped through pages and showed me the different chiefs he could remember during his nights as a night marcher, I couldn’t stop stealing glances at him.
It was then that Keanu stood behind me, taking the book from my hands. His arms wrapped around me, his chest against my back.
I think my heart stopped.
“Look,” he said, flipping to a page, his cheek close to mine.
He smelled so good, I couldn’t help but enjoy it.
Because, for a moment, I realized this might be my only moment to enjoy this.
For a girl who never quite had a bright future or a romantic relationship, maybe this was the closest thing to it I could get.
Maybe it was worth the risk… at least for today.
I allowed myself to relax a little, and felt Keanu smile, as if he knew exactly what I was thinking.