Chapter 13
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Keanu took my hand, then looked at me. “Are you cold?”
“Oh, no.” Truth was, I could not get the picture of him and the baby out of my mind. Nor could I get rid of the gnawing feeling that something was wrong. I should’ve been thinking about the riddle, but an uneasiness settled in my stomach.
We walked outside under the covered pathways. Malu landed nearby and hooted. Keanu paused to stroke the owl, then we continued.
“You are quickly becoming the people’s queen,” said Keanu.
“Well you already have their hearts. They see me as a stranger, a fisherman’s daughter.”
“They see much more than that, as do I.”
He stopped. Right there, in the middle of the covered walkway, surrounded by ferns and foliage. Purple orchids gleamed in the moonlight, and the air smelled like a soft fragrance.
“I wish you could see yourself the way I see you,” he said. There was no lightness in his voice. Not even a hint of sarcasm or flirtation. I couldn’t get myself to look at him, too embarrassed by his confession.
How did he see me?
Before I could change the topic, something caught my eye. A slight movement in the ferns behind Keanu.
There was something… no. Someone moving in the shadows.
I gasped.
The murderer. And that was when I moved.
“Keanu!” I shoved him, using my body as a shield, sending us both tumbling to the ground. Something went flying into the air and a stinging sensation shot through my shoulder.
But I hardly noticed it because I fell on top of Keanu.
He caught himself, landing on his elbows, but I fell on his chest, my face inches from his. This close, his smell was intoxicating, and if I looked into those golden eyes any longer, I was sure I’d drown in them.
“Oliana!” he exclaimed, taking my arms and looking towards the direction of the hallway.
The figure was hard to make out, but they ran back into the shadows of the ferns and bushes.
The only evidence that they’d been there was a knife sitting on the ground close to us.
I thought Keanu was going to run after the almost-murderer, but he sat up and stroked my cheek.
“Are you alright?” he asked, examining me.
“I’m alright.” I sat in his lap, and when I tried to stand, he stopped me.
“You’ve been injured!” For the briefest moment, his eyes flashed with pure hatred, and he looked in the direction of the murderer.
But then he returned his attention to me and immediately took off his jacket, ripped a part of his sleeve, and tended to the wound.
When I looked, I was surprised to see that the knife had hit my shoulder, causing a laceration that looked worse than it actually felt.
“Are you sure you’re alright?” he asked, applying pressure on the wound to staunch the bleeding, before he gently wrapped it.
“I’m sure. Are you alright?”
He blinked. “You saved my life, Oliana. That knife would’ve…” He paused, not finishing his sentence. It would’ve gone straight into his back, ending his life. Again. “Thank you.”
Keanu’s face was close–oh so close–to mine.
My heart began pattering again as he finished tying the wound, whispering that he’d have the doctor check on it later.
But I didn’t hear him because I was staring at his handsome face.
He looked up, probably also realizing how close we were, and then his eyes dove to my lips.
“I owe you again, Oliana.” There was an undertone to his voice, as if he was challenging me, perhaps even daring me to kiss him.
I couldn’t help but look at his lips. What would it feel like to kiss him?
I mean, we kissed before, but what would a real kiss feel like, where we were both active participants, not just him?
I began to lean in, giving into whatever spell had overcome me. And just as our lips were about to touch…
“Keanu!”
We broke apart, and Keanu cursed under his breath. We both turned to see Malakai standing there, out of breath.
“Did you catch the murderer?” Keanu asked, his eyebrows furrowed in irritation.
“Murderer?” Malakai’s eyes went wide. “Again?”
“Yes.” Keanu stood and helped me up, the moment gone. I couldn’t help but feel the disappointment rise in my chest, as well as a sense of humiliation. Malakai had probably seen us that close. Even his cheeks colored a little, like he was embarrassed to have intruded on us.
“I’m sorry,” he began to say.
“Please tell me you caught him, or there better be a good reason for you interrupting me, cousin,” Keanu said.
Malakai nodded, out of breath. “Forgive me. It’s Kalani.”
Keanu visibly tensed. “What now?”
“His troops have attacked the northeastern borders. They are setting flames to some taro crops as we speak.”
“Curse him,” Keanu said quietly, his hands balling into fists. “Well don’t stand there Malakai.” He motioned with his hand. “Get my horse ready. I’ll be right behind you.”
“Yes, Your Highness.” Malakai bowed. Before he hurried away, he gave me a look, one that I couldn’t quite read. It was almost… a glare? Or, perhaps something else?
The only people who know about Keanu’s curse, the riddle, and the bargain are Malakai and Peter… Could Malakai be the traitor, giving all of Keanu’s information to Kalani? And if he was the traitor, could Malakai be the murderer?
But the murderer was just here… How could Malakai have changed that quickly? Was it Peter? Or both of them?
Maybe it was Pua. She had disappeared in haste, wearing all black. She pretended to be a jealous rival, but she actually hated that Keanu let foreigners into the kingdom. So was it her? Or did she hire someone?
“I’m sorry I must go.” Keanu turned to me. “But I won’t leave until I know you’re safe.” He took my hand, and began to walk toward our room. I stopped him.
“You should just go,” I said. “Your troops need you.”
“I don’t trust you walking in the palace alone. I don’t know how the murderer got in here, but he’s somewhere out there. Or here.”
At that moment, some servants appeared with lanterns. They bowed or curtsied to both of us, then lit lanterns under the covered walkways.
“His troops are burning the crops as we speak,” I said. “You must go. Please.” I took his hands. “I’ll be alright.”
He looked torn, like he really wanted to walk me back to the room, but his armies needed him. “But promise me you’ll be safe,” I said, and squeezed his hands. This was the first time I’d done that, and Keanu’s expression softened.
“I promise. We’ll have a cup of ginger tea soon, love?”
Love? My head was spinning.
“Yes. Very soon, I hope.” He was looking at my lips again. I stood on the tips of my toes and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.
“Go,” I whispered before I fell into a trance and ended up kissing him on the lips.
This was not what I had planned. This was not what I should be doing or feeling.
But something inside of me was changing, especially after the day: the way he cared for his people, played with the baby, tended to my wound, the way he looked at me so many times.
Keanu nodded, then hurried off. When he was gone, I picked up the knife from the ground and examined it.
Gold formed the hilt, and a leather band provided grip.
The blade was quite shiny and sharp–which, it was no wonder it sliced right through my shoulder.
But there was one thing that stood out the most to me: the violet gem in the pommel.
This does not belong to someone of the lower class… No. This belonged to someone who was wealthy enough to afford it.
Pua. She was wealthy, a noblewoman, but would she go to this extreme by murdering someone?
Malakai. He was wealthy enough to afford this, right?
Or Peter? My head started spinning. He had been looking at Keanu all day. Was it the look of the guilty?
I walked down the hallway from which the murderer had run, hoping to find something–anything–to prove any case for Pua, Malakai, or Peter.
But there was no evidence.
A few guards noticed me walking alone and escorted me to my room, saying they were doing a full sweep of the palace.
As we walked to my room, more guards joined.
The palace now had the highest and fullest security I’d ever seen.
Guards on every corner. Servants being checked before entering any room.
When I reached the bedroom, I stepped onto the balcony. Malu hovered in the air nearby, and I gaped. Though it was night, the sky was ablaze beyond the mountain, no doubt flames coming from the crops.
Please be safe, Keanu. And that was when I heard it, as if I was being reminded of my dwindling time to break the curse: the drum beats. Were the night marchers here tonight?
Please don’t be here for Keanu, I begged Kāne. And that was when I realized. If I didn’t want Keanu to be cursed to an afterlife of a night marcher, there was only one thing to do…
Play the deadliest game. Even if it ripped out my heart.