Chapter 15
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
THREE DAYS LEFT
“Have you ever done this before?” I asked as I stepped into the water, feeling the warm waves caressing my skin.
Keanu examined the spear in his hand, then shook his head. “I’m afraid not.”
I glanced at the midday sun, grateful for the nice weather and the crystal blue water ahead of us. Two islands sat in the distance, and I had no doubt we’d eventually swim to one of them.
Keanu stood next to me, and, for the briefest moment, I saw a smile on his face. It was filled with peace and calm, an expression that seemed so foreign after all we’d been through.
After we returned from the war camp, the last couple of days were busy with funerals and burial ceremonies. Meeting with and comforting widows. My eyes grew watery each time we met the families mourning the loss of their loved ones.
Keanu formally announced that our people would no longer prepare for war.
But despite the good news, the kingdom still seemed uneasy about the approaching warlord, as reported by Malakai.
He said the people of ‘Anolani Kingdom believed the rumors about the warlord, and how he turned those he conquered into slaves.
“Is it really worth the price?” Malakai asked.
“Our people will suffer because you choose not to join Kalani and fight this warlord.” I overheard the two talking in the hallway as they walked away one night.
Keanu hardly slept in the room. We drank ginger tea together, but then he’d leave, spending his time and nights counseling with his advisors and captains, and sometimes traveling away to spy, hoping to glimpse the approaching warlord.
But he dedicated his days to me.
After a few days of mourning and funerals, and hardly a chance to be alone with Keanu, he asked if I could show him how to spearfish. I was delighted, and here we were.
Ever since our chat on the cliff edge, and that romantic kiss, we knew we were playing the deadliest game. So death was inevitable.
We must make the most of our time then…
“What are you thinking about?” I asked, and Keanu blinked, as if returning from his peaceful thoughts.
“Oh. It’s just beautiful out here.” He turned to me and smiled. “You’re beautiful.”
I sighed. “You don’t have to lie, Keanu. I know that I’m homely.”
“Did someone tell you that, or do you believe that about yourself?” he asked.
I shrugged. “Both. But it’s also the truth that I’m just not very pretty. Not like Kiki.”
Keanu remained quiet, then he folded his arms. His patience was charming.
I added, “My father always used to say Kiki was the blossom of Ka‘u. She is a lot more talented and motherlike than I am.” At that, I frowned. “Keanu, can I ask you something?”
“Of course.” He stepped closer, and I realized it was the first time I had sought him for any kind of counsel or advice.
“Kiki and Peter have been seeing each other.”
“They have?” The king grinned, then paused. “Are you worried for her?”
“Sort of. I trust her judgment but… at the same time, I don’t trust Peter.”
“Why not?”
“He’s so… serious. Never smiles. Watches your every move…” I licked my lips before asking, “Do you believe Peter would treat my sister well?”
“Peter is a good man. He’s like a brother to me.” Keanu unfolded his arms and watched the water reflections on his hand. “When we were younger, I saved his life. He got caught in a current. I took a canoe out and rescued him.”
I blinked. So was Peter keeping an eye on Keanu because he feared the king would be murdered again?
“He’s always had my back,” Keanu said. “He’s pono, just like his father. Always keeps his word.” He shrugged. “He was courting a young woman from the kingdom a while ago. She broke his heart, and, truthfully, he hasn’t been the same since.”
I thought about it.
“Do you trust my judgment?” Keanu asked.
Silence. Then, I slowly nodded. “I’m beginning to.”
“Well, then trust me when I say that you’re stunning.” His fingers grazed my cheek, and it made me feel like being pulled into an endless current. “Moon of my tide.” He smiled.
I cleared my throat, changing the subject. The mood had turned too sweet. Too tender, because Keanu listened to me. Showed he really cared.
“It’s beautiful out here because Kāne has made it so. He gives love, life, and light to all of this. The ‘aina would not be what it is without his power.”
Keanu looked down. “I know. I’ve known it my whole life, I just…” His voice trailed off.
“What exactly did you do to anger Kāne?” I asked.
Keanu sighed. He wore a simple shirt and trousers, but his shirt was open quite a bit, revealing his chest and all the white hair-like scars across it. I had never seen so many muscles on a man.
Stop staring. I quickly looked away.
The chief didn’t answer for a moment, but I waited patiently too.
He twirled the spear in his hand before holding it at his side and saying, “I ignored Kāne, especially after my parents died. I felt as though he asked me to keep the foreigners in the land because they’d help us learn so much and we’d advance as a society.
So when my parents got sick, because of the introduction of diseases, I was mad at Kāne. Not for long, but I did something.”
“What?”
“I had his heiau torn down.”
I gasped and looked in the direction of the pile of rocks I’d seen on the first day I arrived here.
My suspicions were right, and it was not a coincidence that the rocks were there.
Keanu had, indeed, taken down a sacred site, one where anyone could go for refuge, a temple where people could worship Kāne.
“I do not judge you if you consider me lower than the dust of the earth,” Keanu said. “I am ashamed of what I did, but I was angry at the time.”
“You tore down the heiau, but you still obeyed Kāne and didn’t cast the foreigners out.” I frowned. “Why?”
“Because I care for my people. More than anything else.” He sighed. “And the foreigners have become my people just as much as any others who live here. I don’t even call them foreigners anymore, but family. Peter is just as much a brother to me as Malakai.”
I hesitated. Should I tell Keanu my suspicions about either of them? One of them spilled tea about Keanu’s bargain to Kalani. But who? And why? What would it benefit either of them to betray Keanu?
Before I could say something, Keanu said, “What would you do, Oliana, if you did what I did?”
“I’d make amends with Kāne by rebuilding the heiau, but making it bigger and putting the utmost care into it.”
He smiled at me, and, for a moment, it seemed like he was rather… proud of me. Color rose in my cheeks.
Tell him about the betrayers, Oli… He trusted me, I could see it in his eyes. He trusted my counsel. He didn’t even know me, yet he trusted me.
“I’ll do it for you.”
For you. I was melting…
He then changed the topic. “I’m looking forward to this.” Keanu examined the sharp pointed ‘ō. “Would you care to show me how this is done?”
As I took it from him, my healing shoulder wound caused me to wince a little. It was taking longer to heal than I anticipated.
“Are you alright?” Keanu touched my arm, his eyes on the bandage. “Would you like the doctor to look over it again?”
I laughed. “I’m not fragile, Keanu.”
He didn’t laugh though. “You saved my life, Oliana. It could have been much worse.”
Not knowing what to say, I shrugged.
“I’m glad I didn’t lose you,” he said.
I swallowed hard, then couldn’t believe myself when I said, “It was worth it.”
The smile that touched the king’s face was so radiant, I quickly changed the subject. I was not the one to flirt with him, and there I was. Flirting. It was so unlike myself, but I kind of… liked it. To see that smile was priceless.
I changed the subject and started showing Keanu how I used the spear. It was hard not to get close to him, our hands touching at times. And whenever I thought he was paying attention to something I showed him, I found him watching me. It made my stomach go crazy.
After briefing him on all the things I could think of, we took small canoes out into the deep. I kept my attention on the water, mostly to avoid staring at him. Keanu had removed his shirt, and it was difficult to think around him like that.
For the rest of the day, I showed him how to find the best kind of fish, how to sink with the pōhaku kōi, where to look for the fish, and where to aim once one got close enough. My shoulder made it a little more challenging to aim accurately, so I couldn’t help but feel disappointed at times.
We also couldn’t go too deep, because Keanu did not have the experience or training like I did, but we still managed to catch a few colorful fish.
Keanu showed nothing but patience and compassion, especially with my shoulder wound. He was a natural at diving and fishing. Of course.
The water was clear as a crystal, something I was not used to, but that I adored. I could get used to living in this kingdom–if I survived.
Don’t think about it too much, Oli.
By the time we finished, a few rainbow colored fish sat in the canoe, and the sun began setting. As we pulled our canoes to shore, I couldn’t help but smile. I had missed this so much, that returning to the ocean to fish had filled my soul. I had to soak it in, even if it was for a moment.
“Did you think of a riddle while we were out there?” Keanu asked, drawing me from my content thoughts.
I chuckled. “I did, but it’s silly, just like all of the other riddles I’d come up with.
” Not to mention it was darker than the other ones I came up with.
But being here made me realize I was somewhat free.
While I wasn’t free from the curse that bound my life to a strict time limit, I was free from my father.
I was free from Pulu. I was free from poverty, as was my family.
“I want to hear it,” Keanu said, pulling my canoe in and taking the line of fish to carry back to the palace.
“Let’s see how long it takes for you to get it.” I couldn’t help but smile, hoping I might stump Keanu.
“He hunts the sea but not his kin,
The bottle’s his prize, his family thin.
Words escape him, his love has turned,
For in his drink, his heart is burned.”
Keanu frowned. “A drunk fisherman?”
“Ae.” I laughed. “How did you solve that so quickly? Do you know which drunk fisherman this riddle refers to?”
His eyes grew dark. “Your father?”
“Ae.” I reached out and took Keanu’s hand, but he didn’t hold it like he normally did. He seemed distracted.
“Did your father ever hurt you?” he asked.
“Not often.”
“Oliana–”
“Oli,” I corrected, feeling rather light at the moment. I hadn’t really ever felt so free as I did then. I wanted to enjoy the moment.
“Oli?” Keanu looked bothered, but perhaps he was just thinking about too many things.
“You can call me Oli.” I stopped and faced him.
We were alone on the path, and to say I was feeling drawn to Keanu was an understatement.
It had been a lovely day spearfishing. Keanu was easy to teach, and enjoyed listening to my stories out at sea.
Truly, I was feeling more free than I had in weeks, months, maybe even years.
“Oli…” He seemed worried. “Look. I wanted to tell you something…”
That he loves me? My heart was on fire. He had said so many things, but never that. Would his words of love cause me to recognize the budding feelings I had for him?
I faced him, realizing that I was starting to trust Keanu. Starting to share things with him I’d never shared before. I hadn’t even told anyone about the riddles, not even recited one to another person. But here he was, enjoying it. Enjoying being with me.
“Oli, the first person I bargained with… the one before you…”
I wiped my sticky, salty hair from my face and whipped it back into a big, messy bun.
“It was your father, Iosefa.”
My hands dropped and a sinking feeling went into the depths of my stomach. Life had improved since father was not there to hurt my family anymore but still… he was my father. There would always be a part of me that longed for his love and acceptance.
And maybe, deep down, I always hoped father would change. That one day he’d stop drinking.
Everything made sense now though. My father had received an inordinate amount of riches, but he would not say who it was from. He spent it all on drink, and died so quickly after that, I thought it was alcohol poisoning but…
He lived one month, and then died. My fingers felt all tingly. The note on Keanu’s desk regarding the first bargain was about my father.
“I’m truly sorry, Oli. I was selfish. I should have told you sooner too.” There he stood, vulnerable. Completely apologetic. Sincere. My throat burned.
“Why?” It was the only thing I could think to say at the moment.
“I, well…” Keanu ran his fingers through his hair and took a breath. “I judged him. Just thought he was a man squandering his life. Figured I would be doing our islands a favor. I thought my position as king and what I do has greater significance than what he was doing.”
“So you decided whether his life was worth living or not? And you made a deal when he was inebriated–completely incapable of making a sound decision?” Disgust filled me… at my father and Keanu.
“I was desperate to get back.” Keanu rubbed his face. “You know the night marchers are bound to the paths of the ala hele, so I saw an opportunity when he was in my path. I’m so sorry, Oli. I was a fool to think I knew better.”
I turned away, trying to think. How could I forgive him for such a thing?
“Keanu!”
We both jumped as Peter came running down the path. “Keanu!” He was out of breath, but his attention turned to me. “I have an urgent message for the queen.”
My mind was a mess but for whatever reason, my eye was drawn to the sword hanging from his belt. The hilt of it looked similar to…
The hilt of the dagger. Except Peter’s hilt had a blue gem, not violet. Urgency coated Peter’s voice.
“What’s the message for the queen?” Keanu asked and my stomach filled with more dread. I knew the words that would come out of Peter’s mouth before he even said them.
“Milady.” He bowed to me, his blue eyes sorrowful. “I have grave news.”
Keanu squeezed my hand, as if he were bracing himself too.
Peter bowed his head. “Your mother is dead.”