But what if fighting for it was pointless? Had I already failed in ways I couldn’t undo? A tight lump formed in my throat. I shook my head, trying to force the dark thoughts away. The island needed me. There were endless negotiations to plan, endless decisions to make. I had to keep moving, had to keep my hands in the soil of my people’s land, even if my heart felt like it was slipping away.
The day draggedon like a snail crossing over a field of dirt. When the banquet finally arrived, I was relieved to see Aulani sitting at my right hand side, as usual. She didn’t say much to my mind, and that worried me.
Things went well today,she said, but she was distant. Her eyes kept scanning the table, looking at Tavo then me, then the food. My brother ate with confidence and gusto, aware of the tension he was causing.
“We’re honoring our father,” I told him before the banquet. “Let’s try to act like we’re friends for his sake. We don’t want to dishonor his legacy.”
Tavo laughed and nodded, but said, “What do you know of legacy, Ezra? All you’re going to do is shatter what our forefathers started…”
But we didn’t speak more because guests began arriving and we greeted them. Tonight there were more family membersthan nobles, and Kalei’s entire family–including her parents and siblings–were also present.
If there was ever a time I felt more pressure in my place as king, it was now. Yet, everyone played their parts well. Tavo did not say one thing about politics or his foreign ideologies, but, instead, entertained the table with stories of his life in foreign lands. He had so many exotic tales, having seen so many things, I began to feel smaller and smaller.
When asked about Cressida, Tavo said things were rocky between them. “And, as you all probably know by now, she’s under arrest for treason.” He shrugged and eyed me. “My brother probably knows more about that. He’s king, after all.”
Want me to splash water on his face?Aulani’s voice piped up in my head and, for a moment, I thought she was back. Back to teasing. Back to making me laugh. Instead, she only looked annoyed.
Maybe later.
The corner of her lip turned up and I was glad to have made her smile, if only a little.
After the dinner, we moved to the dance floor.
“Will you dance with me?” I asked Aulani and she nodded, taking my hand in hers. As we swayed together, it dawned on me…
This is it.Tonight she’d go to the sea.
The old man in the village hadn’t been able to find a way for her to stay.
Nobody had.
So she’d find her realm tonight and call the sea to help her get back to it. I asked her to stay, tried to find a way for her to stay, but… there was nothing we could do. The sea witch’s magic was too powerful. Unbreakable.
She had to go back and marry Prince Ryker, or she would die.
I held her a little closer to me, feeling her warmth, soaking in her salty, coconut beach scent, and wishing things were different. She rested her head against my chest, and I felt it: her longing, unspoken grief.
Our time is up.
And just as I thought that, apusounded, ringing loud and clear. Everyone stopped, the music faded, and all eyes turned to see Tavo with the conch shell, standing near the throne. He sat on it, folded his arms, and smiled at me.
“Now that all our family is here, I think it’s about time they knew the truth, don’t you Ezra?”
My blood went cold, though Aulani’s hand in mine was warm.
“What are you talking about?”
Tavo spoke to the people. “Ezra does not have true islander’s blood. And because he’s not truly one of ours, he plans to do exactly what Cressida did, except in his own manipulative way.” He leaned forward, loud enough so we all could hear. “He’s going to close the island to foreign trade, and cut this land off from the outside world. As it grows stronger with weapons and technology, we grow weaker. And when we are weak, foreign powers take over us so easily, we have no way to defend ourselves. Ezra is making us vulnerable. There’s a balance in all things, and he hasn’t found it.”
My stomach tightened. “That’s not what I’m doing at all, Tavo. You know it. I’m negotiating with foreigners. We’re going to allow them in, just with guidelines and restrictions.”
“If we don’t start trading and moving now,” Tavo interrupted, “they’re going to swoop in and take over.” He was instilling fear in our people, in our family.
“We must honor the ways of our ancestors and respect the ‘aina,” I started, but Tavo was louder. He had always been louder.
“I take my rightful place as king.” Gasps rippled through the crowd.
“You can’t do that.” I shook my head and nodded to my guards, but they hesitated. And that’s when I realized… the room was being flooded with foreigners.
