Malia shook her head. “You heard what Sereth said. I was a baby, orphaned at birth. I’m no queen. I never wanted that. I also betrayed the royal family with the poisoned apple. Not only must I pay for my crimes, but I’m not worthy to take the crown. I must seek a formal pardon before taking any crown, whether it’s my right or not.”
“That’s fair. And once your crimes have been pardoned or paid, we should let the people decide,” Elias said gently but firmly. “I am still married to Serethso I’m still the king of Moanalei. We can go back, hear their voice, and respect their wishes for their chosen ruler.”
He then added, “And we can choose an appropriate punishment for the poisoned apple, though… I think once all things are explained and brought to light, you will be pardoned.”
Malia swallowed and nodded. “That sounds fair.” Then she added. “But even if the people do vote for me as queen, I don’t have the bloodline.”
At that, the counselor stepped forward and unrolled a document. “I’ve served the royal family all my life,” he said. “And once someone is recorded as family—blood or not—they are royalty.”
He turned to Malia. “You, Malia, are the daughter of a queen. Heir to Moanalei’s throne, even before Sereth.” The counselor continued. “Your father was a whaler, a member of the Black Star crew. Your mother was a woman at the ports. She died at childbirth, but begged the queen to take care of her child. The queen requested this information be kept a secret, but…” He shrugged. “Since you have all found out, might as well let the world know.”
Malia’s eyes went wide and she froze, overwhelmed. Maybe even stunned. I watched, my chest tightening as Elias looked at her like she was a miracle.
And then it hit me: Elias was noble. He was a prince–well, the actual king of Moanalei. Malia was a princess. All Elias had to do was divorce Sereth and marry Malia.
He must’ve loved Malia longer. And now that she might become the next queen of Moanalei…
For a breath, I believed I would lose her. And this wouldn’t be the first time. I had just claimed her as mine and now… was I a fool to say such words? A fool to think she’d want me?
My insides twisted.
But then Malia turned to me, searching my face like I was her true anchor. “If I’m fit to rule, I’ll only do it,” she said, “If you’re beside me.”
My heart melted right then and there. The flicker of fear dissolved into fierce devotion. Elias smiled at me and nodded. “The people love him. He’s already a man of power and wealth.” Then he tipped his head to Malia. “A fine choice.”
She reached out her hand and I took it, my head spinning. This meant I could become King of Moanalei. That wasnothow I imagined things would go.
The counselor’s words had barely settled when murmurs rose from the gathered crew and the handful of Moanalei courtiers who had survived the voyage. Some bowed low to Malia without hesitation. Others kept their chins high, their eyes darting between her and Elias like they were already calculating where power might land.
“It will not be easy,” another counselor warned, glancing at me as much as at Malia. “Many in the court feared Sereth but also benefited from her reign. Some will resist your claim. And the people…” he hesitated. “They will want proof you can lead them without falling into the same shadows.”
Malia straightened, still holding my hand. “Then I will give them proof. Not with titles or decrees, but with actions.”
A young courtier, barely more than a boy, stepped forward. His face was pale, but his voice rang clear. “The docks of Moanalei are already in unrest. Sereth’s loyalists will stir trouble when they hear she’s fallen.” He looked between us. “If you return, be ready for their claws.”
Elias nodded grimly. “The throne is more than a crown. It’s a storm. You must both be ready to weather it together.”
I glanced at Malia. She didn’t flinch—not from the warning, not from the weight of what was coming. She met every gaze on the deck with a calm that told me she’d already decided.
“Then we face the storm,” she said.
It wasn’t a coronation. It wasn’t the easy handover of power fairy tales liked to promise. But in that moment, I saw the truth: she was already becoming the queen the people would need. And I’d just promised to stand beside her through both.
And then, like sunlight breaking through cloud cover, a ripple of relief spread through the ship. Several of the courtiers came forward, voices warm, congratulating her on her return and offering blessings for the journey ahead. One older woman clasped Malia’s hands and smiled through tears. “You’ve chosen well,” she said, nodding toward me. “Moanalei will be stronger for it.”
When the twins approached Malia, they all paused.
“We’re sorry,” Lilo said, her voice raw.
Malia shook her head… not in rejection, but in a quiet, knowing way. Her gaze lingered on them, and for a heartbeat, the silence between them was heavy with all the things that could never be undone.
“A part of me will never forget the fire,” she said softly. “Or the fear. Or the nights I wondered if I’d ever wake up again. But I also know the girl and boy I loved are still there. And I’d rather fight to keep that than lose you forever.”
Her voice trembled, but she stepped forward, arms open. The twins didn’t hesitate. They fell into her embrace, clinging like they were afraid she might change her mind. There wasn’t a dry eye on the deck.
Except, well…
Sereth stood to the side, watching everything with hatred in her eyes. The guards were about to take her below deck when Elias stopped them. Just for a moment, they faced each other for the first time in years.
