Page 73 of Ghosts and Ginger Tea

Someone began chanting the riddle:

“E ho‘opa‘i nā pahu,

Pā‘ani i ka hihiu loa.

E lilo i ho‘okahi me ka aka,

E ho‘ā i ke ahi mau loa.”

I kept my eyes down, but couldn’t help drifting them to the river, where there was a clear reflection. The night marchers kept a steady pace with the beating drums. And that drum beat seemed to slow when I recognized a reflection of the shadowy figures.

I could point him out easily. Not only did I meet him in this form once before, but I held his hand, kissed him, and loved him.

I love Keanu. That was the truth, making my heart soar farther than the owl in the sky. I love him. And that love only grew as I saw who he escorted home to Kāne.

Kalani. The man looked exhausted, worn down from the battle against Kamehameha. There were thousands of fallen soldiers marching home, escorted by Keanu and the other night marchers.

Once again, this was proof that Keanu had changed. He had changed so much that he even escorted his enemy, in mortal life, home to Kāne.

His heart is willing! He did it… Keanu had become one with the shadow!

Then it hit me. If he loved me so much, to even sacrifice himself for me, then what could I give to him?

Light the eternal flame.

Keanu once asked who would light the eternal flame for him. And I finally understood. Finally knew where it should be lit, and who should do it.

Me. I would do it for the night marcher I loved.

As soon as the night marchers disappeared and silence replaced the beating of the drums, I prepared my group to return home, even though it was night.

I didn’t want to waste any more time. I loved Keanu, and I had to do this now or never.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

We returned to the kingdom by the next evening, so I carried a lantern as I made my way to the heiau. It was still not finished, but there were priests sitting at the entrance, white kahili marking that the place was sacred to Kāne, and that it was a place of refuge and safety.

The priests stood and bowed to me. “It’s late, Your Highness,” said one.

“I must enter,” I said. “For Keanu.”

They gave each other a look, then moved to the side.

I walked ahead, feeling a surge of power as I stepped on the sacred ground.

The salty sea air whipped my hair around, but I didn’t hesitate to walk to the altar at the end of the grassy area. The two torches by the altar were dead, further proving to me that this might work.

Words from a book in Keanu’s room resurfaced: The torches at the heiau should always be lit, an eternal flame that welcomes all to worship the gods… Someone who willingly lights the torches again can make restitution for the one who put out the light.

I placed the lantern on the altar, then took a torch nearby and lit it using the flame from the lantern. I used that torch to light the other one.

I looked up to the heavens, though the clouds covered the waning full moon.

“I am as guilty as Keanu,” I said, hoping that Kāne was listening. “I want to become one with the shadow. I am willing. Let me take his place. He deserves to live.”

It was so out of character for me to do this. Every logical thought told me this was a terrible idea, and how could Kāne hear me? I never outright spoke to him before, so why would he listen now?

As if in response, it started raining. It wasn’t a light rain, but a thunderous one, and lightning began to explode in the sky.