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She pulls me into her arms and crushes me against her chest. We hold onto one another, accepting that life isn’t straightforward, but a series of uphill battles and twists and turns. After a few minutes she lets me go, giving me a courageous smile, a little of the Grandma I’m used to is back. “So, Connie, what are we to do?”
“I’m going to the Palace with you, Grandma.”
She doesn’t try to dissuade me, knowing better than anyone that my mind is made up. Instead, she squeezes my hand. “That’s what I thought you’d say.”
“You aren’t going to try and persuade me to stay here?”
“No, Connie, not this time, but I am going to ask you to trust me. Whatever happens tonight, know that I love you dearly.”
“Of course, I know that already.”
“Good. Now, I need to sleep. Malakai will be here soon, and I need to show these youngsters that whilst I might be old, I am certainly very able.”
“Are you sure you’re up for this?”
“I’m certain I’m ready to put an end to the King’s tyranny. That has to be enough.”
Giving her a gentle kiss on the forehead and pulling her covers up higher, I let her rest. It’s still only the early hours of the morning after all.
Little over an hour later I hear a fist pounding on the front door and ready myself for the inevitable argument. Malakai will feel justified in his anger, but I’m ready for it. Pulling the door open, I’m confronted with the huge frame of Malakai. For a moment he just stands and stares, a multitude of warring emotions tumbling behind his eyes alongside the heavy, lashing rain that pours in rivulets down his skin.
“Why areyouhere?” he says, untold anger blazing.
“Nice to see you too, Malakai,” I respond. Stepping aside I force myself to remain calm.
He storms past me, revealing a rag tag group of four boys and two girls, one who has eyes that remind me of Malakai’s even though they’re a completely different shade. There’s a wildness in them, an untameable energy. I like her immediately.
“Don’t mind him, he’s an arsehole,” I say flippantly, not meaning it, but putting it out there that I’m not someone who will roll over and submit just because his anger is as loud as the thunder rumbling above us. Behind me, Malakai makes a noise that could rival the wild storm battering our little island.
“Couldn’t have put it better myself,” one of the boys’ mutters, giving me a weak smile. He looks like shit, his skin ghostly and tinged green.
“Bad crossing?” I ask, as the group piles into the house, teeth chattering and smelling of the ocean.
“It was hell,” another of the group responds, pulling off his baseball cap and holding his hand out to shake. “My name’s Sonny, thanks for having us here, Ma Silva.”
My mouth drops open and I tip my head back and laugh. “Oh my god, I’ve never,ever, been mistaken for my grandmother. Mum, maybe, but Grandma? Nope. Priceless.” I swipe a hand over my face and grin, they all watch me with guarded expressions. Except this guy Sonny, he’s grinning. “I’m Connie. If you haven’t already guessed, Ma Silva is my grandmother and right now she’s got a headache. This time from a cold,” I lie, “And not from the three glasses of port she usually knocks back every night.” Fact of the matter is, she’s exhausted, emotionally, physically from life, from existing for so long without Grandpa John. A twinge of guilt pangs my heart. Staying away would’ve been better for her, for Malakai’s peace of mind, but not for mine. They either accept I’m here because I’m part of this family too, or they don’t. Either way, I’m in this mess with them.
Shutting the front door, I motion them all to follow me into the kitchen. They pile in behind me and whilst I feel all their eyes on me, I’m acutely aware of Malakai’s angry glare and tight mouth that’s just about holding on to words he wants to cut me with.
“I thought you were on the mainland?” he asks, ignoring everyone else in the room and pinning his gaze on me.
“I caught the ferry home yesterday evening. Grandma needed me,” I shrug.You need me too,I think, but I don’t say that part out loud. “Like I said, she’s feeling a little under the weather. She told me you had to go to Hastings on business. I’m guessing this is the business she was talking about?” I ask, feigning ignorance in front of the new arrivals. It’s probably better for now that I pretend I don’t know exactly what’s going on. Though I’m fully aware that bastard the King has their friend, Pink, and they’re here to rescue her. Dragging my gaze away from Malakai and back to the group, I look at each of them in turn, giving them a warm smile. They’re uncertain of me, Malakai too, by the glances they throw his way. I don’t blame them, he’s an impenetrable arse most of the time. But I know the real him, I’ve seen into his depths and he isn’t the man he tries to convince everyone he is.
The group stand shivering in their drenched clothes. I watch as one of the boys approaches the girl with the lip ring. He’s the one who looks the most ill. I think I heard her refer to him as Eastern, but I can’t be sure. I feel for him, the ocean is unforgiving, and tonight their journey to the island must have been rocky. Thank god Malakai is a good sailor and got them all here in one piece.
“What?” the girl with dark eyes says to him.
“Your lips, they’re blue,” he points out, drawing her into his arms. They stand shivering, whilst the rest look on. The dark-skinned boy with startling topaz eyes frowns. I know that look, it’s a look of possession and want, though he doesn’t appear to be fazed by their affection, the opposite, actually. Interesting.
“You need to get your clothesoff,” Malakai snaps. I turn to face him, but he isn’t looking at the group dripping water onto the kitchen floor, he’s looking at me. My skin flushes in heat as I snatch my gaze away. Plastering a smile on my face, I push away the rush I feel at being in such close proximity to the man I love.
“Clothes off,” Malakai repeats, glaring at the poor girl still encased in the shivering boy’s arms.
“What this brute meant to say is, you should go upstairs and change. All of you. I’m pretty sure none of you want to catch pneumonia. There’s plenty of room for everyone, just avoid the two rooms at the end of the corridor, they’re mine and my Grandma’s. I’ll serve up some breakfast at eight am, that should give you all enough time to freshen up and get warm. There’s an en-suite bathroom in the largest room at the top of the stairs and another bathroom second on the right,” I smile, fully aware that Malakai is boring a hole in the back of my head with his glare. “Help yourself to towels and things…” My voice trails off as they all look at me like I’ve just offered to spill blood or something.
“You’re just going to let a bunch of strangers enter your house, make themselves comfortable and then cook them breakfast?” the boy, I think is called Eastern, asks me.
“Why wouldn’t I?” I shrug.
