Baker gestured and the rest of the guards left the boat, probably going to resume their positions. “Why are you here, Okalani?” she asked.
The kid blinked and snuffled. Tears were running freely now, but she didn’t dare move to wipe them away. “I wanted to talk to the princess. I want to know about the mainland.”
The guard shook her head. “You had to know how dangerous it was. Word of what happened to this boat is all over the island. The queen provided the princess with guards for a reason.”
The girl tensed beneath me and even through her tears I got a sense of stubborn anger. She was determined. She had balls, too. More balls than brains, actually. Pinned to the ground, knife at her neck, and she was still going to argue. “I want to meet my father.” There was pain in that simple statement, so much pain that I cringed. Because I have my own daddy issues. I still have nightmares about him turning his back on me.
“Not going to happen,” Baker said. Her voice was a little more kindly. Well, not kind, exactly, but less hostile. “You know that.”
The kid turned her head, not wanting to meet Baker’s eyes, and I had to pull the knife back a little or she would’ve cut herself.
“Why not?” I asked as I climbed off of the kid and put the knife back in its sheath.
“Mom sent him away with my baby brother. I’d be with them, but my mother thinks the mainland is too dangerous.” The kid snuffled again as she scooted herself into a sitting position and started digging in her pockets. She pulled out a tissue that looked a little worse for wear and began blowing her nose noisily.
Baker squatted down so that she was eye-to-eye with the kid. I took a few steps back, giving them room. It was obvious the guard knew the family. Maybe she could talk some sense into this Okalani. Probably not. It was painfully obvious that the kid was stubborn and headstrong. But it was worth a try and Baker was making the effort. “She’s not wrong, you know. If the princess was a full vampire, you’d have been dead before we could get to the boat.”
“There aren’t any vampires on the island.”
“True,” Baker admitted. “No werewolves, either. But there are on the mainland.”
“I wouldn’t be out after dark on the mainland,” the kid countered, her jaw jutting out aggressively. “I’m not stupid.”
“And yet you’re here.” I flashed the fangs again.
My sarcasm was not well received. Well, not by the kid. Baker gave a snort of amusement.
“I don’t belong here.” Wow, the despair those four words could hold. I felt her pain in my own chest.
Baker shook her head. “I get that. I do. Once you’re an adult you can do what you want. But you’re not old enough. Not yet. It may seem like forever, but it’s only a couple more years.”
“My mother doesn’t want me to leave at all,” Okalani said resentfully.
Baker gave a snort that might have been laughter. “Of course not. She’s your mother. Once you’re of age, she can’t stop you. Until then . . .”
“I’m trapped.”
God, she sounded bitter. Baker had been trying to be nice, but her patience was limited. I watched as her expression hardened, her gray eyes darkening to the color of storm clouds. “Yes. You are.”
I turned away from the two of them, my attention attracted by movement on the island. There was a lit path into the woods—probably the same one I’d walked earlier today—and someone was coming our way. I concentrated, deliberately getting my eyes to do the vampire hyperfocus. It took a few seconds, but I finally got it to happen. A guard was approaching, accompanied by a woman who bore a strong resemblance to Okalani. She had that scared-frustrated-angry look on her face that you see so often on the mothers of teenagers.
The guard on the path gave a call sign. One of the two on the dock answered. Once they’d been given the all clear, the mother and her escort stepped onto the dock.
I’d moved away to stand at the railing and was only half-listening to Baker explain that I’d thought I was being attacked. She told the siren that I’d had a knife at her daughter’s throat when the guards came on board and that because Okalani had broken the law by boarding the boat she was liable to be facing legal charges.
“She’s very lucky to be alive,” Baker finished.
Okalani’s mother tried to hide it, but I saw her give a tiny, full-body shudder at what might have happened. Still, her voice was cold and controlled when she spoke to her daughter. “You should apologize to the princess.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Okalani stood. I watched her take a deep breath. Gathering her courage, she walked past her mother, toward me. I turned and waited.
“I’m sorry. I wanted—” She stopped, swallowing hard. The tears were perilously close to returning, but she fought them back. “I wanted to talk to you and I knew they wouldn’t let me see you. But I shouldn’t have done it. I’m sorry.”
“I forgive you. But you need to be more careful. People have been trying to kill me. I thought you were one of them. Normally I don’t hesitate when I’m defending myself. You were really, really lucky tonight.”
She shivered. I hoped she was remembering the cold, razor-edged blade against her throat, the fangs, or both.
It was important she remember. But it was also important that she get a chance to talk to someone about the mainland. Because if she didn’t, she was liable to do something even more stupid than sneaking onto Bubba’s boat. She was desperate. I understood because I’d felt exactly the same way when I was only a little younger than she was now. I’d gone looking for my father. I’d found him with his new family. He’d turned his back on me. I hadn’t believed that was possible. I’d believed that he loved me enough . . . and he hadn’t. You can’t protect kids from everything. But I’d spare anyone that kind of pain if I could. “Look, I don’t know how long I’m going to be here or what my schedule is going to be like. But if it’s okay with your mother and we can work it out, I’m willing to sit down with you and have a talk.”
Her face lit up like a Christmas tree. “You are?”
“If it’s okay with your mom.”
She turned to her mother, her expression pleading.
Her mother’s face was impassive. “We’ll see.” She turned to Baker. “Can we go?”
Baker nodded. “Yes. If the princess isn’t going to press charges, you can take Okalani home.”
She turned to her daughter. “Go home. Get in bed and stay there. We’re going to have a talk when I get home.”
The way she said the word “talk” made it very clear who would be talking and who would be listening. But the kid was smart enough not to argue this time.
“Yes, ma’am.” She ducked her head, gathered her power, and vanished.
The instant she was gone, her mother closed her eyes and shuddered. It took her a moment to pull herself together. When she managed it, she turned to Baker. “If you’d be so kind, I’d like to speak to the princess privately.”
Baker gave me an inquiring look. Apparently I was in charge. I guess it came with the title. “Sure. No problem.”
She waited until Baker was on the dock before coming to stand beside me at the railing. Still, at least two of the guards were in earshot. So it didn’t surprise me when she decided to talk to me mind-to-mind.
Thank you for not killing my daughter.
I try not to kill people unless it’s really necessary. It still wasn’t easy for me to communicate this way, but I was willing to work at it. Because this was obviously important to her. But it really was a close call.
I noticed that. She shivered. Hugging herself tight, she turned, looking out to the ocean in the distance. I didn’t say anything, just waited as she searched for the right words. I love her so much, but I’m not sure what to do with her. I hate admitting that. But . . . her talent is so strong. The queen suggested that she might join the guards. She could be useful moving troops on a moment’s notice, without a trace. But she hates it here. The other children pick on her so cruelly.