A/N: The theme for this chapter is, "Traitor" by Olivia Rodrigo 😆 happy reading!

Halo

Leilani's mouth plopped open and closed over and over, yet not a squeak came from her. Halo tossed the necklace on the bed and stumbled back, tears pricking his eyes.

"This cannot be real," he said breathlessly. "It's not real, right?"

The exact same necklace Vaea owned. The one precious to him, the only gift from his mother before she disappeared after killing the King.

The one he was meant to give to the person he loved. That necklace was in Leilani's possession. His Leilani.

"Can you please say something?" He begged, a desperate croak in his voice.

She finally met his eyes. And hers were empty. "Whatever you're putting together...it's true."

His chest burned. It felt like his skin was on fire, a feeling that only seemed to be consuming him. Halo couldn't believe this. He wished for thunder to strike him.

"The man you're in love with... its Vaea? My Vaea? My younger brother Vaea? The King Vaea of Kukoa? That Vaea?"

"Yes," she admitted lowly.

"Why wouldn't you... why didn't you tell me sooner? When did this happen? Why my brother!" Halo exploded, a mess of tears.

"It was always going to be him, Halo," Leilani said, somehow stomping on his heart further. "It was always Vaea. This is why I didn't want you back. I didn't want you to keep trying."

Halo stared incredulously. Did the past three years change everything that drastically? Vaea, his little brother, the man who actively discouraged him from pursuing Leilani ever since he returned? The man who had done nothing but lie to him since he stepped foot in his homeland.

When did they find time to fall in love? And why would he lie about it all?

With every passing second, Halo fell further into a hole of wanting to hurt his brother.

"You were supposed to marry me," Halo forced out. "You were my betrothed. When did you find the time to fall in love with my brother? Did it happen while I was gone?"

Leilani sat down on her bed, crossing her legs. Her calm demeanor only ruined Halo's emotions further. It was like she didn't care at all. He didn't recognize her.

"It was earlier than that," she said.

"Earlier than that? While we were together?"

Sigh. That's all she did-sigh. As if this was all an inconvenience. As if his world was not being torn apart at the seams.

"I might as well tell you the whole truth now that we're being honest," she muttered. "I did love you, Halo. But I never loved you the same way I love Vaea. I loved you. But I am in love with your brother."

I'm being used in the past tense. I'm nothing anymore.

"Vaea was the one I always wanted. But my parents did not approve of my choice. Our fathers had an arrangement, one I'm sure you no nothing about. In exchange for a marriage between one of us, my father would be granted larger land in Kukoa, while his land and alliances in Tenso would be handed over to the old King to strengthen the kingdom for wartime.

"I was the most eligible Hira child, as I was both of your preferences. I loved Vaea before everything, Halo. Before you, before our fathers. But we kept it a secret, because I knew how Vaea was seen by my family. They found him to be unworthy of me. That a daughter of my stature was worth at least a fully whiteheaded Prince. So they made me pursue you. They made me fall for you. And of course, to honour my family I would do anything."

Halo's face was drenched at this point. He just wanted to go home. Wrong, he wanted to leave. He wanted to go far away and forget he ever came back.

"So our love was a political move?" Halo asked weakly.

Leilani nodded somberly. "I had to leave Vaea and pretend to love you to please my father. But I still saw Vaea in secret. I planned to tell you, but your feelings for me were genuine. I could not risk my family name."

He felt so stupid. Vaea was the ear. He would listen on end to how perfect Halo thought Leilani was. He would listen to Halo compare her to the sun, moon and stars and whatever nonsense poets wrote about. He sat there in silence, probably laughing to himself at how much of an idiot his brother was.

That damned bastard.

"Why did you pretend to be angry that I left?" Halo asked, defeated. "Why did you let me think you were hurt by it?"

"I wanted you to stop pursuing me, but you would not," Leilani shook her head. "I was finally about to marry Vaea when you came back. Then everything was in shambles. You wanted me back and ruined everything. All of the kingdom now knows of your return. Everything has changed once again."

So he was the one in the way?

Halo angrily wiped his face, in utter disbelief. But too many things didn't fit together. Too many things failed to make sense. To him at least.

"So you're in love with the man that exiled your family?" Halo asked coldly. "Or was that a lie as well?"

Leilani frowned. "No, he did exile my family. They would not approve of our marriage, and they were plotting against Vaea as well. He allowed Yunoa and Misty to stay, but the rest of them were exiled to Tenso."

"So then why were you crying a few days ago? Why were you in such a state?"

"Because of you!" Leilani yelled, shooting up from the bed. "My family delivered a message to Vaea, saying that the only marriage they will ever approve is one to you. My Uncle and Mother said that even if the King threatened to execute them, they would not return or give their blessing for a Feigling like him to marry their most beloved daughter. "

To think that Vaea pretended to be so clueless. To think that this must have been hilarious for him, to watch Halo go and pursue a woman he knew whose heart belonged to him. If Vaea was entertained by something so cruel, Malia was right about him.

He really was the worst. And Leilani was no better.

Halo blinked numbly at her. "So if I married you back then... if I never ran away... you would have simply kept seeing my brother behind my back?"

She stared at him, blank blue eyes and no answer. Her eyes used to be so beautiful to him, now they just looked dull and lifeless. Nothing was true about her at all.

Halo paced around the room, the anger surging in his veins but not feeling quite like he hoped it would. He was angry, but he felt so weak. Like nothing, he was a used shoe just tossed aside after the heels were worn down.

"All our moments...everything we shared... and all this time you imagined him in my place," Halo muttered with a bitter laugh. "I am such an idiot."

"I am truly sorry, your highness," she suddenly said, her voice soft. It made him scoff.

"No you aren't," Halo snapped. "You must be relieved you get to run into his arms. Will you still love him after he has hurt so many people?"

"Don't accuse him of such awful things. Vaea wouldn't do something like that, you must be mistaken," she argued.

Halo shook his head in disbelief. So she was dumb and blind as well. "Did you not see the state of Finn when we rescued him? You must-"

"You don't know him like I do," she interrupted with a glare.

"Clearly not!"

"Prince Halo, I think it is best if you left."

His heart hurt. No matter how strong he tried to force himself to be under all the embarrassment, he still felt the hollow ache in his chest that made him want to sob all over again.

"So I suppose this is all over then," he sniffled. "Are you going to marry Vaea then? Are you going to tell him I know where the fugitives are?"

Panic settled in his stomach, the feeling a churning one. He only realized Malia and the others were in danger and so was he. If Leilani spilled all she knew to her beloved they were all doomed.

Her shoulders sighed. "I'm not going to tell him, Halo."

He rose an eyebrow. "And why not?"

"Because of you. Clearly you don't want me to, and like I said, I do still love you, your highness. I've come to love you with the time I've spent with you. You're a kind, gentle man with a big heart, and I'll always value your friendship. It is precious, which is why you shouldn't hand it out to people who will misuse it."

Leilani dared to step closer, putting her hand on his shoulder and rubbing it comfortably. Halo stared at her like she lost her mind. "As your friend, I ask that you stay away from Malia and her associates, your highness. They are bad news. You cannot trust anything they spew. I don't want you to get into trouble because you were associated with them."

Halo frowned and chewed the inside of his cheek. How dare she. How dare she call herself his friend after ruining his heart.

"You are not my friend," Halo said, his voice slightly shaking. He was trying his best to not sob again. "I don't want a friend like you who lies to my face. This will be our last meeting, Miss Hira. I will leave you alone from now on."

Her face fell, her mouth forming a 'o'. "I know you're hurt-"

"No, you don't know a thing. I will be leaving now. Excuse me."

Halo flew out of her room, and she stomped after him to his dismay. When he got to the other side of the door, Yunoa and Misty stood in the hallway. Halo paused and stared at them, realizing they had been listening in.

A sharper stab of betrayal pierced his heart as he looked at them. "Did you know about this? That everything was a lie?"

Misty could barely hold his gaze and Yunoa rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. Yunoa was a piece of work, a spoiled son who had less than a spoonful in his brain so Halo didn't expect the truth from him. He preferred Vaea anyway. But Misty... he expected more from her.

"Misty?" Halo turned his body toward her, awaiting a response. "You really watched me be a fool for how many years now? I thought you were my friend."

Misty frowned. "I only found out two years ago, your highness. And I am your friend... I just could not break my silence for various reasons. I'm sorry... I-"

Hearing the excuses only angered him further. Halo simply didn't want to hear anymore. So he stormed out of the Hira farmhouse and marched to his barouche. The Hira siblings stood on the porch and watched him leave. He cursed them in his mind, hoping he'd never have to see this house ever again.