Sina

Sina was panicking all the way back to her treehouse. She ran with large bags of money through the town, trying her best to keep to the shadows.

Auntie Lucia was going to kill them. She wanted to kill Malia. Sina wished she was less brave, less willing to put her life on the line. As much as Sina cared about her people, she knew half of them wouldn't do the same.

"Where are we going?" Sud yelled as they darted through the forest. "And what are we supposed to do now?!"

Sina's tree house was deep within the rainforest so that the Police would never discover her potion practice. She had been undercover for years, and bringing Jack and Sud to her safe space was making her blood go cold.

She stopped beneath the ladder and leaned against the bark to take a breath. "You... you can't tell anyone about this. Remember that!"

"She's not going to tell anyone we were involved right?" Sud asked uneasily.

Sina glared. "Of course not! Do you even know her? She gave her word and she'll stick to it!"

"She got arrested, what's going to happen to her?" Jack asked with a frown. "I don't want her to take the fall by herself."

"Then you go turn yourself in as well," Sud answered harshly. "Don't be dumb! We have the money now we have to decide what to do with it."

"We're going to give it back to the people," Sina said pointedly, not liking Sud's tone. "Don't forget why we're doing this. The King is taking our power as people by limiting us in any way he can. We need to care for our own first."

"I'm keeping my bag to restore my parents business, or so they can buy a new plot of land," Sud decided. "I don't care what you guys do. I want to help my parents first."

"That's fine," Sina sighed. "We can keep something for ourselves, but I'm going to give mine and Malia's bags to our community garden and businesses."

"I'll do the same," Jack said with a nod. He looked up at the giant tree house above them, his green eyes amazed. "Is this where you've lived all this time?"

"Yes, do not tell anyone about it. I'm a private person," Sina told them. "Come on, let's keep the bags inside for the night. You guys can sleep over before we go explain to Auntie Lucia Malia's situation."

They climbed the ladder up toward the trapdoor, which Sina pushed open with one hand while holding the bags between her teeth. She tossed them into the corner when she finally made it up, flinging herself onto a chair to think.

Jack and Sud looked around like they were in another world entirely. There were so many plants and books, it looked like a witch den. Pictures of the anatomy of mushrooms and colourful rocks lined the shelves and walls of her home.

"Shouldn't we be trying to get Malia out?" Jack asked into the silence. Sud scoffed at that moment.

"Go against the Royal Guard and police? For something that was her idea anyway? Yeah right!" He ranted. Sina shook her head, mentally accepting that she was wrong about him.

She had thought that experiencing the loss of his parents livelihood would give Sud the compassion and drive he needed to rebel with them, but she was disappointed. It was too late to back out now. And it's not like she could kill him.

"I'm just saying," Jack said annoyedly. "I'd be panicking right now if I was her."

Sina took a heavy breath. It was hard to keep calm but she had to or she would scream. "Malia is a tough girl and she'll survive. I'm going to figure something out, and we are going to save her."

Sud grimaced. "I don't know... it's not a secret that the King doesn't like her. Everyone's heard about her trips to the palace that never end well."

"If you're not going to contribute anything helpful then don't speak," Sina suddenly snapped, glaring hard.

"I'm thinking of how to explain to my best friend's mother that she has been arrested and you're not helping."

Sud rolled his eyes but didn't respond. "I'll go with you, we can talk to her together," Jack said sympathetically. Sina could only smile in gratitude.

"Is that... a potion stand?" Sud narrowed his eyes on the ambiguous object in the corner of the room. Sina's eyes shot up and realized he was staring right at her equipment.

"I thought you just stole those, but you make them? Right here?" Sud's face was stupefied. "Without a license? That's a crime!"

"We just robbed a casino and set it alight I think we're passed the point of being shocked by crime," Jack muttered.

Sud rubbed his face panickedly. "You girls are a lot crazier than I thought," he said, more to himself. "I've been on the scene of so many crimes. We're probably going to get sent to prisons for years-"

Sina loudly groaned over Sud's words to drown him out, tossing her head back against the chair trying to think of a plan.

I'm going to get you out, Malia. Just hold on.

***

Malia

"You must really love my attention."

Malia's knees were starting to bruise with how long she'd been kneeled down on the cream tile floor. Her head tilted back as the edge of a sword rested underneath her chin.

The King had an unsettling smirk on his face as he stared down at her, the opposite of the effect she wanted. She wanted to see him seething, furious, mad. Yet he was acting as though everything had gone according to his plan.

King Vaea was one twisted man.

"You're a horrible leader," Malia spat. "You make me embarrassed to be Kukoan."

The King laughed. "Oh, don't put on your false righteousness. You know you enjoy this. You enjoy the feeling of pretending you're a hero. This is your sixth offense isn't it?"

"You went from picking fights with my guards and protesting unlawfully to...robbery and arson? Is that what heroes do?"

His dark eyes sparkled with malice, as though he wanted to kill her right then and there. He could do it if he wanted to, they were all alone in his throne room and the guards outside wouldn't dare object. It was her sixth offense after all.

"You have my attention, don't be quiet now," he said lowly. "Tell me what it is you want so I can know how to disappoint you."

Malia scowled. "I want you to be a better King or stop being King entirely."

King Vaea tilted his head, causing his fluffy black hair to fall effortlessly. The white streaks in them always caught Malia's eyes whenever she had the misfortune of seeing him.

"How can I be a better King?" He asked, obviously not wanting an answer. Yet Malia gave him one anyway.

"Stop treating the Sai people like we are jokes. Stop spreading bad things about us. Stop limiting our opportunities. Stop doing things you would never do to the Kailanian people. We are both Kukoan, why do you treat us worse?"

King Vaea bent down infront of her, suddenly letting down his rapier. "Do you really want to know why?"

Malia nodded, nervous that he was this close. "It is because you are Feigling."

Malia's face fell as his harsh words continued. "You are cowards. You fail our National Exams and Practicals. You are of no use to Kukoa. When we warred against the Islands and Mainlands, where were your people? So many of you selfishly fled. You let your kingdom suffer alone. You let our former King stress till he could no longer handle it. You are all weak and deserve to pay for it."

Malia's heart was enraged and hurt with what she was hearing. It hit too close to home.

"That's easy for you to say," she said, voice shaking with anger. "What of those who did lay down their lives? What of those who aren't cowards? What about those completely innocent to your wars and politics? Should they suffer too? Is that fair?"

"They should be made aware of why they are suffering, because their ancestors were cowards," the King hissed. "My father, may he rest in peace, he relied on you deserters. He begged you to join our army to win the war and when you did, you couldn't even win. Not one military victory with you on our side."

"We lost so many people, what are you talking about?" Malia shouted. "My father died in the Battle of Oahni. My mother lost her legs and now rides around in a wheelchair. How dare you insult those who sacrificed so much because of your prejudice?"

"You of all people should know what it's like to be looked at as if they're an outcast!"

The King tightened his jaw at the comment. It was no secret that the Royal family were not in favour of Vaea becoming King.

He was the mistake after all.

"You are the only King to have only streaks of white hair," Malia dug under his skin further. "You are the only King to never be born under a star. And yet you have the nerve to treat people badly because of differences?"

"I will never be equal to you, Feigling," he gritted through his teeth. "Don't ever compare us. It doesn't matter anyway, you will suffer regardless."

Malia sneered. "You're a hipnocrip."

The King furrowed his brow in confusion, then burst out laughing. "You mean hypocrite?"

Malia's face reddened with anger and embarrassment. This wasn't the time for her impediment to act out. Sina had said that word so many times and yet Malia couldn't pronounce it to save her life.

"You idiot. You're here rebelling against my rule when you should go rewrite your Exams so you can get a job. Go provide for your family and stop wasting my time."

"Go get a job so you can pay me less than the Kailanians?" Malia retorted. "And half my family is dead because of the war your family caused."

"And just so you know, I passed my Practicals. I'm fully qualified to serve as a warrior in any field. But I'd rather be caught dead than serve this country."

The King's smile was mocking. "I'm glad to hear that. I'm even more pleased to inform you that the Regal House survived. Only half of it was destroyed and it's already being rebuilt. All you did was prove you cannot finish a job and alert me that you have access to potions, you moron."

Malia sighed. She was hoping that place collapsed into shambles. They had spent so much time planning and preparing.

"And I know you were not working alone. So tell me the names of your allies and perhaps I'll be persuaded to not slash your throat."

Malia tilted her chin up, opening her throat to the King. "Just do it, because I'm not telling you anything."

His lips twitched and he shook his head with an astonished laugh. She was really willing to die for her stupid plans. For her stupid beliefs. She was pathetic.

"Your majesty?"

The King's head snapped to the side when the double white doors were pushed open. Augus stepped inside, moving aside for two other people to come in.

A redhead and a man with green hair. The King rose from the floor, his face plummetting. Malia turned in confusion.

The man with green hair kneeled down, the redhead following his actions. He looked up with dark brown eyes, his face undeniable.

"Prince Halo has returned home, your majesty," Augus announced.

The Prince gave a sad smile as the King's world slowly fell apart in his eyes. "Hello, brother."