PoraBora

Chapter Forty-Eight

Akoni had figured it out before they were in cannon range. Neither fleet had adjusted course. Neither changed formation. Makaia's now nine giants sailed in front of the wooden remainder of his fleet, not beside the approaching navy.

Akoni had given Ikaika more credit in a moment of doubt, that it was by some intelligent design to lure Makaia into confidence. If it had been another chief, he'd have assumed they were only going to speak first, blow each other into bits later. To offer Makaia a chance to surrender.

But he knew Noikoa, and he knew Ikaika, and he knew that help was not going to come to Ila'i, or to Taipala, or to him, and as he stepped onto Noikoa's deck, he wondered if all the islands together couldn't stand against the likes of Makaia and Noikoa. He wondered if they would even try.

One or both or all three, two chiefs and a navy commander, it had to end here. And there was nobody else to make it happen.

The light from the water filtered up through the canvas, but less of it made it to the deck, where lanterns were lit so that faces were cast in shadow and light in equal measure.

"Akoni," smiled Chief Noikoa. "It's been a while." He turned to a warrior, a boy who wouldn't have been enlisted yet when Akoni had still been in command. "Fetch Ikaika, will you?" To Akoni: "You, he won't want to miss."

"Ikaika's brother is here, too," said Makaia. "Grab Tua."

His own warrior went to his errand.

"I'm surprised at you, Akoni," said Noikoa. "I thought seeing me would at least warrant a smile."

"This is my smile," grunted Akoni.

"I got your message."

Akoni only hoped the messenger was still alive. He'd sent the man sailing like a marlin, and he'd won his people nothing. Akoni's own fault. But it had been his only chance.

"Message?" asked Makaia. "But you do work fast, Akoni. I can barely stop one of your messes before you've started another, and you're my prisoner."

"It's why he was a good commander," said Noikoa.

"Until somebody had to clean up those messes." Ikaika. Akoni glanced over at the man, who watched him with bored eyes.

Tua stepped across the fin, hands unbound. He did not look at his brother. "Chief Noikoa."

"You look well, Tua," Noikoa smiled.

"I have been looked after," said Tua, deferring to Makaia.

"His hands should be tied too," said Ikaika.

Makaia laughed and put a hand on Tua's shoulder. "Tua, I can handle. But enough pratter. We've all come this far for one thing."

"Ila'i?" It was the girl at Noikoa's side. She looked even less happy than Akoni, but who she was, and why she was here, he could only guess. The messenger's daughter? A prisoner from Ila'i?

"Keasau," said Noikoa. "I hope your net is still in one piece."

"No thanks to Akoni," said Makaia.

"I'd appreciate it if you left it alone, this time," Noikoa said. "It was quite expensive."

"Keasau is not your god anymore," said Ikaika.

"I'm sorry," grunted Tua. "We didn't know you had been blessed."

"One does not need a god's blessing these days, little brother," Ikaika sneered.

"You have a plan, I presume," said Akoni.