Crowned (Santa Catalina University)

Chapter 26

Malia’s eyes are like saucers as we sneak into the palace. The guys waste no time taking us to the queen’s chambers, where they’ve been staying since they returned to Aerwyna, and Malia seems awed by the decadence of everything surrounding us.

I try to see it through her eyes, the floors inlaid with mother of pearl, the priceless artwork depicting the seven seas, the gilt accents on the ornately carved columns and the sparkling crystal chandeliers…the palace is beautiful.

But to me it feels desolate.

It never used to be like this, and I wish Malia could have seen it in its full grandeur, complete with bustling walls filled with love and laughter, instead of like this, dull and lifeless with empty halls and an air of neglect.

The others tried to shield me from seeing the devastation in the streets between here and the hospital, but I still caught glimpses.

Something terrible has happened and I need to find out what. It wasn’t like this when I visited before.

A heavy silence hangs in the air as we reach the queen’s chambers. The grand doors open with a soft creak, revealing a room that feels more like a mausoleum than a place for relaxing. The once vibrant tapestries hang limp, their colours muted by dust. The air is thick with a sense of abandonment, as if the room itself is mourning what was lost. I can tell the guys have attempted to freshen the space – there’s the remnants of dust where the surfaces have been half-heartedly swiped at – but it hasn’t changed the overall neglected atmosphere of the room.

“We’ll need to be quiet and keep a low profile,” Reef whispers, his voice barely audible. “The palace is being watched.”

Malia nods, her face pale and lined with worry. I can see the questions in her eyes, the need for answers gnawing at her just as fiercely as it is at me. But there’s no time for that now. We need to find out what’s going on before it’s too late.

As we step inside, I can’t shake the feeling that we’re being watched, just like Reef warned. The hairs on the back of my neck stand on end, and I have to fight the urge to look over my shoulder. The palace may be desolate, but I suspect it’s far from empty.

However, we’re the only ones permitted in the queen’s chambers, so we should be safe here. We’ll still need to set up a schedule to keep watch though, I’m not willing to risk Malia’s safety on a ‘should be’.

“Where is everyone?” Malia asks, her voice trembling slightly.

“They’re...hiding,” Cove replies, his eyes scanning the room as if expecting someone to jump out at any moment. “Or they’ve fled. After what happened...”

He doesn’t finish the sentence, but he doesn’t have to. The weight of his words hangs heavy in the air, filling the silence with a suffocating tension. I want to ask him what he means, but there’s something in his expression that stops me. Something dark and haunted. It’s a look I’m not used to seeing on Cove’s usually bright, untroubled face.

We move further into the room, and that’s when I see it – the portrait of the queen – or I guess I should say former queen – hanging above the fireplace. Her eyes seem to follow me as I cross the room, a silent reminder of everything that’s been lost.

Stopping, I turn and stare at the portrait, studying it intently, searching for any resemblance between Yemaya and Malia. Are they really mother and daughter? It’s not that I doubt the truth of my queen’s words…it’s just so mind blowing. The two could not be more different.

And yet, there’s something about the knowing tilt of her lips in this portrait that reminds me of Malia. They both have the same stubborn gleam in their eye.

A lump forms in my throat, but I swallow it down, forcing myself to stay focused.

“There’s something you need to see,” Bhodi says, breaking the silence. He moves to the far side of the room, where a large, ornate mirror hangs on the wall. But instead of showing our reflection, the glass is dark, almost black, as if it’s been stained by shadows.

“What is it?” Malia asks, stepping closer.

She hesitates for a moment, then reaches out to touch the surface of the mirror.

All of us, aside from Malia, are familiar with the queen’s foresight glass. A magical mirror that’s only ever revealed its secrets within to the queen, but Yemaya trusted the four of us as more than just her guards. We were her confidantes and her most trusted advisors. Which is why we know exactly what the mirror can do. Or could do, if the queen was here to activate the magic within to reveal the future of Aerwyna.

As Malia’s fingers make contact, the dark surface seems to ripple, like a stone being dropped into still water. I gasp, my brother’s reactions reflecting my own shock as the shadowed image begins to shift and change, revealing a scene that makes my blood run cold.

It’s the throne room here in the palace, but it’s not like anything I’ve ever seen before. The walls are cracked and crumbling, the floor littered with debris. And in the centre of it all, sitting on the throne, is a figure cloaked in shadow. Their face is hidden, but I can feel their gaze, cold and malevolent, piercing through the darkness. They’re surrounded by a vast army of Shikari.

“What…what is this?” Malia asks, trembling.

“I think it’s a warning of what’s coming,” Reef replies, his voice grim. “If we don’t stop it.”

The room seems to close in around me, the air growing colder, heavier.

Malia reaches for my hand, her grip tight. I can feel her fear, but also her resolve. She must be thinking the same as me, remembering the queen’s warning.

“What do we do?” she asks, her voice steady despite the terror in her eyes.

“We fight,” I say, surprising even myself with the conviction in my voice. “We fight, and we win. We have to.”

Malia’s exhaustion is evident in the way her shoulders droop, the light in her eyes dimming as the weight of everything we’ve seen and heard settles on her. The overwhelming aura of the palace and the tension that hangs in the air seem to be too much for her to bear. Reef is the first to notice, gently guiding her towards the large bed that dominates the queen’s chambers.

“You need rest,” he says softly, his voice filled with concern.

Malia hesitates, looking around at all of us as if seeking permission, before finally nodding. “Just for a little while.”

I step forward, taking her hand and guiding her to the bed. The sheets are cool and soft, the pillows plush, but the room still feels like a mausoleum. I pull the covers up over her, tucking her in gently as she sinks into the mattress.

“Vance…what’s going on? They said I was in a coma and you were d–dead. But we were together, weren’t we?”

I nod. “I remember everything, my love. We were together and I’m convinced that our time there was as real as we are standing here right now.”

“I can’t bear the thought of a world without you in it,” she tells me, her eyes filling with tears.

I shake my head. “Never going to happen, my love. You’re stuck with me for all eternity, in every life beyond this one and the next.”

“Will you stay with me?” Malia asks, her voice small and vulnerable in the vastness of the room. Her hand catches mine, her grip tight with unspoken fears.

My heart aches at the sight of her, so strong yet so weary. “Of course,” I say, brushing a stray lock of hair from her face. “I’ll stay with you. But I need to talk to the others first, okay? Sleep, I promise I’ll return.”

She nods, her eyelids already heavy. I lean down and press a kiss to her forehead, feeling the warmth of her skin against my lips. “I love you, Malia.” The words come easily, as natural as breathing now.

“I love you too, Vance,” she murmurs, her eyes closing as sleep begins to take her.

I wait until her breathing evens out, then carefully extricate my hand from hers and step back. For a moment, I just watch her, feeling a fierce protectiveness welling up inside me. There’s so much she doesn’t know yet, so much I have to shield her from. But for now, all I can do is let her rest.

Quietly, I leave the bedroom and step into the adjoining sitting area. Reef, Cove, and Bhodi are waiting for me, their expressions a mix of confusion and disbelief. They must have heard what I said to Malia.

Reef is the first to speak, his brows raised. “Did I just hear you say you love her?”

I nod, bracing myself for their reactions.

Bhodi crosses his arms, his eyes narrowed. “You said you’d never?—”

“I know what I said,” I interrupt, holding up a hand to stop him. “But things changed. A lot has happened, and you all deserve to know the truth.”

I sit down in one of the chairs, and they gather around, the tension in the room thickening. I take a deep breath, trying to organise my thoughts. It’s not easy to explain what we’ve been through, what we’ve discovered, but they need to understand.

“When Malia and I were…not here. We were somewhere else. A strange realm unlike anything I’ve ever experienced or heard of before. The landscape would shift and change to reflect Malia’s mood.” Their eyebrows rise but I continue. “There was a presence…something malevolent. But for the most part, we were fine. There was a grove that kept us safe and protected, but Malia was constantly drawn elsewhere.”

I take a deep breath and fill them in on Malia’s forest disappearance, how close we grew to each other, declaring my love for her, and finally, the leap she took off the cliff.

“This time I didn’t hesitate, I jumped right after her.”

“And what happened?” Cove asks, leaning forward. They’re all hanging on my every word.

“It was a portal. We were transported elsewhere and in this other world, we met the queen,” I begin, watching as their eyes widen in shock.

“The one who vanished from here?” Bhodi asks.

“The queen? Our queen?” Cove echoes, disbelief colouring his voice. “How is that possible?”

I shake my head. “I don’t know all the details. It was…surreal. But she was there, and she knew things – about Aerwyna, about us. She told us about the danger facing this realm, and she gave us a mission.”

Reef leans forward, his gaze intense. “What kind of mission?”

“She needs us to stop the darkness spreading through this world,” I explain, choosing my words carefully not wanting to yet reveal that Malia is her daughter and heir to the throne. “She declared Malia queen.”

All of the breath leaves their lungs collectively.

“How?”

I have to tell them. But…that information will endanger Malia even more.

“What aren’t you telling us?” Reef demands, immediately picking up on my hesitation.

“Yemaya fled. Something happened and she…she was with child.” I swallow past the lump in my throat. “She said her child wasn’t born of love but wouldn’t speak any more about it. She hid her child in the human world.”

“…Malia?” Cove whispers in disbelief.

I nod. “It sounds crazy, but Malia is Yemaya’s daughter. She called her Asteria.”

“She named her after the goddess of the stars?” Reef breathes.

“Yes. And no. Malia is Asteria. She is the goddess reincarnate. And I think the foresight glass revealing itself under Malia’s touch confirms the truth of Yemaya’s words.”

“Malia is queen of Aerwyna now?”

“She will be. Yes. But I can’t figure out how to get her on the throne without revealing her identity and placing her in more danger.”

“Is that something that can wait?” Bhodi asks, frowning.

“I don’t know. I’m sure it’s all linked, but the queen warned that there’s a traitor here, and she’s tasked us with stopping them so that Aerwyna doesn’t fall into the hands of the Shikari.”

The room falls into a heavy silence as they absorb what I’ve just told them. I can see the doubt in their eyes, the struggle to reconcile what they’re hearing with the reality they know.

Bhodi is the first to speak, his voice low and serious, and tinged with the bitterness of anger. “And you believe her? You believe our absent ‘queen’ who couldn’t even be bothered to return and save her homeland? Who abandoned her daughter to a life of abuse and neglect? Who wants others to do her dirty work for her?”

“Watch your tone and show some respect. I know you’re speaking from a place of love for Malia, but you will not disrespect Yemaya,” I say firmly. I understand where his hurt and frustration is coming from, understand being torn between love and loyalty, but I will not let him cross a line. “I do believe her. And more than that, I believe we’re the only ones who can stop this. Malia and I were chosen to escape death for a reason. We have to see this through.”

Cove frowns, still not fully convinced. “But why you? I get Malia, but what are we missing?”

“She didn’t explain everything,” I admit. “But apparently, Malia was never the star. I was.”

Silence slams into the room.

Bhodi lets out a sharp laugh, but there’s no humour in it. “You’re joking.” His expression flickers between disbelief and anger, his body going tense as if bracing for a hit. “No, seriously—what the fuck do you mean you were the star?”

Reef curses under his breath, running a hand through his hair before shaking his head. “That doesn’t make sense. We’ve all been operating under the assumption that Malia was the key to everything.” His voice tightens. “You’re saying all of this was built on a lie?”

“No. My death, alongside all of yours and Malia’s willingness to die for our mission, completed the prophecy.”

Cove crosses his arms, his expression unreadable but his jaw tight. “So what, we were just… collateral?” His gaze darkens, emotions swirling beneath the surface. “We all would’ve died, and it wouldn’t have been about her at all?”

I exhale slowly. “I don’t think it was a lie, not completely. But the prophecy wasn’t what we thought. It wasn’t just Malia—it was all of us.” I hesitate. “And my death was supposed to seal it.”

Bhodi mutters another curse, pacing now, energy crackling off him like a live wire. “This is bullshit.” His chest rises and falls sharply. “You—” He points at me, then stops, shaking his head again as if trying to rearrange everything in his head. “We were all supposed to die, and that was supposed to fix everything? That’s?—”

“Fucked?” Reef finishes grimly.

“Yeah,” Bhodi growls.

Cove exhales, rubbing the back of his neck before pinning me with a sharp look. “So Aerwyna is safe?”

I shake my head. “The prophecy didn’t account for the traitor helping the Shikari from the inside.”

Cove's eyes narrow. “What the hell does that mean?”

“So this is almost like a new threat we have to face,” Bhodi says, his voice more controlled now but still edged with tension.

“Maybe?” I hesitate. “But whatever’s coming… we’re the key to stopping it.”

Reef exchanges a look with Cove, then turns back to me. “And Malia? Does she know what she’s up against?”

“She does,” I reply, a note of pride in my voice. “She knows she’s to be queen, but not that she’s Yemaya’s daughter. But she’s ready to fight, just like we are. We have to protect her. She’s been through so much already, and there’s more ahead.”

The room is quiet as they process everything, the weight of what I’ve just shared settling over us like a heavy cloak. Finally, Cove speaks, his voice softer than before. “If you believe this is what we need to do, then I’m with you. Always.”

“Me too,” Reef adds, his gaze steady. “We’ve come this far together. We’re not turning back now.”

“Obviously, I’m in. You’d be hopeless without me,” Bhodi sniggers.

A sense of relief washes over me, and I nod, feeling the resolve solidify within me. Whatever comes next, we’ll face it together. For Aerwyna, for the queen, and for Malia.

“Thank you,” I say, meaning it with every fibre of my being. “We’ll figure this out. We’ll win.”

“I know there’s still more to discuss,” I say, getting to my feet. “But if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go to bed. I promised Malia I’d stay with her and she’s been left alone long enough.”

As the others bid me goodnight, I know that the future is uncertain, and the path ahead is fraught with danger, but as I look at the faces of my friends – my brothers – I know one thing for sure: we’re not alone in this fight. We’ll stand together, no matter what it takes.

And with that, the weight on my shoulders feels just a little bit lighter.