Crowned (Santa Catalina University)

Chapter 36

The Council chamber is colder than usual, the air thick with tension that seems to seep into my skin. I’ve never been one to trust easily, but even I can feel the weight of suspicion hanging over every glance, every word spoken in this room.

Most of it is directed at me. The guy who rose from the dead. I can’t blame them for their suspicions over my sudden reappearance, but this really isn’t the time for wild theories. We need to focus on the matter at hand: the impending threat of the Shadow Legion and the Shikari joining forces, to overthrow Aerwyna once and for all.

The Elders are gathered, their voices a low murmur as they debate the latest intelligence about the Shadow Legion. Most of it is useless – half-formed guesses and rumours, nothing solid enough to act on. And yet, it feels like a noose tightening around our necks, one thread at a time.

Malia sits across from me, her expression calm, but her fingers tapping an uneven rhythm against the table. Only I know how close she is to snapping, how the weight of everything is slowly chipping away at her resolve.

If she were queen, she’d have the authority to lead this meeting. Maybe Yemaya was on to something, naming Malia her successor.

I just have to figure out how to get her on the throne.

But again, it’s a problem for another day. If Aerwyna survives to have a throne and another day.

“We need to act decisively,” one of the Elders, Marlowe, says, his tone sharp as his gaze sweeps over the room. “The Shadow Legion grows bolder with each passing day. If we wait any longer, it’ll be too late.”

“Decisive action without proper intelligence is reckless,” I counter, my voice steady despite the simmering frustration beneath it. “We don’t even know where they’re planning to strike next.”

“And whose fault is that?” Marlowe snaps, his eyes narrowing. “Perhaps if some of us were more focused on the task at hand, instead of indulging in...personal distractions, we’d have the answers we need.”

The jab is subtle but clear, and my jaw tightens as I meet his gaze. “Careful,” I say evenly. “You wouldn’t want to undermine the very unity we’re trying to protect.”

Before he can respond, a knock at the door interrupts the tension. An aide steps inside, her face pale. “Apologies for the interruption, but there’s been a development. You’re all needed in the Hall of Memories immediately.”

The room falls silent, the weight of her words sinking in. Without hesitation, we rise and make our way to the hall, the unease in my chest growing with every step.

The Hall of Memories is vast and echoing, its walls lined with enchanted mirrors, similar to the Queen’s mirror in her chambers. Only instead of showing glimpses of the future, these hold fragments of Aerwyna’s history. It’s a place meant for reflection and wisdom, but today it feels ominous, the air humming with magic that prickles against my skin.

Standing in the centre of the hall is one of the junior guards, his hands bound with shimmering magical restraints. I don’t know him, but he’s easily recognisable by his uniform. He looks terrified, his eyes darting around the room as though searching for an escape.

“What is this?” Marlowe demands, his voice cutting through the tension.

Reef steps forward from the shadows, his expression grim. “We caught him trying to smuggle sensitive documents out of the archives. He’s been feeding information to the Shadow Legion.”

A ripple of shock moves through the room, but I stay silent, watching, waiting. Something doesn’t sit right about this. Everything, from the timing to the sensitive documents feels too convenient. Staged.

The guard stammers, his voice cracking. “I–I don’t know what you’re talking about! I was just doing my job?—”

“Enough,” Reef says coldly, his eyes narrowing. He gestures to one of the mirrors, and it shimmers before revealing an image of the guard handing over a sealed scroll to a figure cloaked in shadows.

The room erupts into chaos, voices overlapping as accusations fly. But I can’t shake the feeling that this is all wrong. The guard looks genuinely terrified, his protests growing louder as the evidence mounts against him.

“Silence!” Marlowe shouts, slamming his hand against the table. “The evidence is clear. This traitor must be dealt with immediately.”

“No,” I say sharply, my voice cutting through the noise. All eyes turn to me, but I keep my gaze fixed on the guard. “He’s a distraction.”

“What are you talking about?” Marlowe snaps, his tone filled with irritation.

“He’s not the real mole,” I say, stepping forward. “He’s a pawn. Someone’s using him to divert attention from themselves.”

Marlowe’s expression darkens, but before he can respond, the guard lets out a choked sob. “It wasn’t me!” he cries. “I swear, it wasn’t me! It was Elder Marlowe! He forced me to do it!”

The room falls silent, the weight of his words hanging in the air. Marlowe’s face pales for a moment before twisting into anger. “This is absurd! He’s trying to save himself by throwing baseless accusations around!”

But something shifts in the room, the magic in the air growing heavier as the mirrors around us shimmer. I glance over at Malia. She’s standing before a mirror, palm outstretched, touching the glass.

One by one, the mirrors all light up under her touch, revealing fragmented images of Marlowe in secret meetings, passing information to figures cloaked in shadow.

“This is absurd!” He cried desperately. “What is she doing? How is she falsifying records? This is witchcraft!”

The betrayal hits like a physical blow, the weight of it settling in my chest as I stare at the images. Marlowe, one of the most trusted Elders, had been working against us all along.

“You,” I whisper, my voice trembling with fury. “You’ve been helping them this whole time.”

Marlowe’s expression hardens, and for a moment, I think he might deny it. But then he smiles, a cold, calculating expression that sends a chill down my spine. “You’re too late,” he says softly. “The Shadow Legion’s plans are already in motion. There’s nothing you can do to stop them now.”

“What plans?” Reef demands, stepping forward.

Marlowe’s smile widens. “The next celestial alignment. They’re going to unleash a wave of destruction so powerful, it will cripple Aerwyna for centuries. And you…you’ll be powerless to stop it.”

The revelation sends shockwaves through the council, the enormity of the threat sinking in. But amidst the chaos, my attention shifts to Malia. She’s pale, her hand resting protectively over her stomach as she processes Marlowe’s words.

“Malia,” I say softly, stepping toward her. “Are you o?—”

“I’m fine,” she says quickly, but her voice wavers.

Reef’s gaze sharpens as he looks between us, his brow furrowing. “Wait. Are you?—”

Before he can finish, Malia sighs, her shoulders slumping. “I was going to tell you all later, but…yes. I’m pregnant.”

The room falls silent again, the weight of her words sinking in. I glance around, seeing the shock on everyone’s faces, but my own reaction is different.

I step closer, my hand brushing against hers. “I knew,” I whisper, just loud enough for her to hear.

Her eyes widen slightly, but before she can respond, Marlowe lets out a harsh laugh. “How sweet,” he sneers. “A child to inherit Aerwyna’s ashes.”

The rage that surges through me is unlike anything I’ve ever felt. Before I know it, my hand is gripping Marlowe’s collar, yanking him forward.

“You’ll never touch her. Or this child,” I growl, my voice low and deadly. It doesn’t even occur to me in that moment to question how he knows that Malia’s unborn baby is the heir. Another mystery for another day. And now we’ll have some explaining to do with the council. Fuck them. They can wait.

Marlowe’s smile falters, but I release him before I do something I’ll regret.

The Council immediately and swiftly votes to imprison Marlowe and interrogate him further, but the damage is already done. The Shadow Legion’s plans are clear, and we have no choice but to act quickly.

As the meeting ends, I pull Malia aside, my hands gently resting on her shoulders. “We’ll protect you,” I promise. “No matter what.”

Her gaze softens, and she nods, leaning into me. For the first time, the weight of the coming battle feels a little less heavy.

The room is still, the weight of Marlowe’s betrayal pressing down on everyone like a heavy shroud. The Council members exchange tense glances, the air thick with a mixture of anger and disbelief. The silence is broken by Elder Sylas, his voice trembling with suppressed fury.

“This is a disgrace,” he says, his knuckles white as he grips the edge of the table. “To think one of our own could betray us so thoroughly… How many others are working against us?”

“It doesn’t matter,” Reef says sharply, his voice cutting through the tension. “What matters is that we stop the Shadow Legion before they can carry out their plan. Traitors can be dealt with after.”

Sylas nods, but his expression remains grim. “We’ll interrogate Marlowe,” he says, glancing toward the guards who have already moved to restrain him. “Perhaps he can give us names, locations, anything we can use.”

Marlowe sneers as he’s dragged toward the exit. “Do what you want,” he says coldly. “You’re already too late.”

The door slams shut behind him, and the sound reverberates through the chamber like a warning.

“We need to move quickly,” Vance says, his voice steady but strained. “If the Shadow Legion is planning to attack during the celestial alignment, we have no time to waste, it’s days away.”

The other Elders nod in agreement, but I can feel their unease. The betrayal has shaken them, and it’s clear that trust will be hard to rebuild.

Malia shifts beside me, her hand still resting on her stomach. I can see the tension in her shoulders, the way she’s trying to hold herself together despite the storm raging inside her.

“I think we’ve done enough for today,” I say firmly, stepping forward. “The Council needs time to process this, and we need to prepare for what’s coming.”

Sylas hesitates, then nods. “Agreed. We’ll reconvene tomorrow. Until then, keep this contained. We can’t afford for the people to know how deeply the Shadow Legion has infiltrated us.”

With that, the meeting dissolves, and the Council members begin to file out, their voices low and hurried as they discuss the next steps. I place a hand on Malia’s lower back, guiding her out of the room with Reef, Cove and Bhodi close behind.

Once we’re back in the privacy of the palace chambers, the tension that’s been holding Malia together finally snaps. She sinks onto the edge of the sofa, her hands trembling as she stares down at her lap.

Reef is the first to break the silence, pacing the room like a caged animal. “I can’t believe it,” he mutters, his hands raking through his hair. “An Elder. One of them . How are we supposed to trust anyone now?”

“We’ll figure it out,” Bhodi says, though his voice lacks its usual conviction. He leans against the wall, his arms crossed tightly over his chest.

Reef shakes his head, turning toward Malia. “But forget about the council for a moment. You’re pregnant?” His voice softens, the hard edges of his frustration giving way to something more tender. “Why didn’t you tell us?”

“I was going to,” Malia says quietly, her voice barely above a whisper. “I just…I didn’t know how.”

Reef moves to kneel in front of her, his hands resting lightly on her knees. “Malia, you can tell us anything. You know that, right?”

Her eyes fill with tears, and she nods, but she doesn’t say anything.

Cove steps forward, his usual grin replaced by something softer, more genuine. “You’ve got all of us,” he says, his tone light but sincere. “We’re going to be with you every step of the way. You’re not alone in this. You’re not alone in anything anymore, Mai-Tai.”

Bhodi lets out a low chuckle, shaking his head. “A baby. I guess we’re really doing this, huh, little dot?”

Malia looks up at him, her expression torn between gratitude and fear. “You’re all so…happy,” she says, her voice breaking. “But I’m terrified. What if I can’t do this? What if I mess everything up?”

“You won’t,” I say firmly, stepping closer and kneeling beside Reef. I take her hands in mine, holding them tightly. “You’re going to be an amazing mother, Malia. And you’re not doing this alone. We’ll be here for you, no matter what.”

She meets my gaze, her eyes searching mine for reassurance. “But what about everything else? The Shadow Legion, the war, the Shikari… How am I supposed to raise a child?”

I pause, then reach up to gently cup her cheek. “Do you remember what the queen told us before she left?”

Malia’s brow furrows slightly, and I can see her trying to recall the conversation. “She said...”

“She said this child is meant to be,” I remind her, my thumb brushing against her cheek. “That they’re part of the future of Aerwyna. And that no matter what happens, we’ll find a way to protect them. To protect you.”

Her lips part, but no words come out. Instead, she lets out a shaky breath, leaning into my touch.

“I don’t feel ready,” she admits, her voice trembling.

“No one ever does,” I say softly. “But you’ll rise to the challenge, just like you always do. And you’ve got all of us to help you.”

Reef reaches out, resting a hand on her shoulder. “He’s right. We’ll fight for you, for this child, for everything we’re building together.”

“And we’ll win,” Bhodi adds, his voice firm. “Because we don’t have a choice.”

Cove grins, nudging Malia’s arm lightly. “Plus, you’re kind of a badass. If anyone can handle this, it’s you.”

For the first time since the revelation, a small smile breaks through Malia’s tears. “Thank you,” she whispers, her gaze sweeping over each of us. “All of you.”

“You’re stuck with us now,” I say with a soft smile.

She laughs, the sound light and tentative, but it’s enough to ease some of the tension in the room.

As we sit together, the weight of the world pressing down on us, I can feel the threads of hope weaving their way through the fear and uncertainty. We have a long road ahead, but in this moment, surrounded by the people I trust most, I know we’ll find a way to face whatever comes next.