Chapter 19
I’m reeling.
This has all been too much.
Malia was never the star, Vance. You were.
My queen’s words go around and around in my mind, until I’m dizzy with confusion.
As the truth of the revelation settles over me, conflicting emotions war within. Disbelief, confusion, and a flicker of something else that seems to border on realisation. My gaze flashes between the queen and Malia, as if searching for answers in their faces.
“How many points are on a star?” Yemaya’s voice is calm but commanding, her eyes piercing as she looks at me.
“Five,” I respond, trying to keep my voice steady. The four of us all have five-point star tattoos. The symbol of Aerwyna.
“And how many of you are there?” she continues, her gaze bright and unwavering.
“Four,” I say, glancing at Malia standing silently beside me.
“And with Malia?” Yemaya’s eyes flicker to Malia before returning to me.
“Five,” I answer without hesitation, even though I don’t understand where she’s going with this. The queen and our world was always meant to be represented by the star.
“And how many times have your brothers been willing to lay down their lives for you?” Yemaya’s voice softens, but the intensity remains.
“Not for me. For you. For Aerwyna. For our people,” I insist, feeling a surge of loyalty to my brothers and our many fallen comrades that we lost over the years in our hunt for our missing queen.
I have so many questions for her, about her disappearance, the mission, the prophecy, but now isn’t the time or the place. Right now it is about Malia. And I guess, somehow, about me too.
“For you, Vance. Those boys would blindly follow you into the depths of hell. They love and respect you,” she counters, her words striking a chord deep within me.
“I don’t understand,” I admit, my confusion evident.
“The answer is countless times. But the fifth was missing. The goddess. You needed her to lay down her life for the star, for you, in order for the prophecy to come true,” Yemaya explains, her voice filled with a mixture of sorrow and wisdom.
“But we both died on the battlefield,” I say, the memory of that fateful day flashing through my mind.
“And if you hadn’t, they would have breached the wards and obliterated our people,” Yemaya concludes, her expression a blend of pride and sadness.
I want to ask about that, but my queen’s almost imperceptible shake of her head stops me.
“So what happens now? Can we go back?” I ask, my voice tinged with both hope and uncertainty.
“You must,” Yemaya replies, her tone firm and unyielding.
“Why? I mean, obviously that’s what we want, but how?” I press, needing more than just an imperative.
“There’s a traitor in our midst. If you don’t go back to Aerwyna, all will be lost,” Yemaya states, her eyes darkening with the gravity of her words.
“Who is it?” I demand, feeling a chill run down my spine.
“I don’t know,” she admits, frustration evident in her voice. “It’s why I was forced to flee all those years ago. There was no other choice.”
Frustration wells up within me and I have to bite my tongue to keep from arguing with her. If she’d just trusted us, confided in us, we would have found a way to protect her. Hell, we could have run with her. It didn’t need to be like this.
“Are you coming with us?” I ask, already fearing the answer.
“I can’t. My time as queen is done. It’s time for someone new to take the throne,” Yemaya reveals, a hint of sadness in her eyes.
“But there’s no heir,” I say, confused.
“Malia, you’re the heir to the throne,” Yemaya declares, turning to Malia.
“I can’t be,” Malia protests, her voice shaking.
“You, my child, are a goddess. Your children will be queens. Until that time comes, you must safeguard the throne and protect our people,” Yemaya instructs, her voice filled with an unyielding resolve.
“How? I don’t know the first thing about ruling! I’m not one of you. And I’m the worst possible person you could choose. I–I–I—” Malia stammers, panic rising in her voice.
“It has been decided. It has to be you. The stars themselves have decreed it so,” Yemaya says with finality.
“This doesn’t make sense,” Malia mutters, her face pale.
“Malia, may I have a word with Vance in private? There are some things we need to discuss,” Yemaya requests, her eyes briefly softening.
Malia nods, and no sooner has she uttered her consent, than Yemaya clicks her fingers and Malia crumples.
My hands snap out to catch her automatically, and I glare at my queen. The woman I gave everything up for. The person I thought I loved.
“You didn’t have to do that. Malia would have given us privacy,” I seethe through gritted teeth, my anger barely contained. I would never raise a hand against my queen, but the urge to protect Malia above all others is a powerful force within me.
Yemaya’s expression remains impassive, her eyes calculating. “You forget your place, Vance. This is for the greater good.”
I tighten my grip on Malia’s unconscious form, feeling the weight of betrayal settle in my chest. “The greater good? Or your own interests?”
She raises an eyebrow, unimpressed by my defiance. “You will understand in time.”
I take a deep breath, struggling to rein in my fury. Without another word, I turn and carry Malia to a nearby bench, my mind racing with the implications of Yemaya’s actions and the choices I’ll have to make.
“She loves you,” Yemaya states simply, following me.
“Yes,” I acknowledge, the truth of it is undeniable.
“And you love her,” she continues, her eyes boring into mine.
I hesitate. “I do,” I admit finally.
“The others too,” Yemaya adds, her tone softening slightly.
I dip my head in acknowledgment, not wanting to meet my queen’s gaze. We took an oath.
“I’m glad,” she says quietly.
Slowly, I look up and blink at her, incredulous. “Pardon?” I must have misheard.
“You didn’t mishear me, Vance. I’m glad the four of you have found love,” Yemaya repeats, her expression unreadable. “The five of you, I should say.”
“We had love! With you. But you disappeared on us!” Anger bursts from me like lava. Fiery, molten, and dangerous.
That’s no way to speak to my queen.
Is she still my queen though?
Yemaya remains silent, her eyes holding a sadness I can’t quite decipher. I take a deep breath, trying to calm the tempest inside me. “Why did you leave us?” I ask, my voice barely above a whisper.
“I had no choice,” she replies, her voice tinged with regret. “There were forces at work that you couldn’t understand. Forces that required my attention.”
I shake my head, frustration bubbling up again. “You should have told us. We deserved to know.”
“You’re right,” she admits, her gaze dropping to the ground. “But I did what I thought was best for Aerwyna. For all of you.”
“And look where that’s gotten us,” I retort bitterly, glancing at Malia’s unconscious form.
Yemaya steps closer, her expression softening. “Vance, I’m truly sorry for the pain I’ve caused. But now we have a chance to set things right. You, Malia, and the others are the future of Aerwyna. You must trust in that.”
I search her eyes, looking for some hint of deceit, but find none. Just the weary resolve of a queen who has carried too many burdens for too long. “What do we do now?” I ask, my voice steadier.
“I’m going to unlock your memories. All of them. And then you must return to Aerwyna with Malia, unmask the traitor and stop the attack. Protect the throne and our people,” she instructs, her voice growing stronger. “And remember, you are not alone. You have each other. That is your greatest strength.”
I nod, determination hardening within me. “We will. For Aerwyna.”
“For Aerwyna,” Yemaya echoes, a small, hopeful smile appearing on her lips. I hesitate. “What is it?”
“Is Malia really Asteria?”
“She is.” Yemaya nods.
“Your daughter?”
“She’s beautiful is she not? My greatest achievement and my biggest regret.”
“Regret?”
“Sending Asteria away when she was only a few hours old, to live in the human realm, was the hardest thing I ever had to do. The only comparable pain was when I had to leave Aerwyna and the four of you.”
“Is she…” I can’t even voice the question, my mind tangled in knots of what ifs and maybes.
“No, Vance. My daughter was born before our time. But now, don’t you see? We could never love each other the way we wanted to. Because we were never meant to be together. The four of you were always destined to be hers. It’s why you protected me so fiercely, not through duty, but through love. A love that was yet to materialise, but one which was written in the stars regardless.”
My relief is palpable. Malia may be Yemaya’s daughter, but none of us are her father.
Do I dare ask who is?
“Asteria was not born of love, Vance. Please don’t ask me to divulge details. It would break her to know the truth and no child deserves that.”
“Especially not after everything Malia has been through,” I murmur to myself, my mind reeling.
The queen, if she hears me, doesn’t comment. I wonder if she knows about Malia’s past. Surely she must? But then, why would she stand by and watch her child suffer? I feel like there’s so much I don’t know, don’t understand, don’t remember. And despite the queen promising to unlock my memories, I feel like there will always be things we’re kept in the dark about.
“You must protect Malia at all costs. You may be the star but she’s the future. Her and the babies she carries.”
“Babies?” I suspected but…I’m floored.
“Congratulations.”
“Shall I…Can I…How much can I share with Malia and the others?”
“That’s up to you. You’ll know when the time is right. Now, wake Malia and prepare to leave. When you step back through the portal, your memories will be unlocked. Time is of the essence.”
I gently lay Malia down and touch her forehead, whispering a few words of magic. Her eyes flutter open, and she looks up at me, confused but trusting. “It’s time to go, my love,” I tell her softly.
Should I tell her? Should I wait? Could the queen be mistaken?
Malia nods, and together we rise, ready to face whatever challenges await us back in Aerwyna.
As we turn to leave, I cast one last glance at Yemaya. She stands tall, a solitary figure against the backdrop of the ocean, her duty and sacrifice etched into her very being.
“Thank you,” I say, my voice carrying the weight of all our shared history.
Yemaya nods, her eyes shining with unshed tears. “Go, and may the stars and the seas guide you.”
With Malia by my side, we step through the portal, leaving the courtyard and Yemaya behind. The future of Aerwyna awaits, and we are ready to meet it head-on.