Page 25 of Crowned

“What can we do?” I ask, my voice steadying as I focus on the task at hand.

“I agreed with the arguments you put forth, so when Kehinde reached out it made sense to help you. I think the Council were wrong to deny you your memories, and so I will unlock them,” Elder Halim says, his voice resolute. “But you must keep this a secret. The Council cannot know what we’re doing. No one can.”

We nod in agreement, understanding the gravity of the situation.

“Bhodi, you first,” Elder Halim says, stepping closer.

I take a deep breath, preparing myself. Elder Halim begins to chant softly, his hands moving in intricate patterns. A wave of energy washes over me, and I feel a sharp pain in my head, like something is being ripped from my mind. Like the world’s most painful band-aid. I grit my teeth, enduring the pain, as memories begin to flood back.

Images flash before my eyes – rituals, battles, conversations long forgotten. The pain is excruciating, but I force myself to stay conscious, to hold onto the fragments of memory that are being restored. Sweat beads on my forehead, my body trembling with the exertion.

Finally, the pain subsides to a dull throbbing, and I collapse to my knees, breathing heavily. Cove and Reef are instantly beside me, looking equally shaken and concerned.

“Did it work?” Cove asks, his voice tinged with hope.

Elder Halim nods, his face pale with exhaustion. “Yes, Bhodi should have his memories back now. He’ll need some time to process and make sense of them though. I’ll do you two in a minute, I just need to recover.” He sinks into a chair, his hands shaking slightly. “It goes without saying, that once you have them back, you should use them wisely. We need to identify the mole and stop them before they open a portal.”

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.

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