Page 27 of Crowned

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.

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