Page 63 of Crowned

“Anything?” I whisper into the communicator, my voice tight.

There’s a pause. Then, one of the other commanders responds. “Nothing yet. Keep moving.”

I nod, but the unease in my gut won’t settle. I’ve done enough of these missions to know when things aren’t right, and something’s definitely wrong tonight. But we press on, determined to finish the job.

Just as I’m about to give another signal to move forward, I hear it – the sound of footsteps, slow and measured, echoing from behind the doors. My heart lurches in my chest. This isn’t just a patrol. This is someone who knows we’re here.

Before I can react, the door bursts open, and a dozen soldiers in Shadow Legion uniforms spill into the room, weapons drawn, their eyes narrowing as they spot us.

Shit.

We’re compromised.

“Move!” I hiss, grabbing Malia’s arm and pulling her into the shadows. The others scatter, but there’s no avoiding the fight now. I hear the clink of weapons, the shuffle of boots, and the unmistakable sound of danger closing in.

“We need to get out,” I mutter, more to myself than anyone else. But just as I take a step forward, something in the air shifts. The magic I’ve felt tugging at the edges of my senses suddenly surges, sharp and undeniable.

I turn to look at Malia. Her eyes are glowing faintly, the familiar shimmer of her power just beginning to surface. She’s standing on the edge of the room, her expression tense but determined. She’s trying to hold herself back, I can see that much, but the pressure in the air is building.

“Malia,” I warn, my voice low, harsh. “Stay hidden. Don’t use it.”

But she doesn’t listen. The moment I take my eyes off her, her power snaps to life.

It’s impossible to describe – one moment, everything is still, and the next, the room is engulfed in a surge of bright blue magic so potent, it knocks me off my feet. The enemy soldiers are thrown back, their bodies slamming into the walls with bone-crushing force. A wave of pure energy pulses through the room, and I can feel it, the raw arcana coursing through Malia’s veins, her power exploding into the room like a bomb going off. Yet, it’s controlled. Sure, she knocked our side over too, but none of us were hurt by her blast.

“Go!” she shouts, her voice commanding, and for the first time, I hear something in her tone that I didn’t think was possible – authority. She’s not just the girl we’ve been protecting anymore. She’s someone else, someone capable of shaking the foundations of this place.

I don’t hesitate. I grab the nearest soldier’s weapon and toss it to one of the others, motioning for them to cover our retreat. We need to get out of here, fast, before more reinforcements arrive.

As the team moves, Malia stays behind, her hands raised, her magic still crackling in the air around us. I can feel the power she’s letting loose, and it’s terrifying. She’s not holding back anymore, not the way she used to.

“Everyone to the extraction point,” I shout, leading the way. We don’t have time to lose. But even as I push forward, I can’t shake the feeling that this was absolutely a set up. Luckily, the intel we had allowed us to move the important records ahead of time.

When we finally reach the safehouse, breathing heavily and covered in sweat, I turn back to Malia. Her face is flushed, her eyes still alight with the power she’s unleashed.

She’s not the girl we brought with us to the stronghold. Not anymore. And as much as I want to tell her that it’s okay, that we’ve survived, I can’t ignore the unease settling in my gut.

Malia’s power isn’t something we can control – not yet. Not fully anyway. But tonight, it saved us.

And for that, I’m thankful.

But I also know that this isn’t over. Not by a long shot.

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.IfAerwyna 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.”

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