Page 73 of Crowned

He laces his fingers through mine, and without another word, we settle into the quiet night, content in each other’s presence. It’s not perfect, and there’s still so much to figure out, but for the first time in a long time, it feels like we have all the time in the world.

The moment stretches between us, the quiet world around us fading into the background as I look into Vance’s eyes, where so many emotions swirl – things we’ve both buried, things we’ve both hesitated to admit. He looks at me like he’s waiting for me to say something, but I know that silence can speak louder than words sometimes.

I squeeze his hand, my thumb tracing the faint lines of his palm. “I’m not sure how we got here, or how we’re going to keep going forward…but I know one thing.”

His brow furrows, his expression both curious and tender. “What’s that?”

I meet his gaze, feeling the weight of everything – our past, our separation, and the unspoken things between us. The love that’s never really gone, only hidden, waiting for the right moment to resurface.

“I love you, Vance,” I say quietly, but it feels like a declaration, like the universe itself holds its breath with me. “I’ve always loved you.”

His breath catches, and for a moment, I’m unsure whether he’ll say anything or just pull me into him. But then he does both.

His arms wrap around me, pulling me close as he presses his forehead to mine. “I’ve always loved you too, Malia. I never stopped.”

The words hit me like a wave, all the tension that had built up in me from the past few days suddenly washing away. His love, his admission, fills the cracks in my heart that I didn’t even know were there.

“I thought I had to let go,” I admit, my voice shaking slightly. “That I had to forget to keep moving forward.”

He lifts his head, cupping my face in his hands, and his eyes are soft but full of conviction. “You don’t have to let go, Malia. We don’t have to forget. We just have to remember where we’ve come from, and build something new from there.”

I smile, the weight of his words settling into my chest like a soothing balm. “I don’t want to let go anymore.”

“Then don’t,” he murmurs, his lips brushing mine in the most tender kiss I’ve ever known. It’s not urgent or filled with desperation. It’s the kiss of someone who’s been waiting for this moment, for thistruthto be laid bare.

When we finally pull away, my chest feels full in a way I haven’t felt in so long. I close my eyes, resting my forehead against his. “I love you, Vance,” I whisper again, almost as if saying it once wasn’t enough.

“I love you too, Malia. More than you’ll ever know.”

And in that moment, under the stars and in the silence of the night, I realise that love is never about perfect timing or the absence of fear. It’s about the quiet moments, the ones where you hold each other, and let everything else fall away. It’s the steady presence, the shared understanding. And in that, I finally feel whole.

It’s late, the kind of night where the world feels like it’s holding its breath. The healer arrives in the quiet, her silver hair braided with care, and her presence is a strange sort of calming force. She steps into the room with a serenity that only amplifies the tension in my chest. The weight of what’s coming – what’s already here – makes the air feel thicker, almost suffocating.

Her eyes meet mine as she enters, and for a moment, we just look at each other. The silence between us hums, and then she smiles, soft and knowing. “This won’t take long,” she murmurs, her voice low and steady. “Please, sit.”

I do as she asks, my body too stiff to feel entirely at ease. My palms press against my knees in a feeble attempt to ground myself. But the moment her hands hover above my stomach, a faint glow lighting the air, my pulse starts to race. I can’t keep still, my nerves trembling beneath the weight of it all. The hum of her magic is warm and soft, and yet it only makes my heart beat faster.

The silence stretches on longer than I expect, and my anxiety spirals with every passing second. Suddenly I regret demanding that they guys all wait outside during this checkup.

“Is everything okay?” I blurt out, my voice unsteady. It’s a desperate question – one I don’t even know if I want the answer to.

Her eyes shift, a strange, quiet reverence flickering across her face. It’s not what I expected. Not concern, not caution, but something else. Something sacred.

“More than okay,” she says, her smile widening. But the weight of her words is what knocks the air from my lungs. “You’re carrying triplets.”

Triplets.

The word lands like a bomb in the centre of my chest, detonating every thought I’ve tried to hold onto. I feel the room tilt. My hands move instinctively to my stomach, and I stare at her in shock, as though I can’t fully comprehend what she’s just said. “Triplets?”

Her nod is slow, deliberate. “It’s a rare blessing, Malia. In Aerwyna, triplets are seen as a sign of divine favour. Sacred, even. They’re said to be destined for greatness, to bring unity and strength to the realm.”

Her words should comfort me. Should make me feel...something. But instead, the world around me blurs. Triplets. Greatness. Sacred. It all swirls together, and none of it feels real.

The healer squeezes my hand gently, a grounding touch. “You’re strong,” she says quietly, and her words carry weight. “You have a strong support system. You’re not alone in this.”

I barely register the rest of her words as she finishes her examination and leaves the room with a soft click of the door. Her departure only amplifies the quiet that fills the space, an eerie stillness that mirrors the churning thoughts in my head.

I sit there for what feels like an eternity, trying to make sense of it all, but nothing fits. Not until I hear the familiar footsteps of the guys outside the door.

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