Page 76 of Crowned

Rhys does not look away. “You have power, yes. But what of the Council? Will you listen to us? Will you take our counsel, or will you rule by instinct and emotion?”

I lift my chin. “A wise ruler listens. A strong ruler decides.”

A beat of silence.

Then, the healer speaks again, her voice steady. “The triplets are a sign. A blessing. She is the heir, and the kingdom will rise beneath her rule.”

Another beat of quiet. Then, one by one, members of the Council nod.

Rhys does not. But he does not argue further.

Vance glances at me, the tension in his stance softening just slightly.

The decision has been made.

I am the heir.

The knowledge is a bitter pill to swallow, but I force myself to accept it. I force myself to breathe.

The battle looms ahead, its shadow stretching over us all.

As the Council disperses, I remain seated for a moment longer, my mind still reeling. Vance stands beside me, quiet, waiting.

Then, he speaks. “I’ll help you.” His voice is softer now, edged with something that sounds almost like pride. “We’ll face this together.”

I nod, inhaling deeply.

There is no time for fear. Not now.

Not ever.

In the days that follow, I throw myself into my training with a ferocity that surprises even me. Every strike of my sword, every conjured spell, feels like an affirmation that I can handle what’s coming. I focus, narrowing my world down to the present, to the preparation for the battle. But even in the stillness of my training, the weight of the coming war hangs over me. I feel it in my bones, in my magic, in the air around me.

Then, just when I think I’ve reached the limits of my focus, I receive an unexpected request.

Summer wants to meet.

The mention of her name alone sends a chill through my spine. The memory of what she has done, what she’s been a part of, burns fresh in my mind. Her boyfriends are Shikari. The very force threatens to destroy everything I care about. How could I possibly meet her now? How could I trust her after everything?

I can’t.

And yet, Vance pushes for it.

After much deliberation, after weighing the risks, he agrees to let me meet her. He says we need every advantage we can get. He says we can’t afford to dismiss any information.

So, against my better judgment, I agree to meet her.

Thanks to Vance gathering all the ingredients needed to make the portal last time, and ensuring we had extra in case of emergencies, he was able to create a portal right away.

We all gather at the beach back in the human realm. The sky above is heavy with dark clouds, as if the heavens themselves are bracing for what’s to come. The wind bites at my skin, the salty air mixing with the scent of earth and water. I stand at the edge of the water, watching the waves crash, trying to center myself. My heart beats faster as the moments tick by, each second bringing me closer to the confrontation I’m not sure I’m ready for.

Then, she’s there.

Summer.

Her appearance is startling. The girl I once knew – full of confidence, of certainty – now seems like a shadow of herself. Her face is pale, her eyes hollow, and there’s a tension in her posture, a fragility in the way she moves. She looks like someone who has carried the weight of a thousand secrets and is finally unraveling beneath them.

“I…I need to tell you everything, Malia,” she says, her voice trembling as she takes a hesitant step toward me.

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