Page 77 of Crowned

I feel my fists clench at my sides, the anger simmering beneath the surface, but I force myself to listen.

Her words tumble out in a rush. “My parents. I found out they’re the leaders of the Shadow Legion. I overheard them making plans. They’re the ones behind everything. The war. The destruction. The attack. I felt like this was too important to just message.” She stops, looking at me with eyes filled with pain, guilt, and something else – remorse.

My breath catches in my throat. I want to scream, to lash out, but I force myself to remain calm, to listen to what she’s saying.

“And the therapy…” Summer’s voice falters. “The so-called ‘treatment’ you received. It was them. They were trying to break you, to force your magic to manifest, to use you for their own purposes. They thought if they could control your power, they could use it for their gain.”

I stare at her, disbelief mixing with rage. All this time, I thought I had been broken, that I had failed to manifest. But the truth –the truth– is that they were trying to force me. They were trying to control me.

I want to scream, to rage against the injustice, but when I look at Summer, I see only pain. The guilt that weighs on her is unbearable.

“I didn’t know,” Summer whispers. “I didn’t understand. I didn’t know how to stop them. I’m so sorry, Malia. I never wanted to hurt you.”

I take a breath, forcing myself to calm down. This isn’t her fault. She’s a victim, too. I can see it in her eyes, feel the rawness of her confession.

“No,” I say softly, stepping forward. “This wasn’t your fault, Summer. You were just another pawn in their game.”

Summer looks at me, tears pooling in her eyes, and I feel a flicker of something – something like empathy, like understanding. She’s not the person I thought she was. She’s not the enemy.

“I know you didn’t choose this,” I continue. “But forgiveness doesn’t come easily. It will take time.”

Summer nods, wiping her tears, her shoulders slumping with the weight of her own sorrow.

“I understand,” she says quietly. “But I will do whatever it takes to make it right. I’ll face my parents. I’ll confront them, whatever it takes.”

Her words settle over me, heavy and full of meaning. She’s willing to sacrifice everything, to face the very people who raised her, to confront the ones who orchestrated this war.

I don’t know if I can forgive her completely, not yet. But I know one thing – her confession changes everything. And when it comes down to it, her parents will not be allowed to live.

As the meeting comes to an end, the beach feels quieter, the storm clouds pressing down on us. The truth has come out, but the war is still coming.

We have less than 24 hours.

The air is oppressive, thick with the weight of something inevitable. It presses down on my chest as I stand in the hallway, trying to ignore the shouting and hurried footsteps echoing through the palace. My heart pounds in my ears, drowning out most of the noise.

“They’re moving faster than we thought.” Vance’s voice cuts through the tension as he strides towards me, his sharp features drawn tight with focus. His shirt clings to him, damp with sweat, and there’s a smear of dirt across his jaw. “The scouts underestimated their numbers.”

“How many?” My voice comes out steadier than I feel.

“Too many,” Reef says, appearing behind him. His hair is damp and slicked back, his shirt torn at the sleeve. “They’ve split their forces. One group is heading for the eastern entrance, the other circling towards the courtyard. They’ll hit us from both sides if we don’t hold them off.”

I grip the edge of the doorway, the cold stone grounding me. “What’s the plan?”

“Reef and Bhodi are taking teams to the gate and the courtyard,” Vance says, his tone brisk. “Cove’s in charge of evacuating the last of the civilians into the inner keep. Once the doors are sealed, we focus on holding the line.”

“And me?”

“You stay here,” Vance says firmly.

“No,” I shoot back, stepping closer to him. “I can’t just stand here while everyone else fights.”

“You can, and you will,” he says, his voice low but unyielding. “This isn’t about courage, Malia. It’s about survival. If they breach the palace, we need you safe. That’s non-negotiable.”

Reef leans against the wall, arms crossed. “He’s right. The Shadow Legion isn’t playing games. If they get their hands on you, it’s over. We’re not risking that.”

My jaw tightens, and I glare at him. “You’re risking yourselves.”

“That’s the job,” he replies with a shrug, though there’s no humour in his tone.

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