Page 55 of Crowned

Reef smiles, his grip on my hands tightening slightly. “That’s it. You’ve got it.”

I let out a shaky breath, my heart pounding. “I did it.”

“You did,” he says, his voice filled with quiet pride. “You have control. Now, focus on what you want to achieve and aim.”

I close my eyes again, the glow around me dimming as I steady my breathing. I picture the fountain from earlier in my mind, the smooth arc of water as it danced under my influence. Slowly, deliberately, I lift my hand and direct the magic outward.

When I open my eyes again, the books in front of me hover a few inches off the table, suspended in a shimmering aura of golden light. My heart leaps, and I can’t stop the smile that spreads across my face.

“I’m doing it,” I whisper, my voice tinged with awe.

Reef chuckles softly. “Yes, you are.”

The books lower gently to the table as I release the magic, the glow fading until the room is still again. I sag slightly, a wave of exhaustion hitting me, but I can’t bring myself to care.

Reef doesn’t let go of my hands. Instead, he takes a step closer, his dark eyes fixed on mine.

“You’ve come so far already,” he says, his voice low, almost reverent.

“I couldn’t have done it without all of you,” I reply, my throat tight with emotion.

“You don’t give yourself enough credit,” he murmurs. “You have all this power, Malia, all this strength. It’s yours. It’s in you. We just helped you find it and let it out.”

His words settle over me like a warm embrace, and I realize just how close he’s standing now. The intensity in his gaze sends a shiver through me, and for a moment, I can’t look away.

“Reef...” I start, but whatever I was going to say is lost as he raises a hand to brush a strand of hair from my face.

His fingers linger against my skin, and the world seems to narrow until it’s just the two of us, the weight of everything else falling away.

“You’re incredible,” he says softly, his voice barely more than a whisper.

Something inside me shifts, a pull I can’t resist. I lean forward, my heart hammering in my chest, and before I can second-guess myself, our lips meet.

The kiss is slow, unhurried, but it carries a depth of emotion that steals my breath. His hands slide up to cup my face, his touch both firm and tender, as if he’s afraid I’ll disappear if he lets go.

I sink into the moment, letting it anchor me in a way nothing else has. The magic I’d just discovered hums faintly beneath my skin, as if it, too, is responding to him.

When we finally pull apart, his forehead rests lightly against mine, his breath warm against my skin.

“That was...unexpected,” I murmur, a small smile tugging at my lips.

“Was it?” he replies, his own smile soft and teasing. “Because I’ve been wanting to do that for a while now.”

A laugh bubbles out of me, light and unrestrained. “You could’ve told me.”

“Where’s the fun in that?” he says, his thumb brushing over my cheek. “Seriously, though, I didn’t want to rush you. You’ve been through so much?—”

“Exactly,” I interrupt him, giving him a quick peck on the lips to silence him. “After allwe’vebeen through, surely we’ve learnt that life is too short for holding back?”

“You’re right,” he admits, cupping my cheek and pulling me in for another slow, sensual kiss, before wrapping me in his arms so that my cheek is against his chest and the steady thrum of his heartbeat slowly relaxes me.

For a moment, we stay like that, the weight of the world pushed aside by something softer, something quieter. But eventually, reality seeps back in, and I take a small step back, though his hands linger at my sides.

“Thank you,” I say, meeting his gaze. “For believing in me.”

“Always,” he says simply, and I know he means it.

The morning air carries a faint chill, the kind that settles into your bones and reminds you summer is a distant memory. I pull my jacket tighter around me as we gather in the chamber where Vance’s portal shimmers faintly, its edges rippling like water under moonlight. It feels alive, almost sentient, and the thought makes my stomach twist. I’ve seen enough films to know what happens when power like this is mishandled, and the weight of it presses down on me now.

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