Page 56 of Crowned

“It’s ready,” Vance says, his tone calm but edged with warning. His sharp gaze scans each of us in turn, lingering on me just a moment longer. “You all know the rules. Straight to the beach house and straight back. No detours, no distractions, and absolutely no splitting up.”

“Understood,” Reef replies curtly, his stance solid and unyielding. He’s standing just to my left, his protective presence radiating like a shield.

Vance turns to me, his expression softening just slightly. “Malia, I mean it. This is not the time to be impulsive. You stay with them, no matter what.”

I lift my chin, trying to project more confidence than I feel. “I’ll be fine,Sir. I’m not going to wander off.”

“See that you don’t,” he mutters, but there’s no real bite in his tone. Instead, there’s a heaviness that lingers, like he’s weighing the risks against the necessity of letting me go.

“We’ll protect her,” Reef says firmly, stepping closer to my side. His voice carries the weight of an unspoken promise, one that reassures me even as it makes Vance’s expression darken.

Vance’s gaze softens again as he looks back at me. “I’ll stay here to ensure no one notices the portal’s been opened. If anyone suspects, it could cause...complications.”

I nod. “Thank you, Professor. Really, Vance.”

For a moment, something flickers in his eyes, something unspoken but unmistakable. It’s enough to make me step forward and place a hand on his arm.

“You be careful too,” I say softly, then lean up on my toes to press a kiss to his cheek. His skin is warm beneath my lips, and when I pull back, I catch the faintest hint of surprise in his expression.

“You, too, Miss Van Der Zee,” he murmurs, his voice lower now, almost hesitant. But he doesn’t say anything more, stepping back as if to put distance between us before the others notice.

Cove clears his throat, and I glance over to see him watching us with an unreadable expression. Behind him, Bhodi is grinning, his hands shoved into his pockets as if this is all a grand adventure. Reef, by contrast, looks as though he’s already anticipating trouble, his arms crossed and his eyes darting toward the portal.

“We should go,” Bhodi says, his voice clipped. “The longer we stand here, the more chance someone’s going to notice.”

Vance nods once, stepping aside to allow us through. With one last glance at him, I take a deep breath and step into the shimmering light.

The first thing that hits me is the salty tang of the sea air, sharp and bracing against my skin. The beach stretches out before us, the waves crashing rhythmically against the shore, but it feels...off. The sand beneath my feet is the same, the water’s roar familiar, but there’s a strange emptiness here now, as though the place itself knows I don’t belong anymore.

“It doesn’t feel like home,” I whisper, wrapping my arms around myself as the others step through the portal behind me.

“That’s because it isn’t,” Reef says quietly, his voice carrying an edge of finality. He’s scanning the horizon, his posture tense as he takes in every detail of our surroundings.

The words sting, but I know he’s right. I’ve changed. Everything has.

Cove sidles up beside me, his bright smile cutting through the heaviness in my chest. “Well, it might not feel like home, but it still looks like a picture perfect postcard. Come on, let’s get this over with.”

His easy tone draws a small smile from me, and I nod, following as the group starts toward the beach house. The path is shorter than I remember, though every step feels heavier, weighed down by the memories tied to this place. But when we reach the house, the unease in my chest blooms into full-blown dread.

Reef stops abruptly, holding up a hand to signal the rest of us. “The wards are down.”

Bhodi moves past him, his expression darkening as his gaze snaps to the door. “And the door’s unlocked.”

Cove’s lighthearted demeanour vanishes in an instant. He steps closer to me, his hand brushing mine in a subtle gesture of reassurance. “Stay with me,” he says softly, his voice steady but serious.

I nod, my heart pounding as Reef and Bhodi exchange a glance. Without a word, they move toward the house, slipping inside with practised caution.

The silence that follows is unbearable. Every second feels like an eternity, the tension coiling tighter with each passing moment. Then, suddenly, there’s a crash from inside, followed by the low rumble of voices raised in anger.

I take an instinctive step toward the house, but Cove’s hand shoots out to stop me. “Wait here,” he says firmly, his eyes fixed on the doorway.

A moment later, Bhodi emerges, his grip firm on a struggling figure. My stomach plummets as recognition dawns.

“Summer?”

Her eyes snap to mine, wide and panicked. “Malia!” she cries, her voice cracking. “Tell this great oaf to let go of me!”

Reef steps out behind Bhodi, his expression thunderous. “What the hell are you doing here?”

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