Page 79 of Crowned

We move together, weaving through the chaos toward the edge of the gate. The smoke is thicker here, the air almost impossible to breathe, as the acrid smell of burning metal stings my nose. My pulse pounds in my ears, but I force myself to keep moving, one step at a time.

The screams grow louder as we reach the gate. A group of civilians is huddled against the wall, their faces pale and terrified. Among them are children, their small hands clutching at their parents’ clothes as they sob.

“Get them out,” Reef says, his voice low but urgent. “I’ll cover you.”

I nod, crouching low as I move toward the group. “Come on,” I say, keeping my voice as calm as I can. “We need to move. Now.”

A woman with a toddler in her arms looks up at me, her eyes wide and glassy. “We can’t?—”

“You can,” I cut her off, reaching for her free hand. “I’ll help you. Just trust me. We’re going into the palace. You’ll be safe there.”

She hesitates for a moment, then nods, her grip tightening on mine. One by one, I help the others to their feet, urging them toward the safest path back to the inner sanctum. Reef stands behind me, his stance protective as he fends off anyone who gets too close.

The last child is barely through the palace doors, when I hear a deafening crash. I turn just in time to see one of the Shadow Legion’s larger fighters barreling toward us, a wicked-looking blade gleaming in his hand.

“Malia, move!” Reef shouts, but I’m frozen, my legs locked in place as the figure closes the distance.

Before I can process what’s happening, Reef is there, shoving me out of the way as the fighter lunges. I hit the ground hard, the impact knocking the air from my lungs.

“Stay down!” Reef snarls, his blade meeting the fighter’s in a clash of steel.

I scramble backward, my heart hammering as the two of them trade blows. Reef is quick, his movements fluid and calculated, but the fighter is relentless, his strikes heavy and brutal.

It feels like hours, but it’s only seconds before Reef manages to drive his blade into the fighter’s side. The man lets out a guttural cry, staggering backward before collapsing in a heap.

Reef turns to me, his chest heaving. “Are you okay?”

I nod, my throat too tight to speak.I froze. I did nothing. I didn’t even think to use magic.

“Good,” he says, offering me a hand. “Now get the hell out of here before I lose my mind.”

By the time I make it back to the sanctum, my body is trembling. My hands are scraped from the fall, and every muscle aches with exhaustion, but I can’t stop thinking about the look on Reef’s face. The raw determination, the anger, and something else – something unspoken.

Vance is waiting for me when I step through the doors, his arms crossed and his expression thunderous.

“What part of ‘stay here’ did you not understand?” he growls, striding toward me.

“I couldn’t just?—”

“You could’ve gotten yourself killed,” he cuts me off, his voice rising. “Do you have any idea what would’ve happened if they’d taken you?”

“I helped,” I snap back, my voice shaking with frustration. “There were people trapped, and I helped them.”

“You don’t understand what’s at stake!” His words are sharp, but they’re laced with fear.

I take a step back, my breath hitching. “I do understand,” I say quietly. “That’s why I couldn’t just stand by and do nothing.”

The tension between us hangs heavy in the air, neither of us willing to back down. Finally, he exhales, his shoulders sagging as some of the fire leaves his eyes.

“Just…don’t do it again,” he says, his tone softer now. “Please.”

I nod, though I know the promise is an empty one.

Vance’s expression softens slightly, but his voice remains firm as he takes a step closer. “Malia, you’re not just protecting yourself anymore. It’s not just about you.”

I freeze, the truth of his words hitting me like a blow. My hands instinctively move to my stomach, my throat tightening. He doesn’t have to say it, but he does anyway, his voice dropping to a near-whisper. “The triplets. They need you too.”

A wave of guilt crashes over me, sharp and unrelenting. I look away, blinking rapidly as my eyes begin to sting. “I know,” I say, my voice barely above a whisper. “I just…I couldn’t stand it. Sitting in here, not knowing if you were all okay…it was unbearable.”

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