Page 120 of Heiress of Fire

“Can I just say how boring my life has been by not talking to you?” Ron said as they parted, holding onto her fingers and leading her to the plaid blanket under the long leaves.

“Don’t lie to me, Ron. I’ve seen that Neptulan girl you’ve been running around with.” Davina crossed her arms.

“Don’t be jealous, love. No one will ever compare to you.” Ron grinned, dimples showing.

“Right.” Davina rolled her eyes.

“Well, I have a lot to say about your type as well. I didn’t know you liked short guys.”

“He is not short. He is still taller than me, you fool,” Davina retorted before punching his shoulder.

Ron stumbled back, a surprised look on his face. Davina furrowed her brow. Startled from the look on his face, she stilled. She hadn’t intended to hurt him. “I-I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to.”

What was happening to her? First his hand, now his arm.

“It’s not a problem, I barely felt a thing.” He chuckled.

“Ron, I… I’m sorry. For everything, really. For burning you and for all those things I said in the woods that day,” she said. It was difficult for her to apologize. Not because of pride, but because she truly regretted hurting him.

“It’s okay. I’m fine. Now sit.” Ron waved it off and motioned for the cushioned seats on the blanket. She didn’t think the emotional and physical scars she gave him were a trivial matter to the point of being waved off.

Sitting down next to Ron, Davina was still pained that her punch had come out stronger than she’d intended. Enhanced strength was not a gift that any of the Bellatormans had received from the King.

Suddenly, flashes of when she punched the bag off its hook and into the wall crossed her mind. A dent caused by the punchbag was currently being fixed by the Apprentices who specialized in repairments of the castle.

She’d have to visit the King soon. Between healing from the Predator attack and the wedding preparations, she hadn’t found enough time to visit him. If she were to be truthful, she was avoiding King Magnar because of Isaiah.

Isaiah’s behavior was different. She wished she could speak about it to someone, but she felt like the King would get offended if Davina said anything. Even though the King had been nothing but respectful and continued to surprise her with his good heart.

“Do you remember the day we first met?”

“How could I not?” she asked.

She’d never forget the first time she met him or the scandal that circulated among the partygoers because of an Almenara being inside of a Callaghan home. Davina would never forget the eyes that were watching her as she passed through Valerie’s house and the whispers that followed her through the corridors of the party.

“I remember thinking you were cute and pretty and beautiful all at once. I recall you looking around way too much because you were so scared of what the other families might’ve thought about you for being on Neptulus.”

“When Valerie invited me to her birthday party, I thought it’d be on Auris. And she had the audacity to tell me that it’d be on Neptulus the day of,” Davina complained.

“I’m glad she tricked you into going.” He beamed so brightly that his dimples appeared.

Davina fought the smile that tried to find itself on her face. Instead, she sighed and asked, “What’s the point of this, Ron? What is it that you want from me?”

“You,” he said with a smirk. She remained serious. Although, fireworks were exploding inside of her.

Part of the reason she didn’t want to leave Isaiah was because she knew she’d come back to Ron. What if she went back to Ron and along the line, he decided she was too much to handle? What if she learned to truly love him and he broke her heart because she was a mess?

“I broke off our, whatever it was that we had because I realized you were not putting enough effort to grow in your power. And I so earnestly wanted you to have the happiness of having your abilities activated,” she said. “And if you never activated your powers, then how would you ever want to fight the war with us?”

Silence. Davina held her breath, waiting for his response.

“You’re right.”

Never in a million years did she think he’d ever agree with her.

“You were right the whole time. I’m sorry that you felt forced to make such a difficult choice for my own good.”

At that, she didn’t even know what to say. Usually, one would say that it was okay. Yet, it wasn’t okay. Everything was far from being fine.

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