Page 9 of Heiress of Fire

Davina blushed before whispering. “What are you waiting for? Start climbing or they’ll catch you.”

He followed the same action as her. Davina was surprised at the sight of his agility. Then she remembered what Leilani had told her. Ron was basically born in Castellum, training since he was a child and preparing himself to be a warrior. Davina had been too shy to look his way whenever they were assigned to be in the same training room, so she had to depend solely on her imagination of his training.

She wondered whether he had ever actually had to use his training against anyone who could be a threat to the islands.

He comes from a Mistran family, but she heard rumors of him living in Auris. Last she recalled, his mother and father manifested air abilities.

Almost as fast as the blink of an eye, he was settling himself next to her on the brown tiled roof. The coldness of the bricks rushed to her legs. Davina shivered but reminded herself to focus on the warmth within her chest, allowing it to spill over the rest of her body.

Voices began to appear from beneath them, near the entrance of the deck. The doors burst open. Davina and Ron crouched backward, into each other’s arms, before sharing a grin.

“There’s no one here, you incompetent piece of garbage,” Sadoc yelled.

Davina furrowed her brow at his aggressive tone, never having heard Sadoc’s voice sound so rough and deep. Ron held the same confused look as she did.

“But, sir, I saw them go through this door,” the twin stuttered. Davina could almost hear the servant cowering under Sadoc’s tall figure.

“Get out of my face before I do something we both might regret.”

The twin mumbled an apology as he scuttered off the balcony and back into the manor. Davina and Ron lifted their gaze toward the Sadoc, whose back was facing them. He held onto the railing as he stared off into the distance of the night, which was filled with the music of chirping crickets and the ringing of water flowing through the fountain. Davina could feel Ron holding his breath as Sadoc remained still.

This was the kind of person who held the luxury of his home, a prideful, rich man. He lacked nothing. His servants were many, his gold was prosperous, and his hunger was little. This was the man her best friend loved. Davina was almost sure that Leilani was not aware of this side of Sadoc.

After a few long moments, he left. The door’s hinges rattled when Sadoc pulled on the latch.

They both sat up and exhaled.

“I think no other moment of tonight will compare to this one,” Davina said.

“Glad that I was able to put on quite the show for you.” Ron chuckled. Davina laughed with him.

Ron looked at her. She watched as he observed the form of her lips, the curl and foil of her brown hair. Davina wondered whether he could see right through the mask that she could feel was beginning to crack. It was as if she was an open book, no matter how much she forced herself to close off. It was in such a way that it felt like Ron was able to read all her flaws, her insecurities, and her worries. Like he understood her.

And that brought a sense of belonging as she sat before him. She couldn’t bring herself to stop feeling for him, and a part of her hated this pleasant emotion.

This man before her was magnetic. She couldn’t quite place the reason as to why she felt this insane pull toward him. She had to get to know him, he had to become a part of her life. Davina knew she would regret it for the rest of her life if she let him go. He was different. She could see it in the way he gazed at her because he looked at her differently. He didn’t look at her with distaste or contempt, his eyes were filled with nothing but sincerity and goodness.

“You look radiant tonight,” he said.

He was examining her with a grin, that smile; the smile that was beginning to enchant her more and more each day.

“Thanks,” she uttered. “I think you look quite dashing yourself.”

His eyes never left her gaze.

“I’m horrendous. You on the other hand, you’re beautiful,” Ron stated.

Perhaps maybe she was.

“You shouldn’t doubt anything about yourself,” Ron claimed.

It was said that eyes had a story of their own; to be able to understand a person, what would be necessary would be to read their eyes. This is what Davina was doing with Ron, looking into his eyes to be able to understand him, to perceive his thoughts, and his intentions.

“I always see you in Auris… but you’re from Mistral, right?” she asked.

A small flash of hesitation passed through his expression. Davina questioned this small gesture of his. What could it mean? He nodded, breaking eye contact for the first time throughout the entire evening, which she noticed. Her lips parted as she saw how he was struggling to find his words.

“Yes, you are correct. I live in Auris but my parents and my two brothers share the same gift of controlling the air element,” he confirmed, staring at the trees that danced from the small breeze that brushed through them.

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