Page 128 of Heiress of Fire

“Where do you think he got all his training back? The Dark Mistress trained him herself,” Isaiah spoke low only for her to hear. “He’s using you. He’s going to leave you. He’s betrayed you. All those months you spent pining over him were for nothing.”

A grin appeared on her face. Screw formalities. She was going to make him pay.

“I lied,” Davina snapped before shoving her blazed finger into his eye. Isaiah tried to pry her hand away from his face as he cried. “I find that you’re deserving of this punishment.”

Davina pulled her hand out from his socket, letting his eyeball roll and be coated by the sand, leaving trails of red blood. Her hands became sticky with hot liquid. The crowd yelled in applause at Isaiah’s expense.

Davina turned to the elder Leaders who stood by the entrance of the castle steps, her glare was enough of an order for them to obey. She watched as some Leaders whispered orders to the nearby Soldiers. The Soldiers came and dragged a weakened Isaiah into the dungeons.

Isaiah’s blood dripped from her fingers as she walked into the castle, with Ron and the others right behind her.

THIRTY-SIX

Isaiah’s pleas and commands to be freed echoed throughout the halls of the fortress as several Aurisan soldiers dragged him deeper into the dungeons of Castellum. Davina and the Island Protectors followed them into the foyer of the castle, their footsteps had been close behind Davina.

The golden doors of the entrance of the castle made a swoosh as Caleb closed and locked it.

“Did you have to be so brutal?” Leilani asked.

Davina refused to face Leilani, she stared at Isaiah’s convulsing figure, and the Soldiers holding him became smaller as they disappeared into the corridors. “Yes, I had to.”

Lani pulled Davina’s arm; Davina’s anger immediately cracked as she realized the terrified look on her friend’s face.

Davina glanced at Valerie and Beacon who were holding onto each other, Valerie held a hand to her lips as Beacon had a clenched jaw. Caleb and Cara wore the same look as Leilani. Even Snow seemed distraught. Ron had a blank expression. It was one she couldn’t read. Was he disappointed in her too?

Davina’s lips parted as she watched them all watch her. Could they finally see right through to her? Could they see everything that she saw in herself?

She made a speech about how she wasn’t the people’s enemy but that’s exactly how she felt. The anger that bubbled inside of her made her feel like she was on the brink of being similar to Raven, she felt like the villain, she felt like the bad guy. She looked down at her hands, smeared with Isaiah’s blood.

Her eyes flicked back to Ron.

“Ron.”

Where do you think he got his training back?

She turned to him while he seemed to be patiently waiting for her to speak. Such an innocent look on his face, one that she intended to ruin if he so much as confirmed Isaiah’s words.

“Where did you get all your training?” she asked.

Ron felt like his heart had stopped for a moment. His face paled as he looked into her beautiful brown eyes which were colder than ever before. Her eyes were usually filled with fire, they always remained warm and bright. But now they were somber and dark. Her voice was intense along with her stare.

She’d never looked at him like that. This look. It was the look she gave Raven whenever they fought in their battles. The same look when she looked at Isaiah not too long ago. With the same eyes, she gazed upon the Main Predators who attacked the islands.

“I asked you a question.” Davina paced slowly toward him. “Answer it.”

“Davina,” Beacon warned. Beacon freed himself from Valerie’s embrace and walked closer to stand beside him and Davina. Ron held up a hand to stop him from getting any closer. The others took a few steps away from Vivi.

“Where did you train all those months that you were not around?”

He didn’t know how to reply.

“It’s not what you think,” Ron began as he held up his hands. Her eyes flicked to his raised hands. There was an amused look in her gaze as if she was questioning whether he would ever do anything against her.

Of course he wouldn’t.

She ran to him and shoved him against the marble wall of the foyer.

“Did you think I wouldn’t find out?” she raged. He grunted at the impact of his back colliding with the hard panel of the castle while her reddened face neared his. He could feel the gravel of the wall piercing his skin.

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