Page 144 of Heiress of Fire

The elder Leader rushed to Davina. “Yes, Captain? How may I be of assistance?”

“I need your help to assign ten Soldiers or Apprentices to stay here and help the people transfer to Castellum. The others are instructed to head to Basalt Island. Do what you can but help me spread the word. Battle awaits us there.”

“Yes, Captain.” He nodded and ran in a flash throughout the Island.

Surprised, Davina chuckled after seeing the old man run so quickly. Then she strode to the island square, the center of Mistral. As she entered the plaza, she found a once beautiful statue of a Mistran Leader had been pieces of broken stone along the pathway. The fountain had gone dry, the flowers had died, and the benches were shattered.

She frowned.

Mistral’s intelligence which had produced research, art, and knowledge was ruined. Their beautiful buildings and sculptures were gone.

“Vivi?”

Davina twirled to find Ron standing near the broken statue, grime covering his face and arms with a coat of sweat shining over his temple, his chest heaving. She immediately smiled and ran into his embrace. Ron held onto her tightly, so full of emotion, she barely felt how he had picked her up and spun.

“You’re here. You made it.”

She whispered, “I wish this moment could last forever.”

“What’s wrong?” He slowly put her back on her feet. Thankfully, he still held onto her. She would have support as she informed him about Lani. She still hadn’t fully processed it herself. Lani was wonderful, but this hadn’t been something she’d ever expected.

“It’s Leilani,” she began. “Sadoc found me and if it weren’t for him I would’ve been dead by now. He helped me get out of the mountains. But before he did, he told me that Leilani betrayed us and informed Raven about what we were planning.”

Ron’s brows lifted. “What?”

“Supposedly, Raven wants to move the barrier over the islands. We have to go to Basalt. They’re meeting at my house.”

“Are you sure you can trust Sadoc? It’s Leilani, she’d never do that,” Ron questioned.

“I’m not sure of anything right now, but we have more to lose if we don’t find out,” Davina said.

“How are we going to get there?” Ron asked.

Davina smirked. “Flying.”

She didn’t have much reason to smile, but only imagining Ron squirming as they flew would definitely make her feel a bit better.

Her large wings reappeared, crackling against the strong winds, Davina wrapped her arms around his torso before pushing them both into the air.

“Davina, no!” Ron yelped and scrunched his eyes closed. Davina chuckled.

“Would you rather be running to Basalt?”

“Yes!” He yelled with his eyes shut as his hands tightened around her waist.

“We’d be wasting precious time,” Davina argued. Ron shook his head while the wind pressed down on them. “It’s kind of fun to fly. Only if you let yourself enjoy the view.”

“How can it be fun to fly when you can fall to your death at any moment?” he cried.

“Do you not trust me?”

“I do.”

“Then open your eyes,” she said.

Davina could hear him sigh as he reluctantly opened his eyes, his stare fixating over Mistral’s windy forests, their clean streams, but also their ruined architecture. Davina smiled as he stared over the island with wonder. Ron then glanced upon Basalt and Auris. She followed his gaze and was able to see every curve and end of the islands.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” she asked with a smile.

---