Page 25 of Heiress of Fire

Davina knew deep within her soul that this was Raven’s doing. Anger began to gurgle from her chest and then traveled to her throat.

Emmy tightened her arms around Davina’s waist as Micah wrapped his arms around Mae and Genevieve. Davina hovered her arms around Micah and Mae’s head. Holding tightly onto each other, they waited for the earthquake to settle.

Once the shaking stopped, there was a deafening silence. The Almenara family let out uneven breaths as they all shared the same fearful look.

“What was that?” Genevieve asked.

“Are we going to die?” Emmy questioned.

“No, no, no. Don’t worry, kids, we’ll be alright. Nothing’s going to happen to us,” Davina hushed, fixing Emmy’s sleeves and giving them a warm smile. “We’ll be alright.”

Emmy and Genevieve nodded.

“Where is father?” Davina asked.

“He went to help reconstruct a friend’s house near the shore of Auris. Oh no, what if something happened to him? What if he got hurt? Or fell into the ocean?” Mae exclaimed.

Davina breathed in and out. “He’s fine, mother. He’ll be home soon.”

“I hope so,” Mae said, kneeling to pick up a broken jar.

“Let’s help Mom clean up. Come on,” Davina ordered softly.

As Davina helped her mother clean, she couldn’t help but feel her fire wanting to take over.

Nothing was going to happen to them. She would not allow it. Davina was determined to protect her siblings at all costs.

Raven was asking for war, and Davina was going to give her hell.

NINE

After the earthquake the night before, all six Soldiers and Davina were called into the Grand Archives by Amir and Isaiah.

Although she knew the circumstances for which she was called were dire, she couldn’t help but bubble with joy at having been permitted to enter the Archives again.

As she entered the quartz-polished door, Davina marveled at the grandeur of the Archives structure within Castellum. Amir’s bronze skin contrasted with his bright blue Chief Leader gear along with his weapons belt.

Isaiah fixed his frames as he looked back at the group of Soldiers and Davina. “Today, we’re going to give you a passage into the underground section of the Archives.”

Davina and Leilani turned to each other with widened eyes. “So, the rumors are true.”

A loud swoosh erupted from the shiny wooden door that separated the rows of bookshelves on the first floor. Beacon, Valerie, and Snow were the first to enter after the Chief Leaders.

Leilani and Davina followed the Soldiers, Caleb and Ron behind them. They stepped onto a dark spiral staircase, which twirled downward.

Almost immediately, blue ripples covered every inch of the steps. Glass surrounded the stairs and allowed a clear view of the wonders of the sea. Leilani and Davina gasped as they watched the underground reef below Castellum.

Different colored fishes swam in circles around the glass window. Davina glimpsed a large stingray peacefully swimming past a group of clownfish.

“It’s so beautiful,” Davina said as a seahorse passed beside her.

“Will you two hush?” Beacon whispered.

“Someone’s grumpy today,” Leilani muttered to Davina.

Davina grinned as she sensed Beacon rolling his eyes. A soft chuckle escaped Ron’s lips.

“I’m not grumpy, I can’t hear Amir over all your yapping.” Beacon looked back at Davina and Leilani.

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