Page 60 of Heiress of Fire

“I don’t know what to do, Lani.”

“With what?” Leilani asked quietly.

“With everything.” Davina wrapped her arms around her knees and looked toward the horizon. “I have this feeling like something bad is going to happen between me and my parents… And I won’t be able to protect the kids from it.”

“Don’t think that way, D.” Leilani set her hand over Davina’s shoulder.

“How can I not? Look at what he did to my face,” Davina said, uncovering her neck and jawline. “It’s been four days, and the burns still haven’t gone away.”

“Davina—” Leilani began.

“I’m scared, Lani. I’m afraid that I won’t be able to protect them against Raven.” Davina faced Leilani with glossy eyes and a deep frown on her lips. “I can’t even defend myself against my stepfather. How am I supposed to lead the army into a war if I can’t even do that?”

Leilani remained quiet for a few seconds. Davina’s chest heaved as she breathed inward and outward, trying to stop the tears from spilling.

On top of everything that had happened at home, Ron had disappointed her. His silence, for the first time ever, pained her. She wished he could’ve brought up a joke of some kind.

“I have not lived what you have, but I know enough about you to know that you are one of the most courageous people I know. Bellatorm has made you into the image of Freya when you have proved continuously that you are nothing like her. You are loyal to the King despite all the evil deeds that have been committed against you. How can you doubt yourself like that?” Leilani asked.

She wondered what King Magnar saw in her. She had only been a seventeen-year-old girl. A girl with a fragile heart, who was becoming a woman with shoulders weighed down by her ghostly past.

The memories that she had tucked inside of her mind rushed back to her, flooding her heart with anxiety and sadness. Mae and Nico’s shouts echoed within her ears. The times when Emmy would barge into her room with fear in her eyes. The way that Genevieve has screeched for them to stop fighting. How Micah would mistreat the girls whenever he heard them cry.

Ron was right about one thing: she took care of them, but no one took care of her.

Davina sobbed, swiftly cleaning her tears with the back of her hand.

Leilani scooted closer to Davina and pulled her into her arms. Davina let herself be wrapped in Leilani’s embrace, which smelled of fresh herbs and strawberries.

Leilani rubbed Davina’s back.

“It’s okay to cry. You’ve been through a lot,” Leilani whispered.

It’s as if she knew that Davina felt embarrassed for crying about such trivial things.

“I am not your mother or stepfather. It’s okay for you to feel whatever you’re feeling right now.”

What was Davina feeling? Words would never be enough to explain what she was feeling. The simple terms that were anger, fear, contempt, confusion, and love, were not enough to describe the emotions that squeezed tightly around her heart.

After a few minutes, Davina pulled away from Leilani’s arms. Davina sniffed and cleaned her cheeks of her tears.

“Sorry,” Davina apologized.

“No need for that.” Leilani smiled as she squeezed Davina’s hand.

“Although I would like for you to apologize to me for having caused a quarrel in Sadoc’s home with your boyfriend, on the day of his birthday.” Leilani squinted her eyes and crossed her arms.

Davina’s laugh boomed through the valley of mountains. “He’s not my boyfriend and I already asked you to forgive me for that.”

“I can’t believe you embarrassed that poor servant like that,” Leilani remarked.

“Come on, I have to go home. Unless I want another war to fight in this lifetime.” Davina chuckled.

Leilani widened her eyes. “You’re right. I don’t want to face the wrath of your parents.”

They both stood, dusting off the grass from their trousers.

Davina let her wings spread wide behind her.

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