Page 71 of Heiress of Fire

“Head to Castellum! Everyone, go, go, go. Hurry! Go to Castellum!”

Most Basalans turned to each other in confusion when they heard her command. Davina sighed in frustration. She knew that people hadn’t respected her because of her birthplace and family name, but she couldn’t help but wonder whether the Bellatormans’ ego had been too thick for them to accept her advice to get to safety in the middle of a dangerous situation.

“What are you standing there for? Go!”

The Basalans flinched before running toward the Bridge.

She then marched through the crowd into the field of Bloom, which had turned ashen gray. She could feel her heart breaking at the reign of death that hung upon the once magnificent field of Bloom.

Davina returned her eyes to the figure that jumped joyfully above the terrible gifts she left for the islands of Bellatorm. She wouldn’t allow her emotions to stop her from attacking Raven. The ancient witch was merciless in her attacks and so would Davina. Raven danced over a battered manor. She hoped that the family and servants in there were left unpunished by Raven.

Raven’s cackle rang into her ears as Davina reached the decayed land that surrounded the broken manor.

Davina heard various thuds behind her. She turned and found Snow and Valerie letting go of one another, a trail of white ice left behind them. Davina turned to her left to find Beacon arriving with Caleb, and Cara arriving with Leilani. Cara’s vibrations allowed her to fly short distances.

Each of them wore their polished armor. Each armor was beautiful. Different shades of green, brown, yellow, pink, and white covered them. But she didn’t spot his dark blue; Ron wasn’t there, which caused her heart to ache. He promised that he would try to understand.

Davina exhaled. She couldn’t be emotional, not right now. She couldn’t be weak before the battle that awaited her. Ron could not affect her in such a way, not in a moment like this. Not when her life depended on it. Davina inhaled as she closed her eyes to focus on her breathing. She would repress it, at least until she finished off with Raven.

“I want you all to work your way to the top. The other Soldiers and Apprentices will clear the way for us. Keep your eyes on your surroundings, don’t let them lay a finger on you,” Davina ordered as she stretched her back muscles. “Are you guys ready?”

“Yes, Captain,” they replied in unison.

“Then let’s drag her out of our islands and shove her deep into the oceans of death,” Davina spat.

Davina reached within herself and pulled out the power of her wings, causing a bright lavender light to cloud her vision. She extended her wings before flapping them swiftly, then pushed herself up into flight. While she remained suspended in the air, she was able to watch her friends charge against the Predators for entrance to the manor. Soldiers and Apprentices, in their fighting leathers, flooded the gray meadow by the manor.

The Predators that guarded the entrance of the mansion stumbled over their own feet as they neared the Bellatorman warriors. This would probably be one of the most difficult battles in the history of Bellatorm. Despite Raven’s control, which caused them to become Predators, they were still their neighbors. The Soldiers and the Island Protectors used their weapons, hands, or steel to overpower the Predators that began to swarm out onto the open dead field.

Iron clashing with flesh filled her ears.

She watched the Soldiers and Apprentices’ pained looks as they defended themselves against their possessed neighbors, giving them a quicker death than the one Raven would have.

Davina observed how Beacon easily overpowered the Neptulan Predator that was attacking him. Cara used her vibrations to shatter a crowd of Basalan Predators while Leilani and Caleb held hands as their free one commanded thorned roots of the island’s core to wrap around those who searched to attack them. Valerie blinded the Predators with just a glimpse at her palms while Snow used the ice daggers that came with her armor to slice at the others that came her way.

It was time.

Time to set aside all her disbelief and put her training into practice.

Davina breathed in before diving down en route to the roof, where Raven was still twirling about while also flapping around her black layers of clothing. As she reached closer, the wind burned Davina’s face, but she continued nonetheless. Anger pulsed deeper into her veins by every inch that she neared the Dark Mistress. Davina pulled her wings back in, letting herself free-fall through the air, toward Raven.

Her fist collided with the villainess’s ice-cold skin. Raven’s humming came to an abrupt stop as she grunted. Davina used this distraction to wrap herself around Raven’s body and slam her into the level below the rooftop.

As they collided through the wood, before they reached the final floor, Raven grabbed Davina’s shoulder and pushed her away. Davina flipped mid-air, then slid her feet across the floorboard to regain her footing.

Davina could feel her pupils tingling, knowing all too well that her eyes were flaring with violet flames.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Davina yelled.

“Enjoying my stay in Bellatorm, of course,” Raven chuckled.

Her jaw clenched as she reached for one of her swords that was set on her back. The purple sword slithered sharply as Davina sliced it through the air and held it before herself.

“That sword will do nothing against me.” Raven sighed. Her facial features had been covered with a different mask that night. “You can do nothing against me.”

“How about we try it out and see if what you say is true,” Davina claimed, slicing at the villainess’s right arm.

Raven quickly stepped aside. Davina followed after her, using the first slash as a diversion, and sliced Raven’s torso.

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