Page 76 of Heiress of Fire

She smiled sweetly as Valerie wrapped her arm around Davina’s torso, careful not to move her bandaged shoulder. Davina breathed out as her shoulder and chest stung. Leilani, Cara, and Snow kept close as she struggled to find her footing, holding out their hands just in case she slipped. Davina held tighter onto Val as she set her feet over the polished floorboards.

She noticed the brand-new lavender slippers that replaced her usual black boots. They were rather comfortable with their cushioned bottoms.

Leilani must’ve been the one to have bought them, she’s always the one to find the best options whenever it comes to fashion.

“He got them for you,” Snow said bitterly. Davina lifted her eyes to face Snow, who had a scowl. It seemed that Snow’s cordialness hadn’t lasted long.

She couldn’t blame her. After all, Morozov’s and Almenara’s had been rival families for centuries. Snow must’ve thought the exact same thing that every other member of her family thought of Davina. She imagined that they’d whisper about how she was problematic, that she was not fit for Ron, or to be the Captain of the Island Protectors, and that she was exactly like her parents.

Davina nodded and began to shuffle her feet as Valerie led her to the backyard.

They passed several hallways before reaching the living room. As they neared the glass door, Davina noticed a new brown porcelain ornament sat where the other one, broken by Ron’s lightning, had once stood.

“I wish you the best,” Valerie whispered.

“It can’t be that bad,” Davina said.

“It is bad, Davina. I think you underestimate how much he cares about you,” Valerie hushed as they neared the glass door in the living room.

Davina’s stomach exploded with flutters as they passed the exit and neared wooden railings that curved around his backyard. She found him by a pond, gazing at the little fish that danced near the surface. Ron had his hands behind his back and his shoulders stiff. Davina gulped.

Val guided Davina to the nearest railing, nodding to her before heading back inside. The muscles in her legs and arms strained as she held tight onto the bar beside her, pushing herself near to him. Ron slightly pivoted. Once he set his eyes on her, he turned back to the pond, moving his hands into his pockets.

She felt her heart sink to her stomach.

The imminent conversation that awaited them pained her heart. There was this nagging feeling that whatever happened out in the backyard would change the course of their lives, and not for the better.

“Hey,” she whispered.

His back continued to face her. How she wished he allowed her to see his beautiful face. She needed him to tell her that everything was going to be okay.

“Ron,” she said.

“What?” he snapped.

Her lips parted. She followed his gaze toward the pond and noticed the little sea animals had been swimming in circles, creating little ripples across the water. She exhaled softly.

“Can we talk? About the battle? About us?”

He remained silent.

“Can you please say something?” her voice cracked. “Look, I know that nothing can change your mind about this, but put yourself in my place. I took care of the kids from the moment they were born, and I promised myself I would do everything I could to keep them safe.”

Ron would not change his mind, she didn’t know why she was even trying to explain herself to him. He would never understand. He was going to haunt her forever if she didn’t give up her position as Captain.

Tears harshly stung her eyes as a horrible idea came to her mind. And it would crush them both entirely. How she wished she hadn’t allowed herself to care so much for him, even after her own conscious warned her not to. Somehow Ron had become such a deep part of her life.

Davina knew that she was messed up. She knew that her pain would leak into her budding relationship with Ron and intoxicate him, which was the exact opposite of what she’d wanted.

“I had to fight, Ron. My family is in danger.”

She had a dream. A dream to see her siblings happy and free of their emotional bondages. A dream to have her parents transformed into better people because she truly believed they were still capable of being redeemed. If Raven was killed, then everything would be okay. Her family would be okay. She had to do this. There was no way that she wasn’t going to fight.

He wanted comfort when she wanted to fight the war. Perhaps he wanted a more comfortable life because of the inactivation of his abilities. The time had come for him to depend completely on his abilities, and he was running away from the opportunity.

“I may be the Captain of the Island Protectors, I may have the duty to protect my people, but above all else, I am the protector of my siblings. No one else, just me.”

“It isn’t your responsibility to protect them,” Ron mumbled.

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