Page 99 of Heiress of Fire

A dark silhouette passed by the cobblestone path. Davina hid deeper among the vines and branches, holding tightly on the bough that she sat upon.

She watched as Ron fumbled with his keys, his shoulders were slouched while his eyes remained low as he entered through his front door.

Davina sighed quietly.

He seemed more miserable than ever. As soon as he closed his mahogany front door, she double-checked the pathway that led to his house for any night strollers. She jumped down from the tall oak tree.

Davina was careful in her steps and watchful with her eyes. She examined his house, her heart clenching at the recollection of the last time she had been here; the day she broke his heart, the day he turned into someone she could barely recognize.

Davina approached one of his windows, his silver curtains allowing her clear vision through the transparent glass.

She knew that it was unwise to be there, but she needed to see him. He stumbled into the chair in front of his desk with a glass filled up with what she presumed was liquor. He slammed it onto the bench beside him. Davina flinched, surprised the glass cup hadn’t broken. There was a quill in his hands as he violently scribbled on the parchment paper below him.

Davina covered her mouth as she saw his shoulders trembling, but he continued to write on the page. A sob erupted from his lips before he downed the last of the alcohol. His chair screeched against the wooden floor as he balled the parchment in his hand. Davina’s eyes widened, Ron was walking toward the window where she had been snooping. Quickly, she dropped to her knees and hid between the hedges.

Davina held her breath as he unlocked the ledge of the window and threw out the balled piece of paper near her boots. Once she heard him slam the window shut, Davina snatched the paper and put it into her satchel.

She should have left just then. But she decided to glimpse the window one more time and immediately regretted her decision.

Ron launched his glass into the fireplace, causing the flames to roar wildly. He then yelled a deep cry of pain as he kicked the table, leaving a splintered dent at the top, and slammed his chair into the nearest wall.

His hands ran furiously across his face as his back collided with the beige panel of his house. Ron slid down the wall as he let out a shaky breath. Davina focused on the tears that ran from his bloodshot eyes.

He seemed so emotional but emotionless at once.

It was her fault. It was her fault that he was like this. She had caused this pain in him. She had decided to be cruel to him. And she hated how much she couldn’t tell him that she still cared for him. Her hands reached for the window as if she could touch him and comfort him for all the damage she had caused.

A loud boom echoed in the night sky. Instantly, Davina raised her gaze to the dark clouds that surrounded Auris, her eyebrows furrowed. The day had been sunny, there hadn’t been any weather predictions from the Neptulans or Mistrans of an upcoming storm.

“I wish I didn’t have to go,” Davina whispered, wishing that he could hear her. “I really don’t.”

With confusion about the sudden storm still bubbling inside of her, her hand parted from the window, recalling the moment when she turned her back to him many moons ago. The heavy raindrops fell over the crown of her head and her simple lavender dress, making the linens stick closely to her figure.

Davina ran off of Auris Bridge and into Castellum which was mostly deserted. Only a few Leaders and Soldiers stood guard by the entrances of the Bridges.

Before she reached Basalt Bridge, she heated her body enough to dry her clothes.

As she bid goodnight to the Bellatorman warriors by Basalt Bridge, she thanked Magnar that her satchel had been made of leather, protecting the crumpled paper Ron had written.

With a heavy heart, Davina pulled out the wrinkled parchment.

“At times, I believe I’ve been too kind for my own good. Always listening to what others have to say about me and my life that I feel like I haven’t lived at all. I act like I don’t care that I’m a miserable excuse of a Mistran man, but it does. Each word has been like a knife to my heart.

I’ve let people take advantage of me. They’ve taken more than what I was willing to give. I gave everything of me only for me to feel like the undead. I’m nothing. Everything I work so hard for never comes out right.

I’m exhausted in keeping up the appearance that I’m fine when I’m not, hiding behind the mask of hate and contempt. I hate this sickness of revulsion that I have harbored in my heart, it has contaminated my very bones.

I refuse to continue indulging in alcohol and women. I feel so disgusted after every sip and flirtatious comment.

But I struggle with my constant remembrances of her. And I need someone to make me forget about Davina.

I miss her so much. My best friend, someone I could talk to and who would listen. I hate that it ended. I hate that the only person that I have loved the most, I can’t have. I can’t have the only person whose smile has saved me from death.

I hate that she’s to marry someone else and that she still thinks of me and there’s nothing either of us can do about it.

I simply wanted her comfort, her friendship, and her warmth for the rest of my days. I write this as I feel the pain become so great that I begin to feel nothing but a void within.”

As her salty tears reached her neck, she realized her violet fire eyes had come forth. Quickly, she closed her eyes to put them out.

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