12. ELEVEN

ELEVEN

D avina stood in the hallway outside of the throne room with Ron and Cara flanking her. The others leaned against the corridor walls. Thirty minutes had passed since they had spoken to the King and since he had chosen them to be the Island Protectors. They'd been standing outside the throne room trying to process the encounter with King Magnar.

Caleb was the first to break the silence that filled the hallway. "Never in a million years did it ever cross my mind that the King could choose me for something so… great."

"To be completely honest with you guys, neither did I," Davina admitted, her eyes following each golden swirl of the doors beside her.

Leilani, Valerie, Beacon, and Caleb looked at her, their eyes questioning her confession. Davina glanced at Ron as he nodded, almost as if he were agreeing with her, like he understood what she meant.

But they didn't know what it was like to carry the burden of the Almenara name. They didn't know what it was like to be scorned and bullied for being born into a scandalous family like her own.

Cara gave Davina an understanding half smile. Maybe Cara understood more than they did because she was born into a family that had deactivated powers for generations.

"I see you've finally met the King."

Davina snapped her gaze in the direction of a voice she knew too well. It was none other than Master Abigail with a grin on her lips, hands behind her back like usual.

"You've met him before?" Davina asked.

The King was in lockdown for over four hundred years. How could she have been able to meet the King if he'd been isolated for so long?

"Similar to you, Davina Almenara and Cara Montero, my family did not have their abilities activated. They were loyal followers to Freya's cause, even after ages since the Revolt," Abigail began. "One day, the Predators attacked my village in Auris. It was ransacked and nothing was left after the ambush. I tried to save my parents from the Predators, but I failed. I was only thirteen and didn't have any powers."

Abigail reached for her collar and showed a clearer view of her white mark. "That is how I got this scar."

"How'd you survive?" Davina asked.

"The King found me."

What if the King had intervened in Davina's life and she hadn't realized it before?

"I called for him to help me. I promised him I would serve my purpose here in Bellatorm if he were to help me. I would've died if he hadn't come to save me." Abigail smiled. It wasn't a grin, or a smirk, or a scowl. It was a real smile.

"But I thought the King was in complete silence the entire time," Leilani stated.

"The King is silent to those who harbor a heart of stone. King Magnar speaks and will continue to do so to those who have an open heart," Master Abigail explained.

Perhaps that was the reason why the King chose Davina as the Captain because she refused to have a heart of stone.

"He brought me back here and nursed me to health himself. He called Master Velar as a witness to my activation ceremony and asked Velar to tutor me so I could be ready to be the next Master. It is because of the King that I am what I am today."

"You knew," Davina muttered.

"Knew what?" Caleb asked as his voice cracked.

"I knew," Abigail said. "I knew you'd be the Captain the moment you manifested your purple fire at your activation ceremony."

"Did you know that we would be chosen too?" Leilani asked.

"When I was instituted as Master, he informed me of eight exceptional individuals. All with different powers, different islands, and different families," Abigail responded. "He was the one who guided me to you. Or better said, guided you to me."

How could the King choose her as Captain of the Island Protectors? How could she possibly even be a part of the Island Protectors?

"There is no need for you to wait until the Soldatus ceremony in one month. You are a Soldier from now on, but above all else, you are Captain," Abigail explained before she bowed at Davina. "Welcome to the army, Captain Almenara. I will make sure that you are provided with your uniform, emblem, and sword."

Davina let out a shaky breath before sending Abigail a smile, which was more of a grimace.

"As for you, Miss Montero, I would suggest attending your activation ceremony and doing an intensive training of seven months. In the next Soldatus ceremony, you will receive what is rightfully yours."

"Okay," Cara replied.

"Who wants to be the first to start the search for their armor?" Abigail raised a brow as she studied the newly instituted Island Protectors.

"Me." Beacon lifted his hand.

"Do you know how we can find our armor?" Davina asked.

"I do." Abigail smirked as she nodded once.

"Come on, Master, tell us," Caleb said.

"You must all go to the island that fuels your power," Abigail began. "That is all I can tell you."

"Ah, come on, you can't do that to us," Caleb complained.

"Is there a chronological order we must follow?" Leilani questioned.

"There's no order," Abigail answered. "If you want to be there with your friends while they search, you may accompany them, or they could head on over to their island by themselves. What matters most is that you find your armor as soon as possible. If not, then you will automatically show irresponsibility and will be considered unfit to fight in the war."

Loud shuffling echoed throughout the hallway. A Mistran young man arrived with widened eyes, nearing Master Abigail. The Master simply turned to the Mistran messenger with calm eyes despite his stressful demeanor.

"Yes?" The Master asked.

"I was sent by Aurisan Chief Leader Sigmis to inform Master Abigail of the volcanic activity in the Desolate Highlands," the Mistran young man stuttered. "The volcano is emitting gas and ash."

It was then that Davina recognized him as the young man who delivered the news of the Predator attacks a few weeks ago before she was confronted by the Predators and met Cara.

"The Desolate Highlands? But that volcano was determined to never erupt again since the drainage of its magma when the Revolt began," Beacon questioned.

"The Chief Leaders speculate that the Predators are at fault," the Mistran informed. "They are waiting for you, Master, in the Grand Archives."

"Go ahead, young man. Inform the Chief Leaders that I will arrive soon." Master Abigail nodded. The Mistran messenger ran back the same way that he arrived.

"Should we be worried, Master?" Davina asked.

Abigail shook her head. "It will make sense in a few days."

Davina quirked up a brow.

"Do we still continue the search for our armor?" Beacon asked.

"Yes, you may commence today," Abigail stated before walking back into the corridors, leaving the new Island Protectors outside of the throne room with unanswered questions about their new mission.

Cara's first day was today. Now, she was an Island Protector with no training and no knowledge of her powers. "Crazy first day, huh?"

"Crazy indeed," Cara agreed.

"At least we're in this together." Davina smiled before hugging Cara, one which the Basalan in pink was quick to return. It was then that Davina realized how much Cara must've needed this hug.

Hopefully, being chosen to be an Island Protector would keep Cara's mind away from the grief.

Castellum kept a record of all those who died or disappeared during any kind of accident or ambush. Davina had made sure to find out the name of Cara's deceased brother by checking the updated List of the Fallen.

Leif Montero was the name of her older brother. He was young and had taken the role of leadership in his father's carpentry business after Cara and Leif's parents had died in another ambush.

"I have to head out to the office in Basalt, do I come in tomorrow afternoon?"

"Yes, training will start at four. I'll be here." Davina nodded.

"Okay, see you tomorrow," Cara said quickly before walking toward the opposite end of where Abigail had gone.

Davina hadn't noticed that the others had left, other than Ron, who wore a crooked grin and began to walk beside her.

"So," he began.

"So," she said.

"The King chose us to be Protectors, and you're the Captain," Ron said as he rubbed his neck.

"He did." Partly, she didn't feel the desire to speak to him yet, only because she felt rather embarrassed and remorseful for being so hot-tempered with him when he clearly wanted her well-being.

Although they shared a few moments in the training room, she felt a bit awkward after her meltdown at the Archives yesterday. But it was also because she wasn't used to having someone care for her the way he did. And she was scared. What if he charged her for all his good deeds just like her parents? What if she learned to care for him and he betrayed her? Used her? Hurt her?

She couldn't allow more pain into her life, but the look of his brown and gray-flecked eyes made her wish for him to become a constant in her life. Davina didn't even know where all these thoughts were coming from.

She felt too afraid to admit that she was beginning to care for him, and she loved how much he cared for her.

He hadn't mentioned any kind of romantic feelings for her, but his gestures, his looks, and his smile said enough.

"We have no excuses not to go to war now, do we?" she asked rather sharply.

Davina mentally kicked herself for having blurted that out.

"Yeah, you're right." Was all he said as they walked out of Castellum.