17. SIXTEEN

SIXTEEN

O ver the top of a Basalan mountain, Davina stood next to Leilani. It was a little tradition they shared to come to Basalt and admire its natural yet ethereal beauty. It was Leilani's suggestion to start having nature walks to Basalt whenever either of them felt too frustrated.

"Let's sit," Leilani suggested. Davina nodded and followed after her friend.

The grass of the mountain was fresh under her lilac trousers. Davina played with the grass beneath her as she looked at the sunset that left its rays over the pine trees among the valley of peaks.

The skies were painted a blue periwinkle and lavender. A small breeze passed through her hair, she breathed in deeply, taking pleasure in the scent of grass.

"What's going through your mind, D?" Leilani asked, her almond skin shining under the sunlight.

So much responsibility. So much to get done. She felt incapable and small compared to all her problems.

Only two days had passed since her argument with Ron and Nico, and Davina hadn't felt one bit better since that day.

It seemed as if the weight of the world was on her shoulders now that she had become the Captain of the Protectors. Officially, she had to fight to protect her parents who had never cared for her.

Maybe they did care, but certainly not enough. A very deep and twisted part of her wished she could leave her parents at Raven's mercy because that would be exactly what they would do to her. Leave her. Just like Mae left her with Nico all those times.

But, she refused to be selfish like them. Perhaps, her siblings might follow in her footsteps. For some reason, she felt more fearful of her siblings becoming a replica of their parents and not losing her life in the war.

Leilani patiently waited for Davina to speak.

"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.

"I will never get used to that," Leilani muttered as the fire from Davina's wings reflected over Leilani's face.

Davina chuckled, then looked at the feathers of fire beside her, she flapped her wings once. "I don't think I will either."

"Have you asked Abigail as to why you have wings?"

"Actually, no. I didn't think about that before," Davina admitted.

"You really should. Maybe you can even ask the King." Leilani shrugged.

"Yeah, I might." Davina observed her wings. "Do you want me to fly you home?"

"No, it's okay. I want to continue my nature walk," Leilani said.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes," Leilani chirped.

"Alright, I'll see you tomorrow at the meeting." Davina waved.

"Take care, D." Leilani waved back and smiled, heading down the mountain.

Davina squatted, prepping herself to jump into flight, until her feet began to tremble fiercely. Davina furrowed her brow as a loud rumble ripped through the mountains.

Leilani stumbled as the peaks began to crash into one another. Davina rushed to Leilani, gripping her by her torso and flying higher into the sky, away from the debris and dust that spewed into the air.

"What's happening?" Leilani asked, her blonde hair whipping as she turned to look around the valley.

"I don't know," Davina exasperated.

Only one mountain remained unharmed.

The periwinkle blue and lavender sky was filled with a hurricane of darkness, dark clouds encircled Davina and Leilani. The mist of night neared them, pushing them closer to the one untouched peak.

Davina let go of Leilani as they reached the top of the mountain.

"Davina?" Leilani asked, her eyes fixated on the five figures that stepped through the cyclone of ink.

Davina pushed Leilani behind her, carefully stretching her wings inward and commanding them to hide. Davina's hands were enflamed with her purple fire.

"I am not going to hide behind you, I was the one who taught you how to fight," Leilani bickered.

"We're not arguing about this right now," Davina muttered. "Get your armor out."

Leilani huffed before metal screeched loudly, surrounding her tan skin while purple and gold iron covered every inch of Davina's frame. Sharp branches crunched and appeared over Leilani's hands; thorns planted across the entirety of the wood.

A set of five figures set foot before them in perfect formation, the same formation that they were in when they last attacked. A tall female wrapped in a dark cloak stood in the middle.

"Who are you and what do you want?" Davina asked.

Davina observed the dark clothing that was wrapped around the woman's silhouette. Everything about her screamed darkness and evil. A polished black metal mask wrapped the lower part of her face, covering most of her facial features.

"You don't recognize me, darling? I can't say I blame you, I have been wearing other faces for far too long."

Davina's jaw clenched. The woman standing in the middle reached for a knife that had been set upon her silvered holster. Her skin was pale white, and it seemed to glow bright blue under the moonlight. Her fingernails were sharp and inky. Her scarf had been twisted as if it was a messy braid turning around her neck and arms. Her clothing revealed just how twisted her mind had become after all these years of her rebellion.

"At last, I can present myself to you, beloved one," her rasping voice echoed into her ears. Chills ran down her spine as her voice drew near.

Davina tightened her flamed hands. "Raven."

"You have to be joking," Leilani uttered.

"I'd expect more manners from the daughters of the King," Raven said. Davina's gaze fixated upon Raven's bewitching black eyes. "Although, I heard some whispers among my brothers and sisters. They're calling me the Dark Mistress now. It's a bit catchy, is it not?"

"Enemies aren't worthy of our manners," Davina spat. Her fingers curled deeper into her skin as her flames blazed brighter.

"Of course not, our Father did right when having filled us with our spirit of war. I guess you can say that in a way, we're sisters," Raven chimed.

Despite Raven's mask, Davina could see a smirk form on her lips through the gleam in her black eyes.

Raven had to be lying. If Raven was a Bellatorman then that would change everything. Raven knew all their ways, their strategies, and tactics, which made her a much more lethal opponent, leaving little chance for the Bellatormans to win this war.

"You're a liar," Davina affirmed.

"That can't be true," Leilani muttered.

Was this why Raven was attacking Bellatorm? Because she had also been a creation made by the King? But what could've caused Raven to turn into a woman capable of wielding shadows and darkness? Bellatormans were given their ability to give life, while Raven represented the complete opposite.

"This is no lie, sister," she spat, bringing emphasis to the name.

What could've caused Raven to become so dark? What island was she from?

"I know it must be difficult to grasp that I am also a Bellatorman, but I am here because I want to give my fellow sister a second chance to join me," Raven said as she held out her arms.

Davina remained silent. The cyclone continued to encircle them, yet there was an eerie silence.

"For what?" Davina asked.

Leilani must be thinking that she was considering Raven's offer.

"To bring ruin to our father, of course," Raven purred.

"Is that why you've been attacking us?" Davina asked.

"I've only been attacking the siblings who have refused my ways and to gain Father's attention. What's that saying? Killing two birds with one stone?" Raven asked. "I never wanted to hurt my siblings. Although, many of them have turned into snobs."

This was exactly how Davina had imagined the day of her first encounter with the Predators. Raven was attacking Bellatorm to get the King's attention. All those people were just a means to an end.

Raven examined Davina's expression.

"Davina?" Leilani whispered. "What do we do?"

Davina didn't remove her eyes from Raven and the four other Predators that stood beside her. They were Basalans. They had the same gray skin and splotches over their face, with black ink dripping from their lips.

"The day I decided to turn against our Father, I gained a new set of abilities. One of my powers has been the ability to influence. If you join me, beloved one, I can convince your parents to turn into better people. I can ruin the lives of all of those who have rejected you," Raven began. "They will all bow to you."

"I don't want anyone to bow to me," Davina argued.

"You say that now because you don't know what it feels like to be respected," Raven said.

"That's not respect. That's fear. I don't want anyone to fear me," Davina said.

They'd already feared her since her activation ceremony, and she hated it.

Specks of fire crackled into the air as she held her fists before her.

"Then we won't hurt them. We can make them respect you instead." Raven nodded as if she were trying to reassure Davina of her intentions.

Davina had done her research. Raven had – throughout the centuries—killed approximately five thousand Bellatormans by simply taking possession of them. Bellatormans whom she claimed were her brothers and sisters. However, the poverty in the islands had spiked tremendously in the past year, along with the number of orphans. Raven was willing to ruin the King no matter the price that had to be paid.

Once Raven's power held control of the minds of the people, they would be killed. Davina would not allow herself to be fooled by Raven's supposed good-hearted suggestions.

"No," Davina said.

"No?" Raven laughed in disbelief. "What do you mean ‘no'?"

"No, means no. Do I need to spell it out for you?" Davina sassed, raising a brow.

Raven growled, the gleam in her eyes disappearing into disdain.

"Careful," Leilani advised.

"What guarantee do I have that you won't turn against me and kill me like you've done to all the other islanders?"

"Because you are like me. I see myself in you, Davina," Raven stated. "I know what it's like to have complicated parents and for the people around you to reject you instead of accept you for being different."

Shivers ran down Davina's spine as she compared herself to Raven. No, they were nothing alike. Raven was a murderer, and she didn't care about anyone or anything, only her selfish goal of revolting against the King.

"I have to admit that you're a smart gal," Raven chuckled. "Don't overthink it too much. Think of it this way, their lives are just a small price to pay for your happiness, doll," she said before taking a step to her right, circling Davina and Leilani.

Davina and Leilani remained back-to-back. Leilani had her make-shift weapons aimed at the Predators as Davina held her enflamed fists high. Raven moved in such a graceful way, her skirts flapping almost angelically with the breeze, it was as if she was carefree about the different proportions of the mountaintop.

Raven's clothes matched perfectly with the walls of darkness that encircled them. Davina might've not been able to spot Raven had it not been for her light azure skin.

"If you accept my offer, me and you can rule Bellatorm. You can become a true princess of the islands. You'd have that delicious young man at your beck and call, those who ridiculed you shall be paid with the same coin. We'll balance the scales, sister."

"No, I refuse. I don't want anything to do with you, Raven," Davina said.

The amusement in Raven's eyes disappeared in a second. Her demeanor dropped any act of goodness as she menacingly stared into Davina's eyes. "Fine, have it your way, child."

She'd definitely angered Raven now. The woman ahead of her would truly be her enemy from that day forward. Davina's breath hitched in her throat as she continued to follow Raven's steps.

Despite Raven's eyes seeming soulless and empty, her black gaze was filled with disgust. "You shall regret your choice. You, and your people."

Her jaw clenched as her fists tightened even more, small crescents digging into her palms. Davina's heart pulsed faster as Raven walked toward her.

Davina held her hands out, away from Raven, as the ancient witch stood right before her. Davina had never seen such darkness in an individual. A glimmer of pleasure appeared in Raven's eyes. "I have been a warrior for a longer time than you have. You're nothing compared to me, you're too weak. Much less will you win this war."

It's like all her fears of the upcoming war had bubbled in size within her as Raven spoke. Leilani's encouraging words, which had somewhat helped, disintegrated as Davina stared into Raven's coal-black glare. She was weak. She had been an Apprentice, Soldier, and now Captain, trained by Leilani, and yet she still allowed her parents to hurt her.

Raven's eyes scanned every inch of Davina as she gulped.

"I won't fight you now. I'm going to give you some time to become a better warrior. You'll know when your end is near," Raven purred.

Davina clenched her jaw, the fire in her hands dimming. Raven cackled before becoming a cloud of dark smoke. The cyclone of darkness followed after Raven's black silhouette.

"D?" Leilani asked.

Davina's gaze was fixated on the puff of smoke that was Raven and her Predators, they mixed into the shadows of the starry night sky.

"Davina, look at me." Leilani threw her thorned sticks toward the mess of the peaks that surrounded them. "Look at me!"

Leilani was now in front of Davina, gripping her shoulders, shaking her out of the fear that froze her limbs.

"Snap out of it, now," Leilani demanded as her hazel eyes stared into Davina's. "You are not weak. Don't let her fool you."

Davina gulped and nodded.

"We'll talk about this tomorrow. Go home before your parents make another scandal, and get a good night's sleep. I'll see you tomorrow," Leilani said.

Leilani pulled her in for a hug, making sure to squeeze tight.

It was as if all her thoughts, good and bad, had gone silent. She didn't know what to think or feel. The confusion numbed everything inside of her. But Leilani was right, she needed to go home and sleep.

Davina nodded, pulled out her wings, and flew home.