21. TWENTY

TWENTY

G enevieve and Emmy lay on their stomachs as they drew flowers over their parchment pages. Davina had retrieved the parchment from Castellum, knowing that the girls would be able to have fun drawing different figures on them.

Davina set a clay plate of chocolate chip cookies on the coffee table, near where the girls lay.

"This is for you, big sister," Emmy chirped. The ruffle of a page reached Davina's ears.

Big sister , a nickname Micah had given her, the girls quickly caught on to it soon after.

Davina smiled wide when she saw a large rose drawn over the page. It hadn't been the most perfect depiction of a rose, but her little sister had drawn it for her and she loved it already.

"You didn't have to waste your page on me. Keep it for yourself, you can hang it up on your wall," Davina said.

Despite having the hardest week of her life, Emmy and Genevieve didn't fail to make her smile. If she could not enjoy Ron's love, she would enjoy theirs.

"I made it for you, take it." Emmy dangled the parchment in front of Davina.

"I drew something else for you too," Genevieve chimed. Genevieve's slick, straight black hair ran wild as she jumped to her feet with a grin so wide Davina's heart warmed.

"Why do you always try to take my ideas?" Emmy rolled her eyes.

"I was the one who came up with the idea of drawing the heart to give to Davina—"

"Girls, stop fighting," Davina said sternly.

"But Emmy started it! She's always blaming me for everything!" Genevieve yelled.

"Genevieve, calm down," Davina said.

"No, I don't. You're a liar!" Emmy screamed.

"Stop lying, Emmy! Why do you have to be so annoying?"

"I'm going to burn those cookies if you two don't stop fighting," Davina yelled through their discussion, pulling out an enflamed palm.

Genevieve and Emmy immediately stopped and begged Davina not to burn the cookies.

"Hmm, I thought so," Davina said, closing her hand into a fist. Her fire left little plum particles flying into the living room. "Thank you both for the drawings. Next time, draw something for yourselves."

"Okay," they hummed. Davina extended her arms out to them, and they were quick to jump into her embrace, she chuckled. Emmy squeezed tight around her torso causing her to groan yet laugh.

"Alright, alright, let's eat. Genevieve, can you get the milk?" Davina asked.

"Yeah, sure." Genevieve nodded and rushed into the kitchen.

"Micah said he didn't want any cookies," Emmy hushed. "I think he's in a bad mood, should I go ask him if he wants any?"

"Leave him be," Davina ordered.

"Fine." Emmy's shoulder slumped. "Can you show me your powers again?"

Davina looked at Emmy. The blonde little girl in front of her seemed so excited and interested to see her big sister's fire powers. Emmy didn't find Davina's abilities to be an abomination, the look in her eyes made it seem like she was amazed by the violet flames that lived under Davina's skin.

"I won't tell Mom and Dad," Emmy whispered.

Davina chuckled. "Okay, just for a second."

"Okay, okay."

Davina lifted her hand, and a little bunny made of fire appeared above her palm. Its round spine and long ears flared up with lavender sparks.

"Woah," Emmy said with wonder. Genevieve came back with a jar of milk and three cups, carefully setting them over the table as she stared at the fire bunny.

"I didn't know you could do that, that's cool," Genevieve said.

Davina smiled.

She then made a large purple heart appear through the fire as the girls stared in awe. The admiration in their eyes gave Davina some sort of solace after the sacrifices she made for the war.

They were worth every sacrifice.

"What is this?" Nico's voice boomed into the living room. Her stepfather walked into the living room while Mae closed the bedroom door before making her way beside Nico. It was a clear depiction of what she'd done to Davina her entire life.

Emmy whimpered.

Nico's dark glare pierced into her own, his blonde hair was ruffled atop his head. Mae stood beside him with a frown over her lips and arms crossed.

"Nothing, I was just showing the girls—"

"You shouldn't be showing my daughters that trash," Nico spat.

"I'm not doing anything bad," Davina softly argued.

"Do not speak to me in that way!" he shouted.

"I'm not speaking anyway. I'm telling you nicely and calmly that I wasn't doing anything bad," she explained.

"After everything I've done for you," Nico said with what seemed like disbelief.

"I didn't do anything!"

"I think she needs help remembering everything that we've done for her," Mae stated.

"No, Father, I was the one who asked her to show me," Emmy said.

"Don't defend her!" Nico yelled. Emmy flinched under his resounding voice. Anger already began to gurgle inside Davina as she viewed the way Emmy trembled under her father's hostile tone.

"You know what, Mae? You're right. I'm going to teach this dirtbag a lesson."

A dirtbag? That's what she was now?

Davina clenched her jaw while shaking her head. She was done being the good and quiet daughter they forced her to be. They would get the dirtbag they believed she was. Nico strode to Davina in just a few steps with a deep scowl on his face. Davina immediately pushed Emmy into Genevieve's arms.

She was not willing to stay quiet that day, she was determined to fight back, but the girls shouldn't be around if they saw that side of her.

"Girls, go to your room! Go!" Davina yelled at her sisters.

Feet shuffled into the living room.

"Father?" Micah asked as Nico grabbed Davina by her collar.

"Micah, take the girls!" Davina shouted aggressively. "Now!"

Micah pulled Emmy and Genevieve as they fought against his grip. Micah picked them up, shoving them into his room and shutting the door behind him. Davina returned her glare to Nico.

His hot breath reached her cheeks, she would have gagged at the smell, but she was too angry to even take it into account.

"What are you gonna do now, huh? Are you going to try to drown me again? Why don't you try something new like throwing me into an ice volcano? What will it be this time, father ?" Davina joked.

Nico raised his fist. She remained with her eyes wide open, her stare daring him to connect his fist to her face. But the pain never came. She didn't feel a sting on her cheek or her lips. Davina scoffed as a smirk crept onto her lips. "Do it, I dare you."

"You're crazy," Nico whispered.

"Oh, but father , the children are only a reflection of the parents," Davina taunted before she spat at his face. Nico pushed her away as she chuckled.

"Davina! That is no way to treat your father!" Mae yelled while she wiped the saliva off of Nico's face.

"He's not my father. He's the excuse of a father that you chose for me."

"Is this how I get treated after everything I've done for you? After putting you above my own kids?" Nico shouted.

"Would you have done the same to Genevieve or Emmy? Would you try to drown them as you have with me?" Davina yelled.

Nico retracted into Mae's arms. Because he knew she was right. She was treated differently because she was the one born out of wedlock. Perhaps she was even treated differently because she did look like her father.

"Where did I go wrong with you, Davina?" Mae asked.

"The moment you married him," she replied. "You said that I needed to remember everything that you've done for me. That I needed to be reminded, but I know that the one who needs this the most is you . Because I will never suffer a greater betrayal as deep as yours, mother."

Davina's chest heaved. Her fingers trembled with anger and a mixture of fear.

"Do you want to know what I remember? I remember being six years old, you had a belly, you were pregnant with Micah and you two had just fought. Your arms and face were bruised but as he slammed the front door, you helped me put on my shoes and we both ran after him. As we ran for him, you tripped and fell. I helped you sit up and I cleaned your wounds. Then when I was eight, I had to find a way to make it to Genevieve's crib as you two fought in front of her so I could take her to my room because she was crying hysterically. When I was thirteen, and Emmy was two, I had to push against my door so you and Nico wouldn't come in. Because the kids were scared, and they didn't want to speak to you yet. I remember they were shaking with fear and tears were streaking down their faces. And then you cut me open with your words, all because I chose to protect their peace above your pride. Whenever he would leave, I would cook and clean and comfort you and the kids.

"And whenever he would come back, you would forget all about me. So, the thing is, Mother, I have chosen you my entire life and you have never chosen me. Why have you gifted me nothing but misery and betrayal? Help me understand why you decided to conceive me if you did not plan a happy life for me. I was only a kid. A child. And you stole that away from me."

"Davina…" Her mother began, taking small steps toward her with glossy eyes.

"She is manipulating you, Mae, do not listen to her," Nico argued, grabbing Mae's shoulder.

Remorse struck her mother's expression, and Mae closed her eyes. Nico's fingers grew white when he tightened his grip on her mother's shoulder. Davina thought about pushing him away and cursing him for all those years of abuse that he gifted to her.

But Mae looked at Davina and then at Nico as if she were debating which side to choose. For the first time in a long time, Davina had hoped that her mother would prove her wrong, for once.

"I am not trying to manipulate anyone. This is the truth."

"I've had enough of your accusations and ungratefulness. Get out." Nico pointed to the front door.

"What?" Davina asked. Her eyes turned to her mother.

"Get out of my house!"

"Father, you cannot make her leave," Micah yelled. She hadn't realized that he and the girls had left his room.

"Yes, I can. This is my house, and you are no longer welcome in it. Now get out!"

How dare he?

"Mother, will you not do anything about this? Will you allow your husband to do this to me?" Davina questioned. But as she looked into Mae's brown eyes, she had already decided.

Mae's silence killed the little bit of hope she had for a possible happy future with her parents.

"You heard your father, you are not welcome here."

Davina's lips gaped as she looked at her with clear disbelief and heartbreak. That was when the tears finally brimmed her eyelids, after choking them down the entire night.

Her mother. Her own mother. The first pair of eyes that she ever looked into. The woman who carried her and nurtured her in her womb. The arms that she always wished to be hugged by. Was Mae truly capable of such a thing?

"No! You can't do this!" Emmy yelled as she ran to Davina and hugged her.

"It's okay, Emmy, don't worry," Davina whispered.

Genevieve followed after her. "Please, don't go."

Davina wanted to leave anyway, so why did it hurt so much to be forced out of her own home? The pain in the children's eyes only duplicated her own. She slightly pushed through her siblings, who were choking out the air in her lungs with their tight embrace, breaking them away from her.

The Aurisan Captain felt like she was going to explode into a massive wildfire, and she wished to keep her siblings safe away from her. She removed their hands from her waist.

Davina marched into her room, grabbing her satchel and purse, and shoving in all the undergarments, kirtles, dresses, pants, and shoes that she could find. She kneeled before an indicated floorboard, ripped it open, and pulled out a clinking cloth bag of silver coins, hiding it in her satchel.

Nico and Mae stood still in the common room as Davina sped into it, the children in her trail.

"Are you happy, Nico? You're getting what you've always wanted," Davina questioned him.

"Actually yes, I am happy," Nico chuckled as he set an arm around Mae's shoulder.

"Let's see if you survive without me," Davina spat.

Nico scoffed and motioned for her to leave with his hand. Davina watched her mother, who refused to look at her.

Then she glanced at Micah, Genevieve, and Emmy. Micah shook his head, his eyes telling her not to go, for her not to leave them.

"I'm sorry, kids," Davina whispered. She had to leave, she couldn't handle it anymore. "I love you, always."

She felt a need to say that because she was almost sure that Nico wouldn't let her see them.

Davina ran out of the front door. Emmy's screams and pleas for her to stay echoed in her mind as she ran up the cobblestone pathway that would lead her out of Auris and onto the Bridge.