24. TWENTY-THREE

TWENTY-THREE

" L ani? Can I talk to you for a moment?"

Davina felt like she would throw up right then and there, she gulped harshly while she sat on their emerald davenport. Leilani's light footsteps reverberated through the living room, there was a slight quirk in her brows while she approached the couch.

"What's up, D?" Leilani asked, fixing her lime-colored skirt as she sat.

Prayers to Magnar were repeated continuously in her thoughts. Hopefully, the King gave Davina the right words to explain to Leilani of her engagement to Isaiah and about Sadoc being a Main Predator.

"Are you okay?" Leilani asked. "Is something wrong?"

Davina smiled. "No, no, nothing's wrong."

"Then why do you have that face?" Leilani questioned.

"I don't have a face ," Davina said.

Leilani's shoulder slumped. "What's wrong?"

Davina sighed. Her fingers began to shake before she pulled them into a fist so Leilani wouldn't see. "I got a marriage proposal."

The Basalan Soldier's eyes widened as she exclaimed, "What? Davina, this is amazing! From who?"

She grabbed Davina's hands with excitement clear in her eyes.

"From Chief Leader Isaiah," Davina explained.

Slight hesitation seemed to pass through Leilani's eyes, her lips gaped as Davina watched her process the revelation.

"What's wrong?" Davina asked.

"I thought it would be— never mind. Are you sure you want to start a new relationship so soon after the whole issue with Ron?" Leilani let go of Davina's hands, setting them neatly above her green skirt.

Did Leilani think that Ron would propose? If only.

"Yeah, I'm sure. I feel nothing for Ron anyway," Davina lied.

Leilani's light brown eyes scanned Davina's face intensely. Davina grimaced at her horrible lie, yet it seemed Leilani was not going to push more on the subject.

"Whatever you say, D. Just please be careful. I don't want you to get your heart broken again," Leilani said, brushing one of Davina's strands off her face.

Davina breathed in deeply and nodded. The tenderness in Leilani's eyes would certainly disappear in a few moments once she revealed what Sadoc had been planning against them.

"I think Isaiah is a good man. I'm sure you will make a happy couple." Leilani smiled. "And I'll be here to help you prepare for your wedding."

Davina chuckled, forcefully.

"Well, I must make haste, I still have to put the chicken to roast." Leilani dusted her skirt. She was about to stand when Davina grabbed her hand.

"There's something else," Davina said. She had to say it before she came up with another lie. "Sadoc is a Main Predator."

Leilani furrowed a brow before shaking her head, freeing herself from Davina's grip and standing, putting a distance between the two. "Davina, please don't speak nonsense."

"It's not nonsense, it's the truth. He's a Main Predator."

"Stop, Davina, this isn't a joke," Leilani warned.

"I'm not joking. I saw him with Raven and her Predators just last night," Davina explained, standing up to meet Leilani's gaze.

"Seriously, D, stop. You've always spoken ill of him. I never paid much attention to the negative comments you make about him and I'm not going to start now." Leilani waved her off.

"Lani, I'm serious. He's a dangerous man," she said.

"You never liked Sadoc for me, and now you're speaking these lies about him. It is beneath you. Why can't you ever just be happy for me the way I am for you?" Leilani questioned angrily.

"I never liked him because I chose to see the truth. I don't believe in delusions like you do. Wake up, Leilani, I've always told you that he's a bad person. He's using you to get to me!" Davina yelled.

She pursed her lips shut. She shouldn't be yelling, at least not at Lani. She didn't want to yell at her best friend, but she wasn't listening, even if it was for her own good.

Leilani continued to shake her head, not meeting Davina's eyes, "You're lying."

"I'm your best friend, do you think I'm going to lie to you about this?" Davina asked.

"I don't know what to think about you," Leilani spat before marching out of the living room and into the kitchen.

"Seriously? Are you really going to choose a man over your own best friend?" Davina shouted.

But she could only hear the shuffling of platters and a few cabinets opening and closing. She scoffed before heading out the front door, making sure to slam it as she stepped outside.

The golden sunset was becoming an indigo hue, so there were little to no Basalans loitering outside of their homes. And she was thankful for it. She wouldn't have to deal with their condescending and questioning looks.

The leaves beneath her boots crunched before sizzling to ashes while she stomped her way onto the gravel pavement that led to his house. Two green-uniformed servants stood beside the grand doors of Sadoc's manor. His mansion stood tall and gloomy as she neared it with fierceness. She wasn't intimidated by his riches like the rest of Bellatorm.

His auburn hair popped up from behind one of his many flowery bushes, and Davina marched her way to him. His eyes were glued to a set of lilies, his fingers were gently wrapped around the stem of the flower.

As Davina strode to Sadoc, she made sure to ignite the shrubs that she passed by. Sadoc's gaze met hers, his eyes widened as he held up his hands.

"Woah, Davina, what are you—"

Davina grabbed his arm and twisted it behind his back, holding his face close to the violet-enflamed bushes. They roared wildly near to his pale skin.

"Davina!"

"Cut the act, I know you're working with Raven," Davina muttered.

Rushed footsteps neared them. "Hey! Get your hands off our master!"

"Tell your servants to back off or I'm going to burn more than just your garden," she threatened.

Sadoc remained silent with beads of sweat rolling down his temples and to his cheek.

"Do it!" Davina ordered, twisting his arm a little more.

Sadoc groaned. "Stay back! Don't come near."

Davina looked back at the twin servants, they held their hands up.

"I don't know what it is you're planning, but you stay away from Leilani. If I so much as hear that you involved her in your little schemes, I'm going to melt your face off. Do you understand?" Davina shouted in his ear. Her lavender-flamed eyes appeared as she glared at him. "Do you understand, Allaway?"

He nodded. "I understand."

Davina pushed him into the foliage-covered ground while mentally reaching for the fire that ignited the shrubs. Smoke filled the air around them as the branches were left thin and black.

Sadoc lay above a pile of leaves and vines, staring up at her with widened eyes. She half expected him to reply, to threaten, or to fight back. But he remained still, with an elbow supporting him up.

Sadoc was not a fighter. He was one of the Basalans who didn't activate his abilities or learn military combat like the others. He hid behind his riches. He was just a simple man playing powerful.

What did Raven even see in him?

"I won't do anything to you today. Your own evil deeds will catch up to you," Davina said, strutting out of the garden and past the servants.