32. THIRTY-ONE

THIRTY-ONE

" T his is the best birthday present you could ever give me!" Davina squealed, jumping into Valerie and Beacon's arms. "Although the news is a few weeks late."

They both laughed with Davina. She clutched onto the white invitation with beautiful gold foiling shining against the sunlight.

"Davina, you're choking us." Beacon patted her arm.

"Sorry, sorry. I'm just so happy for you guys." Davina let go of them with watery eyes.

"Don't cry on us now," Beacon sighed.

Davina rolled her eyes.

Valerie answered, "Beacon don't be rude. Don't worry, Davina, I'll cry with you."

"If anything, it'll be Beacon crying on the altar that day," Davina snickered as she pointed at him.

Beacon shook his head. Davina examined the gold letters that titled the date of the ceremony.

"I have three weeks to find a nice dress for your wedding?" Davina asked.

The couple nodded. To others, their wedding may seem rushed, but Davina knew how much they had waited for this.

"I guess I understand. I remember you guys mentioning getting married before the war had started," Davina said. She couldn't help but feel responsible for the prolonged waiting for their matrimonial union.

Davina took in their appearance. They seemed so tired as if it had been years that passed and not months since the first battle. Beacon and Valerie deserved a happy ending to their love story.

"I see the look on your face. It is not your fault that we have waited this long." Valerie's straight black hair fell from behind her ear as she put a comforting hand over Davina's arm. She dipped her chin once.

"I heard a saying once. The right time doesn't exist and that is why we have to bring the right moment to life," Beacon said. "The time we had to wait was necessary. Even if we might not have wished to wait so long."

Davina smiled as she poked her fingers with the edges of the card. In some way, the tiredness of the couple in front of her mirrored her own. Davina could find no rest for her anxious mind, for her rage, and her resentment against Raven.

She was beyond drained.

"We fight for the people and the King. But we might as well get married before—" Beacon cut himself off.

Davina caught on to what he meant. She shook her head. Not one of her friends would die because of Raven and she was going to make sure of that.

"You guys are going to grow old together and watch your children have children, I can assure you that." Davina smiled.

Valerie beamed brightly, the expression on her face shifted before she turned to look at Beacon. "Can you wait for me outside, I need to speak with Davina for a bit."

Davina turned to Beacon who reflected the same confusion as she. He nodded then headed to the entrance, starting a conversation with the nearest Mistran Apprentice.

"Is everything okay?" Davina asked.

"How are you doing?" Val questioned.

"I'm okay, why wouldn't I be?" Davina smiled.

"I'm asking because I found out what you did to Ashira's cookies," Valerie began. "And I see the way you treat him."

"I'm not treating him in any way," Davina said.

"Yes, you are. I also found out that you two fought in the woods of Auris, that the day you announced your engagement with Isaiah you burned him and now he has marks, and then the day of your birthday you kicked him out of the party," Valerie claimed.

Her heartbeat quickened while she crossed her arms. "I didn't know he had burn marks."

"It is noticeable to all of us that there are still feelings there." Valerie sighed then softly grasped onto Davina's fingers. Her brown eyes stared deeply into Davina's. "You are my friend and I don't want you to make the mistake of marrying someone you can't bring yourself to love because your heart is set on another."

"I don't have my heart set on Ron," Davina slightly exclaimed.

"Yes you do, D. I see the way you look at him," Valerie said softly. "And I also see the way he looks at you. He loves you."

No, he doesn't.

"Please don't get married to Isaiah. He is not the one for you, Ron is." Valerie squeezed Davina's hand. "I have to get going. We still have to give out invitations to my relatives in Neptulus."

Valerie squeezed one more time before heading to the doorway where Beacon stood patiently.

"Of course, see you guys later for training."

"Don't overwork yourself, D." Beacon pointed at the sandbag behind her.

"Careful, Beacon, I might start to believe that you care about me," Davina laughed. Beacon rolled his eyes and waved her off before wrapping an arm around Valerie's shoulders.

Davina set the card over the nearest bench and then walked back toward the punchbag, her fingers brushing over the white linen that encircled her palms and knuckles.

She set her feet into a stance, focusing on the bag before her. Davina jabbed the bag, and at each punch, a distasteful memory rushed back to her. She'd been restless, for two weeks, since she'd driven Ron to walk out of her birthday celebration. It seemed as if he had disappeared into the night.

Usually, she was able to see him passing through their travel between islands. But for two weeks straight, she had not seen his beautiful face. She cursed herself for thinking of his appearance like that.

He hadn't been in an emotionally stable state when he had left. Maybe he found someone that interested him enough. Or maybe he was dead in a ditch somewhere. She hadn't asked anyone about Ron's whereabouts, she'd been too afraid of seeming like she held any interest in him when she was engaged to Isaiah. But it turns out that her feelings for the Mistran are clear and visible.

This moment alone with her thoughts was dangerous, she knew it. Yet she couldn't stop the whirlwind of desperation that came crashing down on her.

She burned him. His hand would forever bear the scars that she gave him. She was no better than her parents, she reminded herself. Ron, out of all people, was always gentle with her. Then she remembered how she'd been losing too much since she'd activated her powers. She had lost the privilege of being in the same company as her siblings, she'd lost Ron, she'd lost any piece of trust she had in her parents, and then there were all of those people caught in the crossfire of the war.

She channeled her frustration into her last punch on the bag. A large hole ripped through the bag before it went flying across the room and into the wall. Davina's lips gaped as the sand spilled chaotically over the floor.

Davina looked around the training ground. The room was empty. She ran for her duffle bag and wedding invitation before dashing out of the training room.

Fear rose in her chest as she neared the training room.

With Leilani and Cara by Davina's side, she checked for the sandbag that had been ripped open with her punch. Fortunately, the sand and the leather bag had been cleaned up. Davina let go of a breath she'd been holding since the bad ripped open.

"Won't it be weird to have two of the Island Protectors married?" Leilani asked. "You know, at first, we had to third wheel these two when they first started their courtship. I think it's going to be so much worse when they get married."

"Well, I believe you won't be complaining once you wed Sadoc." Cara winked at Leilani.

Davina's gaze grew dark when she heard his name. Davina turned to Leilani who was playing with the hem of her sleeve.

At times, it was quite awkward at home whenever Sadoc came by to visit Leilani. Davina would search stubbornly for an excuse to leave the house, despite Leilani's best efforts for Davina to stick around and speak to Sadoc.

"I remember you guys were saying that he was going to propose but has Sadoc mentioned any plans for you two to wed anytime soon?" Davina asked.

Leilani remained silent as she softly shook her head. Davina felt like punching Sadoc in the face, hard enough to leave a dent, just like the punchbag.

"I say this because I care about you, Lani, if he has not presented any plans or a wedding date, then you need to reconsider your relationship with him," Davina advised.

Although, that wasn't Davina's concern. She had to figure out a way to keep Leilani away from Sadoc.

"She's right," Cara said.

"Yeah, I know," Leilani whispered.

"Do you, though?" Davina questioned as they set their purses on the benches. She was able to glimpse a few bits of sand under the bench, she gulped.

Davina glanced around the room to see how many of the Island Protectors were about to arrive, but then she saw a dark figure enter after Valerie and Snow.

Her heart skipped a beat.

"He's here. What is he doing here?" Davina whispered to herself.

Cara stood beside her. "Who's here?"

She didn't want Ron there. It would only make things more confusing and difficult for her. But at least she was granted the relief that he was okay, that he hadn't been dead in a ditch.

"I asked, what is he doing here?" Davina asked louder, enough for all the other Island Protectors to hear. Yet, all of them remained quiet. Davina observed each of them as she waited for a response.

None were given.

"I came to train," Ron answered.

"Since when are you interested in training again?" Davina asked.

A small smirk curled over his lips. It was then that she knew that he would test her patience, which had already begun to thin.

Abigail, Isaiah, and Amir walked through the entrance, only to remain with questioning looks as they observed the tension between the Protectors.

Davina could feel Isaiah's stare from across the room.

"Today's training will be different…"

Abigail's words became a blur as Davina continued to replay the earlier moments in her head countless times. She would only move when the others did. Only walking to the center of the stage mat when her name was called. He was here and he was watching her. Examining each expression, each step, and each glance of hers. How she wished she could kick that look off his face. He was enjoying her squirming against his stares too much and he wasn't being discreet about it either.

Davina would not allow him to see the explosion of emotions going on inside of her.

Her face remained blank as she finalized her practice duel with Cara and Valerie with a leg swipe and a hard shove. Her eyes were emotionless as she tackled Snow, causing the white-haired Neptulan to surrender. Her ears went soundless as she killed Leilani's vines with her fire and gave a blow to her stomach.

Davina snapped back into her present as she watched Ron beat Beacon in their duel. Had he already overpowered Caleb? Davina looked at Isaiah and Amir who both held their hands behind their backs. Amir seemed amused with Ron's ability after having spent so much time out of the Protector training. Although Isaiah was making it too obvious that he was annoyed.

Davina looked back to Beacon and Ron who patted each other's backs. The Levina brothers exchanged a few playful threats as they dusted themselves off.

"I'm glad you're getting better," Beacon said.

Before Ron could respond, Isaiah spoke, "I wouldn't get too cocky. I would like to see how well you do against two Chief Leaders of Castellum. Two of the best warriors of Bellatorm."

Davina froze. She slowly turned to Isaiah who was removing his cloak. Amir had the same confused look as she.

"What?" Davina asked.

"What's happening?" Cara whispered as she leaned closer to Davina.

"A portrayal of the toxic masculinity that continues to live in our society," Leilani answered, crossing her arms and shaking her head.

"That's unfair, two against one?" Caleb protested.

Isaiah simply shrugged without a glint of humbleness in his demeanor.

"It's fine, Caleb. I like a challenge." Ron smirked before he glanced at Davina.

"Since when have Isaiah and Amir been the best?" Caleb whispered to Leilani, but she only shrugged.

Through the corner of her eye, Davina could see Amir and Isaiah bickering for a small moment. Would Master Abigail do nothing about Isaiah's challenge?

As Davina looked between Isaiah, Amir, and Master Abigail, Ron never looked away from her. She could feel his stare piercing a hole of misery in her chest. Master Abigail seemed almost pleased with Ron and with Isaiah's proposition of an unfair duel.

Amir removed his cloak, handing it to Master Abigail, and followed Isaiah onto the mat.

Isaiah asked Master Abigail to retrieve bladeless staffs for them to use for this practice duel. Davina's heart raced as Ron held a bored look, catching the bow staff that Master Abigail tossed to him.

"Seems like this duel is going to be personal," Snow muttered.

Valerie and Beacon stood on both sides of Davina as Ron twirled the staff between his fingers.

"Tell me the truth, Beacon, why is he here?" Davina asked quietly.

"I spoke to him when we were on our way here. He says he wants to do this for himself. To prove to himself that he's ready to join us to fight against Raven."

"But what made him want to fight after resisting for so long?" Davina asked as she crossed her arms and watched the three men poise themselves for attack.

"Who knows," Valerie replied. "I think what matters most is that he's here."

Way too briskly, Ron accomplished to smack Amir onto the floor.

Amir groaned, "This is why I didn't want to get on this mat."

Isaiah and Ron had their staffs locked over the stage. They met eyes, irritation clearly shown in their stare. Isaiah's nostrils flared when he kicked Ron's baton onto the floor, Isaiah pulled his staff back to be able to land a hit on Ron's face. Ron ducked, half-turned, grabbed onto the wooden stick, pulling it above himself, and just like that, Isaiah was on his back.

Ron used Isaiah's staff to press harshly against the Chief Leader's chest.

"I guess you could say you aren't the best warriors in all of Bellatorm." Ron smiled as he dropped the baton and let it clatter onto the mat, heading over to Amir and extending his hand for the Neptulan Chief Leader.

"Who's next?" Ron asked as Amir walked off the stage.

All heads turned to Davina.

"Come on love, don't be shy."

"Don't you dare call her that," Isaiah snapped as he lifted from the ground, eyes burning with rage while he lifted his right arm, readying himself to punch Ron in the face.

Amir flew across the room and pushed himself between Ron and Isaiah, lowering Isaiah's arm. Ron only held a bewildered grin as if he was expectant of the Mistran Chief Leader's reaction.

"Isaiah!" Amir hushed. "We are among fellow Soldiers…"

The Island Protectors, along with Abigail, watched as Amir reprimanded his friend about maintaining his composure in front of the Soldiers.

Isaiah huffed, stomping off the stage while Davina avoided looking at him as she walked past him.

With every step that she took closer to the center of the staged mat, she couldn't hear anything else but the pulse of her beating heart loud in her ears. Davina set herself into position while Ron remained with an insufferable yet alluring grin.

"On my mark. Three… Two… One… Fight!" Abigail shouted.

Ron was the first to strike. Davina used her left forearm to block, twirling in place before landing a blow on his jaw with her right. He slightly stumbled with a smirk. Ron joked, "We're not wasting time I see."

His arrogance angered her causing her lips to quiver.

She ducked his right hook. Davina kicked at him; he dodged as he pushed her leg away from him. Davina used the force of his push to spin and land a hit to his chest.

"Good, don't make it easy on me, love."

He began to throw punches, all of which she was capable of blocking. Ron aimed for her shoulder, but she was quick to grab his wrist before his knuckles collided with her arm.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" she muttered.

"I came to train for the war, Vivi, what else could I be doing?"

The moment she heard the nickname he had given to her come out of his mouth, she faltered and loosened her grip around his wrist. Ron hit a kick to her stomach, causing her to fall onto the mat. Davina regained her footing with a quick kip-up. Ron spun and lifted his leg, Davina leaned back and then aimed for his stomach. He blocked.

Ron then lowered himself for a leg swipe, she made a graceful aerial cartwheel then positioned herself back into a fighting stance. She could hear clapping coming from Cara, Valerie, and Leilani.

Davina punched with her left; he grabbed her arm. She then aimed for his face but he grabbed her wrist before lowering it, bringing their faces only a few inches away.

"Your fiancé seems like he's going crazy." Ron smiled. Davina had a clear view of her favorite pair of gray-flecked eyes. "He can't take his eyes off of us. Is he feeling insecure?"

Small bolts of lightning circled inside of his orbs. It was a glimpse of his power. His grin reappeared, had he acquired the ability to control his lightning abilities?

"What?" she asked lowly.

Davina remembered how Isaiah and the others were right beside them, watching the whole scene. Knowing how Isaiah would react if she didn't put any distance between them both any time soon, she pushed herself away from him. Davina fought the small frown that wanted to find its way upon her lips.

It was the closest they had been in months. It had been so long since she had felt the warmth of his pale skin, even though they were only touching because of training.

Davina felt Isaiah's glare puncturing holes in her back. She was about to punch Ron's face when Abigail's booming voice stopped her.

"It seems that there has been a tie. Ron and Davina are our best warriors by far," Abigail said with a pleased look. "You're all dismissed."

Ron winked before heading over to the benches for his bag. His back faced her, giving her a chance to spot his marked fingers. She looked away with a heavy heart once she felt Isaiah's presence beside her. "What the hell was that?"

"What?"

"You know what. What was that?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Davina scoffed.

"What was Ron telling you up there? Have you guys been talking?"

Davina furrowed her eyebrows and held her hand up. "Woah, stop right there. Just because he randomly showed up with smart remarks and perfect conditioning does not mean I have been in contact with him."

"I don't understand why he felt the need to bother us now. Why come to Castellum after being stuck in that hole of his garbage life?" Isaiah shook his head.

Davina grabbed her bag, and headed out the door and into the castle corridors, with Isaiah right behind her. The other Island Protectors were ahead of them, laughing and joking with one another. She wished to join in on their conversations soon or else she would completely disregard that Isaiah was a Chief Leader and her fiancé.

It seemed like Isaiah was only a sweet gentleman when Ron was not involved at all.

Davina could feel rage begin to rattle inside of her core as Isaiah continued to mutter distasteful comments about Ron to her.

"Isaiah, please stop," Davina sighed, rubbing her temples.

"You know it's true. I don't know why you're getting mad. Everyone knows about the long list of women that he has bedded and his uncontrollable intake of alcohol."

Davina clenched her fists.

"Can we just not talk about him anymore?" Davina asked.

Isaiah remained silent as his honey-brown eyes examined her pursed lips and scrunched brows.

"Okay, we won't," Isaiah said.

Thank Magnar.

"That was good training today," Davina noted, trying to change the subject.

"Yeah, we needed it. Especially you. Those hips of yours seem to be getting bigger," Isaiah remarked as he examined his sleeves. "Oh man, I lost a cuff link. They were expensive."

Did he not hear himself? He said that as if it was an inoffensive comment.

She never believed herself to be someone out of shape, despite inheriting her body figure from her mother. She looked down at her waist and hips. It was genetic, she had told herself that her entire life. Yet his comment made her think it was more than that.

Ron would never say such a thing like that to her. He believed her to be perfect the way that she was. She recalled the sweet cadence of his voice when he would express his admiration for her.

"What's wrong, my darling? Did that piece of garbage say anything to upset you?" Isaiah asked.

"I thought we were done with that topic," she muttered, trying her best to hide how unnerved she felt being so close to him.

"Are you sure you haven't been speaking to him? Not even giving him little signals that it was okay for you to speak again?"

Isaiah was acting like a jealous mess. He had never seemed envious whenever she would talk to Caleb or Beacon.

"No," Davina replied, rolling her eyes.

"Okay, good, because I don't want you talking to him at all. You don't need that kind of trash in your life," he replied, holding the golden door of the castle open wide enough for her to walk through.

Hopefully, my hips aren't too big to pass through the door .

A riot exploded inside of her as she bit down on her tongue. The last few rays of the golden sun gleamed upon the islands of Bellatorm as Davina and Isaiah stepped onto the courtyard.

"I wouldn't do anything that would force you to make the choice of leaving me."

"Even if you did do something, I have multiple young maidens waiting for me," he said. "And last I recall, you don't have any suitors in line."

She remained quiet and nodded. Part of her wanted to fight and argue. How dare he say such things to her? But she realized it was true. The person she truly wanted was so close, yet so far away. A future with him was now forbidden.

She looked ahead and made eye contact with Ron. He shook his head, a sad look in his eyes then he continued walking beside Snow.

Davina felt the need to put a distance between herself and her fiancé. "I just remembered that I have to get some errands done before heading home, can we go to dinner some other time?"

Isaiah turned to Davina, he seemed to be examining her. He nodded. "Yeah, it's fine. I feel a bit tired myself. I'm going to head home and rest."

Isaiah landed a soft kiss on her forehead. Davina forced herself not to cringe under his embrace, she smiled at him and then called, "Bye, everyone!"

Snow and Ron waved silently as the others created a chaos of goodbyes and ‘see you later's'. Davina chuckled before quickening her steps off the courtyard and toward the backsides of the castle, near the garden. Passing swiftly by the Soldiers and Apprentices that strolled nearby.

The stoned floor turned into lively grass as she hurried away from the castle's front doors.

Davina was welcomed by the vibrant green of the bushes, filled with daisies, roses, dahlias, and lavender. The tall maple trees granted her a good amount of shade from the hot sun as she leaned against the castle walls.

Her vision began to blur from the hot tears threatening to fall from her eyes. Davina dropped her bag as she covered her lips before they betrayed her by letting out a sob.

It was like all of her walls had come crashing down as if it were glass falling on stone.

Davina's hands trembled against her temple, her face wet from all the salt that spilled from her eyes.

"You're okay, you're okay, you're okay," she repeated to herself. The trembling in her fingers didn't stop even as she tried to force herself to believe her own lies.

"Davina?"

She froze.