46. EPILOGUE

EPILOGUE

" T hank you for letting us stay here."

"You and your siblings are welcome here anytime. For as long as you want." Ron smiled before taking the bag from her shoulders and leading her into a new room.

Davina blushed, not breaking her gaze from Ron's. They stood before a lilac door. The room ahead of them would be hers while she searched for a new home for herself after Leilani's deception.

She'd never explored this deep into his manor. The only rooms she'd visited before had been the infirmary and the living room, but that day she was introduced to various guest bedrooms, two kitchens, a dining room, and three bathing rooms.

Ron opened the door, allowing her a clear view of the chambers. The bed was filled with what seemed to be comfy blankets and pillows, placed by the corner, under the window. She'd be able to get a good view of the pond in the backyard. A desk and bookcase were on the other side of the room. The wallpaper was a deep plum color, the tiles were white, and a massive armoire stood at the end of the bed.

Ron walked to the wardrobe and unlocked it. Only for different shades of purple clothing to spill out. Davina laughed as he searched to pick up the cloth from the floor but as much as he tried, more kept falling out of his grip.

After a few seconds of struggling against the textiles, he stood upright and scratched the back of his neck. "I got you something."

"Ron… You didn't have to." She chuckled.

"I wanted to." He shrugged. Davina sighed with a smile as she kneeled and helped him collect the clothing onto the bed. Once they finished, they sat down on the bed. She felt the mattress sink in and it was as if she were sitting on a cloud. "Wow, I don't think I've ever slept in a bed this comfortable before."

"From now on, you don't have to worry about that anymore. You are going to truly live and I'm going to make sure of that."

Davina gave a small smile.

"How are you feeling?"

"I'm okay."

"The truth, Davina."

Davina huffed.

"I'm okay. My siblings are safe. They're here with me, where I can take care of them, and I can be their Protector," Davina confessed as she recalled all those times when Emmy would run to hide behind Davina whenever their parents started to fight.

She didn't know whether she could keep talking about it with a straight face, so she remained silent and looked down at her fidgeting fingers. Ron moved a strand of her hair behind her ear. Then, his index finger caressed her cheek.

"You are the strongest woman I've ever known."

"I don't feel like I'm strong," she whispered, avoiding his gaze. Ron then reached for her hand and engulfed it into his own.

"How can you believe that? Your whole life, all you've done is help everyone out. You helped your parents raise your siblings. You've protected them. Hell, you fought a whole war in favor of them."

"Then why do I feel like I'm falling apart?"

"I've come to learn that strength is not defined by what you feel but by your choice to persevere in goodness despite our afflictions. What you're feeling doesn't determine who you are, your actions do. You have helped Bellatorm while simultaneously saving your siblings from Raven. You've been through not one, but three betrayals, and you're still a good person. If I went through what you went through, I don't know if I'd ever survive."

"You went through enough as well," Davina argued quietly, fixing her sleeve.

"But I didn't go through the same heartaches as you."

She couldn't help but think about her most recent heartbreak.

"I still don't know what happened with Amir for him to…" She couldn't find the strength in herself to admit that he was gone. "It's killing me. I don't understand why he did what he did. And then Leilani… I don't know what to make of it. I can't believe she's gone and I could've sworn I saw her eyes turn black before she died. Then we have the issue with Caleb, who's destroyed after everything."

"We'll figure it out together."

She could feel him grinning at her as she shook her head. He lifted her chin.

"We will," he insisted.

"You promise?" Davina quirked up a brow.

"I promise." Ron flashed his teeth. "You are strong. You are brave. You are beautiful. You are worth it. Now, it's time for you to let me prove that to you."

"You could start proving it to me by telling me what you wrote in those letters." She smiled.

"Davina," he groaned.

"Come on, I'm sure they're full of such intricate prose," she teased.

"No."

"I can't believe I have a poet for a boyfriend," Davina exclaimed.

Ron hummed while shaking his head.

"I'm sure they're not that bad," she said.

Ron rolled his eyes.

"You know I'm never going to stop nagging, so you might as well just tell me." Davina shrugged.

A slight rosy shade colored his cheeks.

"Did I just make you blush?"

"No." Ron looked away.

"Yes, I did!" she remarked, slightly gripping his chin so he could face her.

"You're annoying," he muttered.

"You love it, though," Davina chirped.

"Do I?" Ron smirked.

"You wouldn't be here if you didn't."

He reached for her chin again and leaned in. It was at that moment that Davina Almenara knew that she was going to be okay.

"She truly did not disappoint. You were right, your Majesty." Master Abigail grinned. The mark that she bore, across her neck and collarbone, stretched as she beamed brightly at her King. She looked down at the pieces of gauze that covered her arms under her new black robes. After the battle, her Master's attire had become stained with Predator blood that penetrated the fabric and burned her skin.

But Master Abigail wasn't horrified by the marks on her flesh. In fact, she was ecstatic. She would carry, for the rest of her life, the reminders of the battle where the Soul Phoenix fought and won. To the Master of Castellum, this was an honor. She had played a role in the defeat of the Dark Mistress that took away her family, through the Predator attacks, all those years ago.

Magnar stood by his window, he had unlatched it to allow a breeze into the throne room, with his hands behind his back. The golden crown atop his head bobbed as he nodded in agreement with her.

"Davina Almenara is another case of special." He smiled.

"That she is," Abigail said.

"Unfortunately, peaceful days are not part of her near future." His grin dropped into a frown. "Which is why we have to be even more present in her upcoming afflictions."

Master Abigail's eyes widened. "My King, she's been through enough."

"I know," his voice quivered.

"Then why?" the Master asked.

His honey-brown gaze met hers. That was when she saw a tear fell onto his cheek. "Because as we speak, a newer evil is rising."