9. EIGHT

EIGHT

A gasp echoed through the battered living room. Her three siblings were accompanied by Mae, who had been sitting over the charred davenport. Emmy's beady eyes locked onto Davina's. The little girl jumped from her seat and embraced her eldest sister.

"Davina!"

Emmy was only able to hug Davina's waist, but she tightened her hold around Davina's torso. Davina set a hand over Emmy's dirty blonde hair, which was the exact color as Nico's. A small smile found Davina's lips. "I'm right here, Emmy."

Micah and Genevieve were quick to follow, their arms wrapped around Davina's shoulders.

"We were afraid that something had happened to you," Genevieve croaked into Davina's shoulder.

Micah leaned onto Davina's other shoulder. Micah was silent, but his expression haunted her. He looked angry yet heartbroken. She was glad that he wasn't throwing objects around the house because of the explosion of emotions he was feeling.

"I'm okay, kids," she whispered, her hand brushing Genevieve's soft dark hair.

"I really thought you were gone, D," Micah muttered, almost as if he were embarrassed to admit that he was afraid of something happening to her. Davina kissed Micah and Genevieve's foreheads.

Hot tears dripped from Davina's eyes. Their pain was her pain. And right now, she could only imagine what they were feeling, thinking that their big sister had left them. In their minds, she was invincible. She was strong, she was capable, she was good, their protector. How she wished she didn't have to live up to their expectations, but she had to. Nico and Mae never made the effort to live up to the expectations of the children. Davina didn't wish to break their little hearts even more.

Her mother neared them. Davina looked at her as Mae ran a hand through her shiny black hair and watched with sorrowful eyes.

Mae hesitantly approached them. Davina's lips parted, still holding onto the kids as her mother reached for her cheek. Her mother's thumb caressed her beige skin. "Mom?"

The woman before her tore down her usual scowl and held glossy eyes, ones that were filled with love and care.

A low rumble resounded below their feet. Davina lowered her gaze to her boots to find them vibrating along with the shaky floor. The new jars and vases spilled onto the floorboards. Screams of terror began to echo throughout the village.

Davina knew deep within her soul that this was Raven's doing. Anger began to gurgle from her chest and then traveled to her throat.

Emmy tightened her arms around Davina's waist as Micah wrapped his arms around Mae and Genevieve. Davina hovered her arms around Micah and Mae's head. Holding tightly onto each other, they waited for the earthquake to settle.

Once the shaking stopped, there was a deafening silence. The Almenara family let out uneven breaths as they all shared the same fearful look.

"What was that?" Genevieve asked.

"Are we going to die?" Emmy questioned.

"No, no, no. Don't worry, kids, we'll be alright. Nothing's going to happen to us," Davina hushed, fixing Emmy's sleeves and giving them a warm smile. "We'll be alright."

Emmy and Genevieve nodded.

"Where is father?" Davina asked.

"He went to help reconstruct a friend's house near the shore of Auris. Oh no, what if something happened to him? What if he got hurt? Or fell into the ocean?" Mae exclaimed.

Davina breathed in and out. "He's fine, mother. He'll be home soon."

"I hope so," Mae said, kneeling to pick up a broken jar.

"Let's help Mom clean up. Come on," Davina ordered softly.

As Davina helped her mother clean, she couldn't help but feel her fire wanting to take over.

Nothing was going to happen to them. She would not allow it. Davina was determined to protect her siblings at all costs.

Raven was asking for war, and Davina was going to give her hell.