Fireshrine

Seven: Davina

The prince stood in a pool of moonlight, his pale hair almost glowing. He had removed his coat and just wore a simple white tunic that was unbuttoned at the top.

I glanced down, my cheeks burning. I had left behind two smoldering handprints on the wooden railing.

"I-I didn't, I mean, I swear I-" I fumbled my words and felt my hands shake.

"My sister told me of your inability to control your power," he said, his words like ice.

"Once the Blood Prince discovers that you're defective, he'll throw you aside and the war will be even worse."

Aaden's words echoed through my head.

Almost as if he could hear my thoughts, he looked at me. "I care little about it."

"How-" I blinked.

"Your heart is beating quite fast."

Instinctively, my hand flew to my chest. How had I forgotten about his power? About why he was named the Blood Prince in the first place?

"Does it surprise you?" He asked.

"Does what surprise me?" The fact he could read me like a book?

"That I don't care," he responded.

Part of me wanted to say 'Yes, it does, because if you knew, why would you even want me?'

Instead, I narrowed my eyes. "I care little about what you think of me. This display tonight only proves what I was thinking, but let me tell you this," I squared my shoulders and looked him dead in the eyes. "I am not some consolation prize to be paraded around your court. Same as you, I have the blood of a progenitor god in my veins and I expect to be treated as such. If you do not think you can look at me as your equal, well, then I'm afraid we are done here." And before he could get a word in, I turned on my heel and threw open the door to head back inside.

I nearly collided with Noella on my way back in.

"Princess!" She exclaimed. "Everything alright?"

"No!" I nearly shouted. I could feel my body grow hotter by the second. Calm, Davina, I told myself. The last thing I needed was to set my entire body aflame. It had been awhile since I had done that.

I took a deep breath. "My apologies," I said. "I am quite tired. Please inform the court that I needed to rest after the long journey." I didn't give her a chance to respond, and kept walking down the hall.

The open corridors in the palace were now lit by glowing lanterns. I wondered what made the light because it wasn't fire, in fact, I felt nearly none in the entire castle.

The cool breeze coming from the ocean sent chills over my body and I rushed to get back to my rooms. I had memorized as much of the palace as I could on the walk to the throne room, and was easily able to find my way back.

The servants must have unpacked the few things I had brought, and I spotted the blanket my mother had made me when I was a child folded carefully on the edge of my bed.

I wanted nothing more than to wrap myself in it, to smell whatever was left of her, and to sleep until I was able to wake up from the nightmare I was in.

I felt fatigue crawl over me. I was drained, and couldn't even summon a spark to light the logs in the fireplace. I pulled pins out of my hair and brushed through it. Kicking off my shoes I started to unlace the corset when I found myself unable to fully do so.

I cursed loudly, and then heard the door open.

Scared, I spun around to see Dimitri standing in the door way.