But as I held her, something felt off. Davina’s body was stiff in my arms, her embrace cold and unfeeling. Slowly, I pulled back, searching her face for the warmth, the love we used to share. But her eyes—those eyes that mirrored my own—were distant, almost calculating.
“I’ve been here for a while,” she said, her voice oddly flat. “Pierre brought me back after the war. Maybe because he thought I was you.”
Pierre. Of course. My joy faltered slightly at the mention of his name. What was Davina doing here? Why hadn’t she reached out to me sooner?
“I didn’t know…” I said softly. “Why didn’t you—”
“I didn’t want to overwhelm you,” she interrupted, her smile still not touching her eyes. “I know you’ve had a lot to deal with.”
I stepped back, studying her carefully. Something about this reunion felt wrong, but I couldn’t place what it was. Still, I was so relieved to see her that I pushed the doubt aside.
“I’m so happy you’re alive,” I said, trying to hold onto the joy. “I’ve missed you so much.”
She gave a small, dismissive nod. “I’m here now. And Pierre asked me to take care of you.”
Her words jolted me. “Take care of me? What do you mean?”
Davina’s eyes narrowed slightly, but her expression remained carefully controlled. “You haven’t been eating, Raphaella. Pierre’s worried about you. He thought maybe you’d listen to me.”
I frowned, confusion swirling in my mind. Pierre had sent her? Why? And why had she agreed?
“I don’t need Pierre to send anyone to take care of me,” I said, the bitterness in my voice returning. “I don’t need anything from him.”
Davina’s smile turned sharp, almost mocking. “You always were stubborn.” She gestured to the tray of food. “But you need to take care of yourself. I can’t let you waste away like this.”
I looked at the food, then back at her. Something about her tone made me uneasy, but I couldn’t understand why. This was my sister. The one person I should be able to trust. But why did it feel like something had shifted between us?
“I’m not hungry,” I said quietly, turning away from the tray.
Davina sighed as if she were disappointed. “You’re making this harder than it needs to be.”
I blinked, caught off guard by the sudden harshness in her voice. When I turned to look at her, her expression was calm again, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was lurking beneath the surface.