𝑅𝐸𝑀𝐸𝑀𝐵𝐸𝑅 𝑀𝐸 | druig

𝑒𝓁𝑒𝓋𝑒𝓃

Nita's eyes shot open and for the second time in twelve hours, started darting around and taking in her unfamiliar surroundings. She was in a cabin, that much was certain. But it was a cabin she had never been in before as it was bigger than any other. Not only was she unfamiliar with the cabin, she also had no idea how she got there. Last she remembered, she was heading toward the river to find Andres.

Andres.

Had he been found? Was this all just a dream and now she would wake up to find him sitting next to her, watching over her? A pain rippling through her head as well as the icy blue eyes staring down at her proved otherwise. It all suddenly clicked. Druig had used his powers on her and now she was in his cabin. Nita suddenly shot up in the bed, ignoring the pain coursing through her body, and pushed back against the wall where she wrapped her arms around her torso as a shield of sorts. Not that it would do much good as with his abilities, he could bend her mind to do as he wished.

"It's alright, Benita, I'm not going to hurt you. I just brought you here to rest," he said, staying in the threshold of the room, lifting his hands slightly in an attempt to ease her nerves.

She just glared at him, shooting daggers from her darkened eyes, the dark bags underneath giving away her vulnerable state. "What have you done? Where's Andres?" She asked him. His features dropped a little at the mention of Andres, looking almost saddened. But Nita wouldn't give in to his little show.

"I told you, I tried to find him. But if we had stayed on the river any longer..." he trailed off, deciding whether or not to reveal the start of the truth to her. "The Deviant would have killed us both along with Andres."

Nita's face went ghostly pale and Druig tightened his jaw at what he just revealed, verbally confirming what she was beginning to think but tried to refuse to.

He was gone. Andres was gone and she had known it the second she awoke on the beach with only Druig there beside her. She was too exhausted to continue going up against Druig as the small spark that was fueling her drive to counter him had officially gone out. She had finally given up. Nita folded her legs in her arms and dropped her head between her knees, letting the silent sobs finally free. Druig watched as she cried, holding himself back as he knew that he could bring her no comfort.

Nita gave into her emotions for only a few moments then brought her head back up, wiping away her tears with the heels of her hands. She took in a deep breath then winced as a shock of pain erupted in her torso. Druig noticed and took a step closer to her. "You broke a rib from the impact of hitting the water. You should take it easy," he said.

Nita didn't look at him as she said, "I don't need your concern." He took in a short breath at the bite in her words.

"I should get back to my family. They're probably searching for me. I've put them through enough already," she then said, scooting toward the edge of the bed with a hand placed above her tender rib.

"They're sleeping soundly as we speak," he said and she knew exactly what he meant and with those words, that small spark reignited.

She looked at him now, pure hatred in her eyes and said to him, "My family and these people are not your puppets–"

Druig lifted a hand, making her close her mouth. "You've said that already, Benita," he said, taking another step toward her as she sat at the edge of his bed, looking up at him. "I'm only influencing them now because before you go back to them, there's something I need you to know."

Nita just looked at him as her mind reeled, trying to figure out what exactly he needed to tell her before he said it. But when she looked in his eyes, she knew that it was something serious and something that correlated with whatever happened in the river. Something to do with the so-called Deviant that Druig had mentioned.