Duskwood - Who are you?

𝓒𝓱𝓪𝓹𝓽𝓮𝓻 𝓕𝓲𝓿𝓮

Ruby POV

I didn't know how long I was unconscious, but everything was still dark when I opened my eyes. I tried to move, but I felt that I was tied when I tried to untie the bonds, a sharp pain shot through my shoulder.

Shit, what happened?

I heard two men arguing in another room. Despite just waking up, I tried to listen to what the two were arguing about.

"I said I need her unharmed and alive!" One of the men yelled.

"She didn't stand still!" The other man argued back.

"But that doesn't mean you should shoot her directly!"

I heard a dull thump and, shortly after that, footsteps approaching. "Is she finally awake?"

"No, Sir."

I felt a stranger's hand on my chin, and my head lifted. He smiled evilly when he saw that I was awake. "Sneaky bitch!" He whispered. "How long have you been up, huh?"

I didn't answer.

That earned me a slap in the face.

"Answer me when I ask you something!"

"How should I know how long I've been awake?!" I shouted back.

He hummed. "True, but still."

He put his hand on my shoulder and squeezed hard, making me cry loudly in pain. "And that's exactly what will happen if you don't answer me."

"Fuck you," I hissed through clenched teeth. He just laughed and left the room, locking the door behind him.

I shook my head and closed my eyes, taking a deep breath in and out. I focused on my eyes and head. I felt a kind of pressure wave emanating from my head. After a while, I felt my mother's familiar feeling.

"Mom?" I asked in my head without talking in reality.

"Oh, Ruby!" She said, startled. "You know how dangerous it can be to contact me out of nowhere."

Luckily only I could hear her. Telepathy came in handy at times like this, and right now, I desperately needed my mother's advice. I thought about explaining the situation to her without talking too much. Luckily I didn't have to speak, just thinking was enough to convey what I wanted to say to her.

"Okay, listen," I started. "I was kidnapped, but not by our pursuers. It was my boyfriend's pursuers. And I need to get out of here and stop them from luring him over here. I don't want to use my powers because it might alert my pursuers," I roughly explained.

"What?" She gasped. "You know my answer, honey. You must use your powers whether you want to or not."

"No, Mom," I paused. "I can't; that would be far too dangerous."

"Listen," she sighed. "You will now free yourself with your powers. After that, you will check if you are alone in the building or if they have already found Jake. And if our pursuers are alerted in the worst case, I will distract them."

"No!" I argued. "That's way too risky! You can't risk your life for mine."

"There's no other way, and you know it. I love you, my little Snuggle Bunny."

"I love you too. Please be careful."

"Always," she promised before ending the connection.

I took a deep breath, closed my eyes, and focused on my inner fire. The heat spread throughout my body, and I felt powerful. The heat traveled to my wrists, and soon my wrists started to glow, and I felt the rope around my wrists begin to burn. I pulled my hands apart as the rope fell to the ground in glowing embers and stopped burning.