Chapter 3 THREE

Selena's POV

The room was silent, except for the ground where the man with the hole in his body lay in his pool of blood.

"What the fuck did you do?" came my brother's voice, sharp and thunderous.

I flinched, taking a step backward. "I-I d-didn't do anything, I swear," I stammered, fear engulfing my body as Gideon edged closer to me, the other men behind him.

They didn't look happy with whatever I had done to their comrade.

""What was that fucking thing that came out of your hands?" Gideon spat, moving warily towards me and giving a careful glance at my hands in front of me.

My breaths came out quick as my chest rose and fell in panic. I let out a silent curse. There was no way these men were going to allow me to live, not after what I did to their man.

I gave a hurried glance to the now dead man on the floor and back to my hands.

Unless...

A thought went through me.

I raised my tied hands towards them, pointing my palms at them. "Don't take one step closer or you'll be like Hulk Man there on the floor."

They halted their steps. Satisfaction coursed through me at the slight widening of my brother's eyes.

"Do not take any step closer or so help me goddess, I will not hesitate," I said through gritted teeth.

On the outside, I was calm and collected, but inside, I was terrified of this new energy that was suddenly surging within me, beckoning me to keep going.

Gideon threw me a death glare. "You wouldn't dare, Selena. You wouldn't dare hurt your brother."

I let out a bitter laugh. "I have endured countless hits and beatings from you. Nights and days, I would be terrified of even daring to breathe out loud as I lived." I scrunched my face. "If you'd even call that living. And now, for some reason, you think I won't hurt you, especially when you very clearly want to kill me?" My voice rose a few decibels higher.

"Put your hands down, and I won't kill you." He took a step closer.

That was the wrong move because the crimson light surged out of my hands again, hitting the floor just inches away from his feet.

He and the other men scrambled backward, letting out strings of curses. "WHAT THE FUCK, SELENA?"

I blinked vigorously, my breath coming out quick.

Taking advantage of the wide distance now between me and them, I didn't think; I just ran to the door, bolting out and making my escape from the people who were definitely going to kill me if they laid their hands on me.

****

All day I ran. The scorching afternoon sun did not help ease the tension I felt as it followed me discreetly through the streets and between buildings.

And the amazing thing?

I was not tired. Not one bit.

"THERE SHE IS. GET HER!" It was one of the men who was hot on my trail.

My legs kicked faster, and my blood pumped with adrenaline as I crossed the tarred road, ignoring the green light on the traffic light. I let out a curse as I narrowly missed a car that zoomed dangerously close to me, halting to regain my balance before running into the nearby bushes that led to the forest.

I heard their curses in the distance. "Fuck, how is she so fast?" It was mixed with the sounds of their thunderous steps as they pursued me from behind.

The smell of earth was stronger as the wind whipped through my thick black hair. After passing through trees and caves, I was sure I had lost them when I didn't hear any sounds of footsteps behind me anymore.

I ran into a cave that was hidden beneath thick bushes, taking refuge in the coolness of the earth that it was made of.

My heart thumped loudly in my ears as I let my hand run through my hair, pacing back and forth. I was fucked.

I held my hands up. They were now loose from the rope. The rope had snapped when I used a strength I never knew I had to free myself.

What in the goddess's name was going on with me? My eyes were wide as I studied my arms. How do I have such powers... such strength?

The gem on my neck burned against my skin, and I let out a scream, immediately removing the necklace and holding it away from my body.

It shone so brightly in the dark cave that the entire space was covered in a sea-green light.

My eyes went wide as I saw the images that the gem displayed. It was that woman again, the one who seemed to be the star in my dreams. I tilted my head as I took a closer look.

The next image showed a blonde-haired man, and for some reason, his empty eyes elicited an unknown fear that prickled on my skin. He was the one who had betrayed the woman.

In an instant, the images stopped, and the cave was dark again.

I looked around in bewilderment. What did this mean? Why were the people who appeared in my dreams showing up in the gemstone?

I brought the stone closer to my face. "What are you telling me?" I whispered as I let my eyes study every inch of its edge.

When I realized that staring at it wasn't going to get me any answers, I put the necklace back on my neck.

Leaning against the wall of the cave, I sat on the hard ground, folding my legs as I did.

What the hell was I going to do now?

I didn't know anyone I could run to or any safe place I could stay for the time being. So, I waited until the evening came, when I was certain I would be safer and it would be harder for my brother and those men to find me.

The crescent moon was finally up in the sky, and with a renewed boldness, I stepped back into the forest. The sound of crickets followed as I moved, squinting my eyes as I went deeper and deeper into the heart of the forest.

One foot after the other, I moved, not noticing the ditch that was just in front of me.

Until I fell into it.