Ronan didn't look away, holding the girl's cold gaze.
The girl's lips parted.
A low growl escaped the girl's lips, and her fingers dug into her own skin, drawing blood.
"She certainly has spirit," the guide laughed. "Now you see why I said she isn't a popular choice? She's been like that since we got her. She doesn't listen, doesn't obey; she bites, scratches, growls – she's like a wild animal.
Ronan remained silent as he observed the girl in front of him.
"Mana cuffs?" He asked.
If the guide was surprised by his insight, he didn't show it.
"That is correct. We can't risk her using magic. We don't know what she is, but she's not normal, I'll tell you that."
Of course she isn't, Ronan thought.
If she were normal, he wouldn't have gone through all this effort for her.
Ronan took a step closer.
And Aura's body tensed. Her chains shifted beneath her, and she instantly got into a defensive stance, ready to pounce.
It was instinct.
Even though she knew it was pointless.
She knew she couldn't reach him.
Ronan's lips parted.
"Open it."
The guide blinked.
"Pardon?"
"Open the cage."
A laugh echoed through the room.
"Sir, I appreciate your enthusiasm, but I would not recommend that."
"I said open it."
Ronan's tone was final. It wasn't sharp or violent, but it didn't leave any room for argument.
The guide hesitated. For a moment, it looked like he truly didn't know what to do, but then he let out a sigh. He walked towards the cage with a key in hand.
"Very well. Your risk."
The key slid into the lock with a soft click. The door swung open, and a faint glow shone as runes Ronan didn't recognize flashed.
It was just a fraction of a second.
But that was all Aura needed.
Instantly, she got on her feet and lunged at Ronan.
Fast. Far faster than someone with their mana sealed. Someone who hadn't had a proper meal in forever.
Her body shot forward, the chains behind her dragging violently as she aimed straight for his throat.
But Ronan didn't move.
He stood still.
And her attack missed him by a few inches.
"You can't attack outside of the cage, can you? The chains prevent that."
Ronan smirked and gripped her hand.
Aura growled with hatred as she thrashed around. Her other hand was fully restrained, so she couldn't move it if she tried.
Ronan squeezed her tiny wrist.
"How pathetic," Ronan said as he looked into her eyes.
Those deep purple, amethyst eyes held nothing but hatred for the man standing in front of her.
He spoke with indifference, as if the scene in front of him was boringly predictable.
Aura simply glared.
The next words that came out of his mouth changed that.
"Is this what your mother sacrificed her life for?"
Aura's body turned rigid. She froze.
Not actually. She still strained forward, and she still tried to escape from Ronan's grip.
But something in her eyes changed.
For the first time since he had met the dark-haired girl, her expression of hatred and fury had cracked.
"What did you just say?" She asked.
Her voice was low, and it carried a hint of danger behind it.
However, Ronan didn't loosen his grip. Instead, he took a step inside the cage.
"Sir, don't–"
But Ronan had already tuned him out.
Aura didn't attack.
"If she could see you now… someone she raised to be noble and dignified, thrashing around like a wild animal," Ronan spoke. "What do you think she would say?"
A pulse of mana flickered.
But it died down by the cuffs.
Aura's glare returned, but instead of pure rage behind it, there were a number of different emotions now.
"Don't talk about her…"
Ronan answered without missing a beat.
"Why not?" His voice was cold. "Because it hurts?"
The chains holding Aura thrashed violently as she struggled, her body tensing once again.
But she didn't attack this time.
She didn't lunge. She didn't make any attempt to harm him.
"You don't know anything…"
Aura's voice was low. He barely caught it.
Ronan tilted his head as he yanked her arm up.
"I know enough."
The guide shifted nervously behind him, but he didn't dare interrupt. He had never seen Aura behave so docile in front of anyone.
Ronan looked her in the eye.
"I know you were born into power," Ronan started. "I know you were raised with status. Pride."
Each word chipped at her.
"But now look at you. When we compare you to an animal, what difference is there?"
Aura's fingers dug deeper into her skin.
"Shut up…"
"You hate them, don't you?" Ronan asked. "You hate the ones who captured you. You hate the ones who killed your family. The ones who killed your mother and forced her to sacrifice her life to teleport you here."
Aura's eyes widened as he revealed more information that he shouldn't have known.
"But more than that, Aura…"
Ronan's voice dug into her skin, as if he could see right through her. As if he could read her thoughts.
"You hate yourself."
"SHUT UP!"
Aura lunged.
She used one of her free legs and sent a kick to his knee.
But Ronan didn't falter. Her movements were sloppy. She was chained, malnourished, and angry.
Ronan shifted his leg to the side, causing her kick to miss him narrowly, and he closed the distance.
He drove a fist into her abdomen, causing the girl to gasp out in pain.
Using his free hand, he grabbed onto Aura's black hair and pushed her against the side of the cage, pressing her up against the wall of the room.
The cage rattled violently as Aura's expression contorted in pain. But she didn't cry out. She held it in.
"Done?" Ronan asked.
There wasn't any finesse to his moves. Anyone with his build could have overpowered the pathetic girl in front of him. If she weren't malnourished, chained and heavily suppressed, however, she would have killed Ronan in an instant.
Aura glared up at him, breathing rapidly.
Her chest rose and fell, a few strands of black hair sticking to her face as Ronan held her up by the rest.
Aura's eyes burned into his.
"Who are you?"
Ronan's lips curved.
"I'm the person who will get you out of here."
Aura didn't respond.
Slowly, Ronan let go of her hair, and she slumped down the wall, the cage rattling slightly.
He turned back to the guard. He had a bewildered expression on his face, as if he couldn't believe what he had just seen.
"I'll take her," Ronan said. "Prepare the contract."