Rosie's Games

Chapter 257: Exposed

Rosalind found herself standing in a dark and foreboding dungeon. The air was musty and thick as the sound of water dripping from somewhere echoed throughout the dungeon.

She frowned and stared at the few flickering torches that were scattered throughout the long and winding pathway, casting eerie shadows on the walls and the floor.

"Hello?" Rosalind wondered if this was a dream. It should be, she thought. The last thing she recalled was going to her bed to rest. She was too exhausted to even change her clothes, she craved her sleep.

She knew that Milith would probably scold her again for not washing her face before sleeping. That child always insisted that this was the key to always having good skin. However, Rosalind was simply too tired to care.

She took a cautious step into the twisting corridors of the dungeon. The walls were quite rough and uneven and the floor was slippery. This was probably from the dripping of water that she heard earlier.

She continued walking before she started to shiver.

She looked around and suddenly, the air turned chilly.

It was as if someone was watching her.

Yet, this was a dream.

She ignored the dread and continued exploring, wondering why she was dreaming something so vivid, so real.

Soon, she started hearing strange whispers, and murmurs coming from the walls, the shadow.

She could not shake the feeling that she was being watched.

'There is no need to worry,' she thought inwardly. 'This is merely a dream.'

Eventually, she arrived in a large chamber. Her eyes were starting to adjust to the darkness that seemed to press in on her from all sides, as if it was trying to intimidate her into leaving the place.

If Rosalind knew that this was not a dream, she would have run away a long time ago.

She chuckled at the thought.

While she had already lived another life, she was not that stupid or brave enough to walk into a dungeon as eerie as this alone. It was simply a very stupid move.

She might have the Blessings, but at the end of the day, she was still defenseless against sudden attacks. She really should start learning more self-defense strategies from Lucas.

Thinking of Lucas, Rosalind frowned. She could not help but wonder if he was able to remove the dark curse flowing inside his veins.

Soon, she noticed a larger chamber. This must be the heart of the dungeon, she thought inwardly.

Suddenly, there was a soft jingling of chains.

Rosalind froze, her eyes wide, her face losing its color.

Why was it so frightening?

That was when she suddenly saw a woman tied up in chains. Her head was bowed, making her long black hair cover her face.

"Uhhhh" Rosalind did not know what to say. All she wanted to do was to complain. This was a dream! Is there a need for it to be this frightening?

She stared at the large chains and saw that they were old and rusted. Clearly, it was cutting through the woman's skin, leaving deep reddish marks on her wrist and ankles. Her hair looked matted, tangled, and a mess.

On the other hand, her clothes were ragged and torn. Her arms were so thin.

'Why'

A faint whisper reached her ears. Goosebumps immediately skittered down her skin.

'How could you do this?'

The voice continued. At first, it was nothing but a faint whisper.

'Why did you do this?'

Rosalind frowned. This time, it was no longer a whisper but a clear voice of a woman.

Wasn't this

Before Rosalind could process her thoughts, she felt someone physically pull her away from the woman.

'WHYYY!????' she heard the woman scream. Sadly, she was not able to see the woman's face as she bolted upright in her bed, gasping for air.

Her back was covered with cold sweat as she looked around the room and found the one who might be responsible for pulling her out of her dream.

Lucas.

She could see his striking figure standing by the window, looking outside. This time, he was not wearing a hood or his usual mask and she could clearly see his face. His hair had grown a bit longer. Unlike before, it now looked like loose waves of short hair that framed his sharp jawline and full lips.

It seemed that he was lost in his own thoughts. For some reason, Rosalind took advantage of this to stare at him. The moonlight played across his features, highlighting the strong lines on his face.

She always knew that he was pleasing to look at, but to see him under the moonlight was different too different, it felt like she was looking at someone she did not recognize. This man was not just simply handsome, he looked extraordinary in every way.

His exuding beauty had a magnetic pull that could easily ensnare anyone including her.

As if sensing her gaze, he turned to look at her. His piercing blue eyes seemed to glow in the dim lighting inside her room. It almost gave him an otherworldly appeal. How could someone be this beautiful?

Despite the fact that he opened the window, he was not wearing anything that could protect him from the cold. Instead, he was wearing a simple unbuttoned shirt that revealed his muscular physique.

"Did I disturb you?" he asked in a voice she almost did not recognize.

"No." Rosalind refused to mention anything about that weird dream. How could she dampen the mood? She slowly walked towards him, her eyes squinted. "You look fine," she smiled.

He smiled back but said nothing in response. His eyes were fixed on her as if he was trying to read her soul. It was unwavering, penetrating. Something that made her feel exposed, naked.

She did not like that feeling.

"Are you trying to seduce me, Lady Rosie?" he suddenly asked.

"Huh?" And that was when she realized that she removed her clothes when she arrived and did not even change into a nightgown. She just hopped into the bed and started snoring.

....

A/N: I believe this was the first time I actually describe Lucas like this. :D