“You know,” I told him, “I get that we were trying to rob you, and I’m sorry about that, but did you really have to drug us and lock us up in your basement? Or are you just the type of lad that enjoys collecting people? Because I’m not worth much if that’s the case. And the girl that was with me”—I cringe—“seriously, she’ll bite your finger off if you try anything with her! We’re both…terrible people to kidnap. So, you’re out of luck, sorry, bud. Better release us while you can, we’re just taking up space here.”

My captor hummed. He took a pair of thick, black rectangular glasses out from his pocket and slid them onto the bridge of his nose. As he leaned in to get a better look at me, he raised a brow and said, “You talk a lot. So I’m guessing that out of the both of you, you’re the dumb one, and therefore even more useless than the girl.”

“What—” I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “Dumb one? Seriously? Even though she’s the one who suggested we rob you?”

“Ah.” The young man scoffed. “And following a terrible suggestion blindly is supposed to prove your intelligence to me? Please, you should stop talking before you embarrass yourself even more.”

I had an urge to rip out the short, dark tuft of hair that sat on his head—unfortunately, I couldn’t.

“I’m not going to release you,” he said, after a moment. “But I’ll give you two options.”

“You’re far too kind,” my tone was deadpan, and I could only hope he wasn’t going to make me choose between torture option number one and number two.

“Aren’t I?” The smile he gave me was creepy. Too wide. Too forced. “Now, you see,” he cleared his throat and walked circles around me. “I know what you and the girl are capable of.”

“I’ve no clue as to what you’re talking about.”

“Is that so?” His gaze darkened. He held up his hands before my face. A flicker of flames—neon-green and not red—came to life as he created sparks before my eyes.

I yelped, gasped, and moved away from the fire as much my chains allowed me to.

“Still no idea?” the young man asked me. “Well then,” he chuckled and brought his hand, which was still burning hot from the fire, inches away from my skin. “Perhaps I could remind you.”

My eyes went wide—

A) “No! Wait,” I blurted. “Y-you’re right, I do know what you’re talking about.”

B) My eyes went wide, and then, I shut them tight. I didn’t understand what was going on, but I couldn’t trust him, didn’t want him to use me in whatever sick plans he had in mind.

C) I bit his hand. He screamed, and so did I from the pain that set the inside of my mouth ablaze.