This short story is a part of a larger whole, in the process of being written. William and Ruby have just survived a catastrophic event that leaves Ruby reminiscing in the past, and they found shelter in William’s home city. The short story ends with a flashback to Ruby’s past. 

William gently pushed open the wooden door that led to his room.

“Are you there, Ruby?” he called into the dark. There was no response. Will crossed the threshold into the darkness.

He found Ruby sitting on the cot hugging her knees. The bedding underneath her was plain, as well as the room. Only a small desk near the window marked any sort of normal furnishing. The window itself had no glass to keep out the elements. It had old, wooden shutters that remained open, letting a bare amount of light in. Tear tracks on Ruby’s face reflected the moonlight spilling in from the window. In the dim light, he could tell her face wasn’t red, but rather unnaturally pale. She was afraid. Very afraid.

“Are you okay?” he asked softly. Again, Will received no response. He sat on the cot next to her and leaned forward to get a better look at her face. Her dark eyes were unfocused. He touched her shoulder, hoping to rouse her.

“I don’t want to think about it,” she said suddenly, looking up at William.

“Think about what?” he asked innocently.

“Val. Tallon. Who he is – What he is – They are,” Ruby said. “It can’t be. They- He- Noo…” Her forehead dropped to her knees, and she started rocking back and forth.

Will was concerned. She wasn’t making any sense and she wasn’t acting normal. “Talon? Y-yes, Val had talons…” Ruby stopped moving and turned to Will, eyes wide.

“Not talon, Tallon!” She was raising her voice. Will frowned. “It’s too similar! The hiding, the deceit, not being who you say you are! Finding out that they aren’t… right! It’s… It’s dark.” She stood and turned around to continue facing Will. “How can I trust you? How can anyone trust anyone? Who are you, who is he? Who- Who am I?” Ruby sank to the floor. Will stood and reached for her, concerned. He wasn’t sure what he was going to do.

“Stay back,” she yelled and Will was blown against the wall where he fell onto the cot. “Right,” William thought, dazed. “She’s an aeromancer.” He glanced back at Ruby, who was staring at her hands, wide-eyed. “That wasn’t me!” she cried to Will. She shook her head and flattened back to the floor.

“I’m sorry,” she said softly. Will grabbed an unlit candle and lit it quickly with a word to brighten the dark room. He set it by the bed and scooped Ruby up in his arms. “Thanks for staying with me,” she whispered. He laid her gently onto the cot, sat at the foot of it, picked up the candle, and turned to her.

“What was that, if not you, then?” he asked.

“I – I don’t know,” she said, coughing. “But I think it stems from a past I never want to live again.”

“Tell me. We still have a long night ahead of us,” Will whispered.

“Are you sure?” she asked.

“Yes.”

***

Ruby, barely a teenager now, returned to her family’s establishment. Her parents ran a small cookhouse near the outskirts of a village namedAlgaerna, and it was a place travelers had stopped in before. It was close to Taron, but enough out of the way that travelers rarely came. The last one to come was an odd sort. Very reserved, he barely talked. A few days after that traveler had left, Ruby’s best friend, Tallon, disappeared. Ruby had been looking for him or the odd traveler since. Ruby shoved open the door of the cookery.

Hearing the door’s bell ring when it opened, Ruby’s father ducked into the dining area. She could see her mother’s face through the door to the kitchen before it closed behind her father.

“I really think you should stop, Ruby,” he said. Ruby shook her head.

“Dad, it’s only been two weeks! He’s around somewhere. He has to, right?” Her mother entered the room and stood behind the father.

“Connal,” she murmured, “Maybe we should just let her search?” Ruby’s father blinked. Connal turned to her.

“No. If she’s looking for that stranger, then she really shouldn’t be looking!” Ruby’s mother sighed, and Connal faced Ruby again, “Look – It’s been two weeks. Tallon isn’t coming ba-”

The bell jingled and Ruby spun around, her mouth agape. “Tallon?” she asked.

In the doorway was a young man close to Ruby’s age with dark eyes and black hair. His skin was much paler than what she remembered. He seemed malnourished and ill, but other than that the once-missing kid was fine. Right?

“Tallon, are you okay?” Ruby asked as she cautiously stepped toward him. Connal and her mother rushed past her to him as he collapsed.

(An aeromancer is a mage capable of manipulating air and sometimes weather. aero- = air, -mancer = A practitioner of a specific type of divination. A user of a specified type of magic)