Within the Walls

Chapter 32

A sharp rap on the door draws me to consciousness. A warm glow permeates my vision as I ease my eyes open and part my lips. Ruben stifles a moan from my side, shifting closer to me as he had rolled to the other side in his sleep.

Someone knocks on the door again. "Mr Chander, breakfast is ready."

"Shit," he gasps, wrenching the blanket off his body, leaping to his feet. He yanks the blanket off me, and I tense as the morning chill hits my skin. "Hide in the bathroom, Elle."

I mutter a curse to myself, feet hitting the floor as I scurry to the bathroom, closing the door just enough so no one sees me, but I can still watch.

Ruben paces to the door and cracks it open.

"Oh!" the maid lets out a squeak as her eyes fall to Ruben's shirtless chest.

"Good morning," Ruben smiles and I watch as her cheeks flush crimson.

She tears her eyes from his chest and hands over a tray of food. "Your breakfast, Mr Chander."

"Ruben. Call me Ruben, Grace," he corrects her with another smile, accepting the tray graciously. "Oh, and I'm feeling hungry this morning. Could you please bring me a second helping of eggs and toast?"

"Of course, I will be right back, Mr Chander–Ruben." Grace blushes again, eyes darting to her feet as she turns and scurries away.

"I think that you just made her morning," I say, emerging from the bathroom, stifling a laugh.

"All I did was ask for more food," he shrugs, striding to his drawers, placing the tray on top. He snatches a shirt from the drawer and shrugs it on. I cannot help but watch the muscles in his back contort as he moves. Ruben then picks up the tray again, trudging back to the bed. He pats the spot next to him and when I sit down, he hands me the tray. "Eat, Elle."

I smile at him, accepting the tray. As I swallow a mouthful of toast, I tilt my head to him. "So today, we are getting Aston out."

"I have a plan to rescue Aston. And the prisoners."

He pauses as there is another knock on the door and he opens it to accept his second tray of food. He thanks the maid Grace before sinking back onto the edge of the bed. "We will need a Tranq gun, your sword, and a small but significant pair of my school friends who escaped Sneya."

"How are we getting my sword back?" I ask. "Doesn't Sneya have it?"

"Yes," he says. "He will eat breakfast soon. I will go up to his quarters and get it."

"And who are these friends of yours?"

He grins. "They are Concaves. They hate the cavern. They will help us."

Ruben finishes his breakfast then stands, placing his empty tray on the bedside table. "I'll go get that sword of yours now."

He grins at me before he strides to the door and yanks it open. "I will be back, Elle. Hold tight."

I smile at him as he disappears. And I am left to my growing anxiety. I trust Ruben, but his friends, well, I have not met them. Perhaps I should cut them slack. If Ruben says they will help, I should trust that. But letting strangers help Aston terrifies me. What if they are of no help and it ends in tears?

My hand brushes the scar on my forehead, and I think of Aston. Is he being flogged? Is he thinking of me? His gran? My mind filters through memories of the first time I met Aston. We were only eleven and I remember how I knew I would grow to adore that boy.

My knee shakes and I let out a small moan. Can Ruben hurry? I jump to my feet and begin pacing the room, back and forth, back and forth. I take the time that I must change out of Ruben's sweatpants and shirt into my tattered brown pants and white long sleeve. When I continue pacing, I stop at the window, unclipping the clasps and pushing the window open. An icy morning draft drifts in, coaxing blood to rise to my cheeks against the chill.