Within the Walls [NEW VERSION]

Chapter 18

As Ajax's words rattle around in my head, another figure steps around the corner from the bedrooms. A tall, lanky boy with brown skin and dark auburn hair sizes me up and down. He points his long, calloused finger at me.

"So, you are the girl who almost killed Ruben?" he says, arching his thick brow and tightening his jaw. The cosmos sparkles in those cool-toned eyes, and a curious smile slips across his face.

I open my mouth to protest but words die on my tongue.

Killian throws his head back and howls with laughter, pretending to wipe a tear from his eye. "I am sure you humbled our beloved prince."

"Killian, let's not be weird today. We have an important matter to discuss," Ajax says, pinching the bridge of his nose, and letting out a groan.

"What matter?" Killian tosses me a side glance, almost as if I cannot hear the pair speaking. His dark auburn hair falls into his eyes, but he doesn't bother to flick it away.

"The uprisings across the river." Ajax points in the general direction of the Convex Sector, before shooting me a sympathetic smile. "The rebellion against the king."

"Keep your voice down," Ruben hisses, putting a finger over his lips. "Anyone could be beyond that door."

Ajax scoffs and shakes his head. "I thought you wanted to save the world from your old man." He crosses his arms, elbowing Ruben in the ribs.

"Just the kingdom. I can think about the world another time. I'd just rather not have to worry about you two." Ruben paces to the window, peering out as if he's expecting to see a cavalry of Tranqs coming to arrest us all.

"So, you're the one who's sparked all the chaos, Elle?" Killian says, waggling his brows.

I click my tongue, letting out a shaky laugh. "I didn't mean to."

"We are glad," Ajax says, throwing me a wink. "We have been waiting for someone like you for years. Now, the Convex are finally seizing their chance to fight."

"But you're Concave, right?" I tilt my head. "I didn't think Concaves would want to change the status quo."

"Well, we aren't all selfish idiots." Ajax shrugs and pours us each a shot of whiskey. We collapse around the small round table. "There's a few Concaves who understand the absolute unfairness of our society. We have power in our voices. If you feel like giving me people equalities is going to take things away from you, you have never been without."

I feel Killian's sunken eyes on me as Ajax's words ring into the space between us all, his brows furrowing. "You're a Fallon, aren't you?" he says, a strange, dark look crossing his face.

"Yes. The Fallons have had a name for themselves for a while, thanks to my father." I sip the whiskey, cringing at the sharp, bitter taste. It is what I imagine venom would taste like.

"And now you continue the legacy." Killian tips his glass towards me, something shifting in those copper eyes.

"I suppose I do."

We drink until the night falls, and the moon ascends into the sky. I awake the following morning back at the palace with a pounding head and spend the rest of the day curled up in bed, feeling sorry for myself.

--

I rub my eyes as I traipse into the kitchen, finally emerging from my gremlin-like state as the palace falls asleep again. Pockets of shadows have hidden away from a couple of flickering candles. My stomach rumbles as I dig out a roll my bread from the pantry, and cheese from the cool room. They quell the ache. I sit at the table, staring out of the window at the fingers or orange light stretching lazily over the walls. An icy breeze blows drafts through the windows, not quite sealed. But I revel in the coolness against my cheeks. Drying the sweat from the nightmares that snared me.