Within the Walls [NEW VERSION]

Chapter 26

The liquor burns the back of my throat, and the rubbing alcohol stings my wounds. I hiss, flinching when Ruben dabs my scratches with the cloth. He lets out a sigh. As he moves around the infirmary to the sink, the tiny candle flames that are scattered around the room reach for him. The light bounces across the walls and his face. I breathe in the smell of the wax and smoke. He is dressed in his ball suit. Only his hair has gone messy, and his fingers are stained with my blood. His faint citrus, earthy scent still lingers in the air.

He tips the wooden bowl of red water into the sink and refills it with the pump faucet. My pulse consumes the silence. Ruben grabs another cloth and washes the blood from my calves. The scratchy fabric grazes my skin and tugs at the angry wound.

"The veckling has venomous glands on its claws," he says, voice low.

"Veckling?"

Ruben blows out a laugh. "That's what you got from what I said? What if I told you there is not antidote?"

I blink at him as he tilts his head, a flicker of a smile on his lips. "That smile tells me there is one."

He smirks again, squeezing the reddened cloth into the bowl. "I warn you. It doesn't taste like sugar and lemons."

Ruben grabs a small tumbler from the bench, plucks a bottle from the cabinet, and pours the thick liquid in. Then he hands it to me. I scrunch my nose at the bubbling, bright yellow liquid. It smells of rotten fruit. With a deep breath, I knock it back, groaning the moment it touches my tongue. I may as well be swallowing a cup of ground-up slugs. Ruben clamps a hand over his mouth to stop the laughter as I choke down the liquid.

"I can't believe I trusted you," I say, scowling. But I can't help but release a bubble of laughter.

"Me too. I could have just poisoned you." He waggles with his finger as he takes the goblet.

"But then who will you marry? I cannot imagine any of the ladies in the court would get under your skin the way I do." The words tumble out before I can catch them.

He pauses, gaze burning into my own. Then he plucks the roll of gauze and wraps my calf. I bite back the wince at the pressure of the cloth against the sliced flesh, watching the deep wounds disappear beneath the fabric. Ruben lets out a breath.

"Everyone knows that you make me mad," he says, flicking his eyes up. His face darkens. "The things you... do to me."

My cheeks burst aflame. "I don't understand."

"Oh, don't feed me lies, Elle," he growls. The candlelight dances in his eyes and they glow jade. "I have never wished for the kingdom walls to fall. But I do now. Only so I can get as far away from you as possible. Perhaps the madness beyond the walls would at least make sense."

I open my mouth but then seal it shut. Silence crackles between us and I know my words would do no good right now. My heart... he must be able to hear it.

"But what you do to me... how can any man stay sane? I am going to be forced to surrender."

His neck muscles tense and a vein throbs in his temple. Moisture vanishes from my mouth. I stare at him as words continue to betray me.

"I'll meet you outside your room for the Tranq allegiance tomorrow," he says, breaking the tangible silence.

I clear my throat as he pins the second gauze wrapping in place on my left leg. "Thank you for cleaning up my wounds, Ruben."

He stiffens at the use of his name as if it belongs to some ancient legend finally unearthed from a dusty, abandoned library. I imagine it feels like a curse to hear out loud.