Beyond the Walls [NEW VERSION]

Chapter 2

The wind beyond the walls roars louder than it does within. Free. Untethered by the walls. Wild.

We stand at the threshold, amongst the stones and dust, entranced by the sight of the broken wall, of the crack in the kingdom. The lake swallows the blue hues of the sky, the puffs of clouds melting into its rippling, yet sheer surface. I remember how I encountered the shadowteeth within those waters all those months ago, while the king goaded me with Lyra's neck.

Something deep and primal -within me screams. Urges me to grab the wooden boat still nestled into the stones and row out onto the lake, and further, beyond the horizon, to see what is out there. But a thick smudge of forest blocks the view of whatever is past the horizon. Its green, shadowy abyss, though, whispers my name. Elle. Elle. Elle. Calling me, as if I belong in its darkness, with its darkness.

"At some point, we need to venture out of the kingdom," Ajax says, and I flinch. His shoulders almost brush mine as we stand together, staring out past the only world we have ever known. My friend's sky-blue eyes glisten with... hope. "Without King Talin, the possibilities are endless. Imagine what else – who else is out there, Elle! But for now, I think we need to rebuild this mess for the safety and security of everyone else in the kingdom. Perhaps once it is rebuilt, we can organise a group to go into... whatever wilderness this is."

"I want to be a part of that group," I say, keeping my eyes pinned on the stretch of land before me. Part of me wonders if I might spot him staring back at me, from in the lake, or from in the forest. Something tells me he belongs to the shadows, too.

"Well, that was a given, Elle," Ajax snorts.

I grin absently. "When are we going to begin fixing up this wall?" I kick a hunk of stone. "I want to help."

"Tomorrow," Ajax says. "But don't worry, I also figured you'd want to be a part of that, so I already put your name on the list."

"See?" I stifle a laugh and twist my torso to him, arms crossed. "You are a true leader!"

He elbows me in the ribs, and we make our way back into the Convex Sector, slipping into the din of a tavern.

--

Sweat drips into my eyes. I grumble and wipe it away with the back of my hand, muttering a curse. My breath, hot in the still icy air, mists, and swirls before me. I inhale deeply and heave another slab of stone from the pile. My muscles burn as I lumber the stone the short distance from the pile to the foundation of the wall, carefully placing it down on the wet cement. This is how the rest of the Wall segments were built 110 years ago. I then turn back to pick up yet another slab of stone from the pile, gritting my teeth and ignoring the strain in my limbs as I do so. As I put the stone in place, the strip of material around my palms and knuckles comes loose for the second time in the last hour. Huffing in frustration, I pull the fabric off and examine the small cuts on my fingers, thanks to the thousands of tiny razor teeth covering each chunk of stone. Ajax did not have enough gloves to provide all his volunteers, so I opted to just use a soft canvas material to protect my hands from the rough stone. I wrap the material around each palm and knuckle again, pulling the knot especially tight with my teeth.

"It's tough, isn't it?" a girl says from my left as I reach for another stone piece. The girl looks to be about only 15 years old, with dark olive skin and a head of tight braids that she has pulled into a ponytail. Despite her youthful look, she is easily a head taller than me, with long, gangly limbs. Like me, she has dirt smudged on her face.

I sigh, offering her a smile. "Definitely."

"You're Elizabeth Fallon." It is a statement, not a question. She peers at me intently with earthy green eyes, studying me curiously. She has a noticeable light brown birthmark on the side of her neck.