Beyond the Walls

Chapter 32

Aston grunts as he stumbles backwards and his backside skids on the polished tile floor. He smears the blood from his hand on his face and laughs.

"Acting all high and mighty, are we, Elle?" He scrambles to his feet and jabs the long wooden sword in my direction.

"I can't help that I'm better than you," I muse, tucking my hands and fake sword behind my back and turning away.

His boots squeak as he leaps forward. He grabs my shoulder, yanks me into a headlock and slides the blunt wooden sword against my neck. "Dead," he hisses into my ear.

I grin. "You think so?"

I slip my foot behind his knee, pressing hard, and he buckles. The sword swings forward and as his grip loosens; I snatch it away, spin around and push back to the floor. The tip of the sword greets his eyes, teasing.

"Arrogance, arrogance," he tuts, shaking his head. "It will kill you one day."

I laugh. "We shall see. I want to stick around."

"Fine. You may be the sharpest sword. But are you the fastest?"

Excitement bursts in my chest. "Race you to the fields?

He is already taking off before I finish the sentence. We crash through the door of the training hall and Ajax yelps as he strides in. I throw him a wild grin as I chase Aston through the corridors of the palace. We reach the foyer and euphoria builds in my stomach as I throw myself over the steps, sailing into the air. Gravity jerks me to the ground and laughter bursts from my chest. We run, run, run around the palace, through the courtyards and onto the spongy grass of the fields. Aston pulls up short, grabbing my arm and yanking me to the floor. I tumble down, rolling onto my back. The yellow sun burns my eyes and heats my skin, and I grin at her.

"Elle," he breathes, suddenly serious. "Do you think my mum and dad would have been proud of me?"

Glance at him, and he's already looking. His hazel eyes melt honeydew in the sunlight. "Yes, Aston. They are proud of you. You have revolted a tyrant and are leading a war. You are extraordinary."

He smiles softly. "I think I just needed to hear that. From you. We rarely get many moments together anymore."

I purse my lips. "I know."

"You're with him a lot."

"Ruben... you mean?"

"Yes. Well, of course, you are. You love him, Elle. It's clear as day the way you look at him. I just wanted you to know, while I wasn't sure of him at first, you have my blessing now."

I stifle a laugh. "Your blessing?" I sit up, picking at the grass but intent on him. "Why do you say that now?"

"Because I'm afraid that one of us might not make it to the end of this war."

Words die on my tongue. I stare at him, brows furrowing.

"I just had to say it, Elle." He hauls himself up and crosses his legs. "You had to know."

"Look, I will let nothing happen to you," I tell him. Then I throw a handful of grass and him and laugh. "Except for maybe that!"

He yanks a clump of grass from the soil and sprinkles it in my hair, chuckling as he sticks his tongue at me. Shaking the grass from my curls, I haul myself to my feet, offering my hand and helping him up. We make our way back into the palace, back into the training hall.

The arrow thuds as it hits off-centre of the target. Ruben curses, lowering his bow.

"I can't get 100 percent centre," he says. He marches up to the target, shaped like a person, and yanks out his five arrows. "I keep getting shoulder and stomach shots."