Within the Walls [NEW VERSION]

Chapter 14

Then he whirls his attention to me and a malicious grin spreads across his face. "Elle Fallon. Step forward."

Thousands of eyes burn into my soul as I draw forward. As I do, a spot of red hair bobs up in the crowd. Lyra. Our gaze locks. Red-rimmed eyes, tears dribbling her lips, curled back in horror. I want to scream. I want to run into her arms and sob, in our apartment, hidden away from prying eyes. The only place I truly feel safe. She nods as if she understood my thoughts.

King Talin angles his head to the prisoners with a fleck of amusement. A cat playing with its food. "Push them out, Elle," he says, voice low enough to reverberate through my ribs.

No.

I shake my head, panic searing through my blood like caustic poison. "I can't. I won't."

"You will exile the criminals who dared defy my Tranquillity, my peace, or you will have the blood of all the Convex people on your hands," he bellows, and I flinch as the sound slams into the gates and whistles into the village.

"You're cruel. Evil," I spit, as my knees knock together. Blood roars past my ears. I can barely breathe. As if a stone is fastened to my feet, dragging me to the bottom of a dark lake, to a watery grave.

He reaches behind me and draws my spear from the sheath. Its dainty spearhead glints in the fingers of sunlight reaching down from the clouds roving the sky. The point, sharp and narrow, taunts me.

"Push them out, Elle Fallon," he says through gritted teeth, words dripping with venom. He gestures to the prisoners who stumble forward as a couple of Tranqs unclasp them from the wooden stake. Lambs to the slaughter.

King Talin shoves the spear handle into my hands and nods. A deep shudder reverberates through the kingdom, splitting my eardrums and rattling my bones. The stone gates groan and creak as they ease open outwards on their hinges, grating against the earth. King Talin plants his feet at the opening and draws in a deep breath, closing his eyes with a smirk.

"The scent of the monsters isn't too far. Death's beckoning arms await." He snaps his head to me. "Push them out, Elle."

A Tranq shoves the first man towards me who almost falls to his knees. He reeks of body odour and old ale. His jaw tightens, but I catch the telltale glint of fear in his eyes despite his defiance.

"Do it," he says, nodding as if to tell me it's okay. "Do it. But don't let my death be in vain. You know who our enemy is. Destroy them."

My lips quiver and sobs clench my heart and lungs. I cannot breathe. "I'm sorry," I splutter.

"Do not be sorry," he says, eyes glossy and red with tears. "Fight for us, Elle."

The way he says my name, and the way the sound licks the wind makes my mind want to separate from my body. A cry falls from my mouth, more animal than human. "I will."

My feet are stiff as stone as I step behind him and aim the spearhead at his spine. My stomach surges and tears blind my vision.

"You know the traditional steps for this, Elle. Show us you are worthy of the Tranquillity. Or my son's hand!" the King growls and I cry out.

Flinging curse words at the king, I prod the prisoner in the back, and he yelps, falling into step. He strides a beat quicker, avoiding the spearhead as if he's leading himself to the end. A scream scratches my throat, like a monster's claws, red and raw and demanding to be heard. I bite the inside of my cheek, tasting blood. Weeps escape my mouth, cracking and drawing pathetic tears down my face.

As the prisoner crosses the gate threshold, he stops and turns around. He throws a vulgar gesture at the king. "Let my death be the catalyst for change." His gaze finds me, and he nods. "I forgive you, Elle."

My knees scarcely keep me upright. The prisoner wipes the tear running his colour-drained face, before turning and striding into the shadows and lights of the wilderness beyond the walls. His figure shrinks as he moves towards the lake. A distant, monstrous shriek slices into my ears. As if the monster is welcoming the prisoner into its arms.

A shuddering numbness sweeps over me. My eyes glaze over; lips in a tight line. Mind a thousand miles away. As if I'm a supernatural creature who can shut off their emotions at will. The second prisoner doesn't say a word as I push him out. His hungry, feral gleam finds a home in my nightmares. His face is granite, not a whisper of fear.

His figure disappears into the glare of the wilderness. The gates groan like a hundred dying beasts as they ease across the ground on their hinges, shuddering as they seal shut, but not before the prisoner's strangled scream pierces the walls. Blood splatters through the narrow gap, cascading over my face and hair. The gates close and I vomit on the ground.