The Ruby in the Storm

Chapter 22: For Whom the Bell Tolls

Chapter 22: For Whom the Bell Tolls

Leila paced the floor of her room, running her hands over and over again through her hair. They were shaking. She was so cold. The chills were unbearable. She had to scream into a pillow some nights because she was afraid she was being attacked by something hiding in the shadows. Her arms and body ached; she was constantly tired yet unable to sleep. Wiping the sweat off her brow was slowly becoming reflex even when there was no sweat.

Time was running out. Stay here and see her only solace leave forever, or leave and bed the devil in the process. But she would have the wine, and the wine made all the chills and aches go away. Just one sip to cure the sweating, the lethargy, the anxious feeling that someone in the dark was going to stab her to death. Just one sip, that was all she needed.

"What are you doing in here?!" Leila snapped when she turned to find a maid standing there. "Get out!"

"But..." The maid gulped, terrified. "You called me in here, ma'am."

Leila frowned. "I did?"

"Yes, ma'am, not a minute ago."

Leila blinked. She didn't remember doing that. Was the maid lying? Why would she? Of course, why would she not? Leila was the lady of the house after all, and all maids loved to see their ladies fall from grace. Likely this maid conjured up some silly and simple story to make Leila think she had called her in when, in fact, she was actually spying on her to bring gossip back downstairs.

Or maybe you did call her in and you don't remember. Honest mistake. Now, back to the wine...

"Go find Oliver and bring him here," Leila told the maid. "Quickly."

"Yes ma'am," the maid shakily curtsied and all but ran out, slamming the door behind her.

Leila rubbed her hands up and down her arms, sat down, got back up again, paced again, and then stopped. She had to keep moving, she knew that. Sitting still would only drive her mad. God, she needed the wine.

Just one sip. Just one.

"You summoned me, ma'am?" Oliver stepped in, leaving the door open.

"Yes..." Leila wiped the nonexistent sweat off her forehead. "Yes... Right... Come inside, shut the door."

"Shut the door?" Oliver frowned. "But this is your bedroom, ma'am..."

"And?" Leila asked. "Come inside. Shut the bloody door!"

Oliver did as he was told, and when Leila was sure no one was listening in, she spoke. "I need you to do something important for me."

Oliver looked confused. "I can take you down to the den again tonight, if that is what you mean."

"Of course it's not, would I be in this horrid state if I was visiting the den every night?!" Leila gritted out. "I can't think straight, Oliver. I keep shaking and sweating, I feel like my world is closing in around me and I cannot breathe! I need the wine!"

If Oliver had been confused before, he looked even more so now. "But... If you need it then why haven't you been going?"

"Because..." Leila paused. Dare she tell him? Was it his business to know? Jarrel's ultimatum was something she had not planned on sharing with anyone, and something told her that it should stay that way.

"I am ill," she said. "I need rest. My current 'master and commander' has refused to let me leave. Pick whichever explanation you feel Jarrel will believe, I don't care. I need you to go to his den tonight and fetch me the wine. A barrel, if you can, but if not that a flask will suffice."