The Covenant - Uncovering Secrets -

Chapter Seventeen - Rescue

I groaned as I pushed myself up, stiff from lying on the floor for so long but relieved to find he'd left the light on. Giving my cheek a gentle rub I got to my feet scanning the room around me a plan of action working its way through my mind as I started pulling things off the shelving units. I was sure I saw small windows at the bottom of the neighbouring houses, some hidden among their bedding plants so it would make sense that there was at least one window down here even if Chase had boarded it up. Finding the first wall behind the shelving units empty I moved onto the next. Wincing as the metal bedframe scratched noisily when I dragged it across the cement floor I waited to see if the scraping had caught Chase's attention, ready for him to come charging downstairs but when nothing happened after several long minutes I continued dragging the bed till it was on the other side of the room. Yanking boxes, books and other forgotten items from the shelving I was starting to lose hope that there would be a window hidden somewhere as I cleared more and more space from the shelves.

I froze as I saw the edge of a chipped plank of wood behind a dust black box. Hope burst to life within me as I chucked the box behind me clearing the shelf until I could see the boarded-up window. I sighed stepping back as I struggled to get a grip on any of the planks they were too well nailed in for me even to budge them a millimetre. Twirling around I looked at the mess I'd created behind me looking for something that could pry the planks away from the wall. I must have spent a good half hour looking through the discarded junk before I flopped down onto the edge of the thin mattress feeling the metal frame through it as I chewed on my bottom lip feeling a little disheartened. I needed to get out of here. If I could get out then I could call Reid and he'd come for me. He promised. I needed to keep up myside of the bargain. I needed to find a way out of here...but how? My eyes slowly scanned the room only to double back as I noticed a set of tall candle holders falling out of another box. Kneeling next to the box I pulled out the candle holders testing the weight in my hands as I looked over the thin edge near where the candle would sit. Climbing to my feet I pulled over a sturdy wooden box, standing on it as I worked the thin edge under the wooden plank using my weight to pry it from the wall.

Checking the street in both directions I turned back to Caleb watching as he readied his spell my body already tense as I waited for it to get to work and show me where Belle was. Reid looked as if he was walking on pins as he paced back and forth behind Caleb eager for something to do. As if sensing my worried gaze, he paused glancing at me with sad eyes full of worry that he'd not see Belle back with him again. I'd never seen him like this with anyone but us, I'd never seen him care for any girl, never seen him willing to do something for anyone other than us and our families. It wasn't that he was selfish I'm quite sure the reason he didn't let others in or let himself reach out to others was that he was afraid he'd get hurt somehow. He was always so guarded when it came to anyone outside our small circle, we'd grown up together earning and respecting the trust we put in each other. I'd not been surprised how interested he'd been in Belle when she first arrived, he'd always acted like that with new potential conquests but I think having Belle avoid him and ignore his flirting just made him even more determined to succeed. Pogue and Caleb had told him multiple times to stop annoying her and trying to get into her bed but I could see the real effect she was having on him, we're best friends after all. I knew the minute he started actually spending time with her, getting to know more about her and learning what her likes and disliked were, her family and past that he'd developed more than a passing interest. Plus, he didn't half go on about her when we were alone in our dorm room.

"Do you have something of hers?" Caleb asked looking up from the small bowl he'd been pouring ingredients into for the last few minutes.

"Yeah...Kate gave me this...it's a pair of earrings Diana left her with before she passed. Belle told me about them and the bracelet she wears, that Diana wanted her to have something to remember her by." I watched as Reid let two small bluish purple rose shaped earrings drop into Caleb's palm.