The Annex

Chapter 13

"Atlas," I called his name as I fumbled with securing the gauze. "Let me explain."

"I don't think you have to explain yourself at all," the calmness in his voice was disconcerting.

"Well I just don't want you to get the wrong impression is all."

"What impression, that you invite men into your chambers and undress," his eyebrows raised slightly.

"Tomas is just a friend. He's one of the soldiers I train with. We've bonded over grueling drills. He's also become my personal healer." I raised my gauze wrapped hands. "I seem to find myself in constant need of patching up."

"Just a friend?"

"Yeah."

"Am I just a friend," Atlas' voice cut deep into my thoughts. I didn't know how to respond to that. I had originally thought him pompous and spoiled, but the Atlas in the library seemed different, the Atlas last night had seemed different. The Atlas standing in front of me, blue eyes staring into the depths of my own, well he seemed different.

"I don't know what we are," I replied.

"Well I suppose that's good. It means I have a chance," he gestured toward my hands. "Go tend to your wounds. I'll woo you some other time." He winked and strided away, leaving me in shock at his forwardness. I returned to Tomas to relay the events that had just happened.

"Well are you interested," Tomas asked as he rubbed ointment onto my quickly developing bruises. I winced as his hands pressed lightly on the bruises.

"I don't know. I mean he's handsome and smart. But I've never dated anyone. And he seems like he's got many women chasing after him. And I don't know if many women are chasing him or he's chasing many women." I shrugged.

"Well at least he declares his intentions," Tomas settled back into his chair as Torr inquisitively flew to his shoulder. He gave Torr a few scratches as I repositioned my shirt. "I think if he's interested and you're interested, you should let things unfold the way they will. There's no use worrying about what might or might not happen.

"Yeah, I suppose," to this, Gallo strutted in.

"Patching up our clumsy girl again," Gallo greeted Tomas.

"As usual," Tomas nodded. "I'll take that as my cue to leave." He slipped out the door. While I was wary around Gallo, his presence didn't disturb me as much as the Commander's. Gallo had had plenty of opportunities to kill me, he was by my side most days. My rationale is that the day he taught me about edible plants would have been a perfect opportunity to feed me an inedible plant. I would have to watch what I said around him and be observant of suspicious behavior but I still had much to learn from Gallo.

"What did you do this time?"

"I made sure I didn't fail." My hands were scraped but they would heal relatively quickly.

"At what expense," he mused. "Never mind that, today we have to prepare you for your proposal. Let's see what you've done so far."

"Well I talked to the Cook. She said that all of the scraps go together and it usually gets fed to the pigs. But I convinced her to sort the scraps at least into meat and vegetables. And to also donate any food at the end of the week that isn't used during the week because they get their orders weekly."

"Okay, and what about the other end of things."

"I made plans to meet with Mimi and her grandmother today," I had told Gallo all about Mimi and Desmerelda. "Apparently, if I'm to set foot outside the Palace walls, I am to have an escort at all times. For security purposes, I suppose. My escort is supposed to meet me here in twenty or so minutes."