Skyfall
~Fourteen~
The moment the elevator doors opened on my floor, I shot out to freedom. I waited for the doors to close and carry Lord Nova from me before I began to shed clothing, leaving them in the hallway. I knew Calista would follow the trail into my room.
We needed to leave. As soon as possible.
I dug in my closet until I found a small duffel bag. I’d just began to stuff underwear and clothing into it when Calista opened my door without knocking. She stood in the doorway, my discarded outfit bundled into her arms.
“I take it whatever it was didn’t go well?”
“No it did not,” I threw some jeans into the bag and then straightened up, looking at her. I had forgotten I was only in my underwear. “He threatened me with Absentium.”
Her soft mouth hardened, her eyes locked onto mine.
“We need to get you out of here,” she said, coming over and beginning to help me pack.
“And you too, right?” I asked, suddenly worried she’d turn into a martyr.
She smiled slightly.
“Of course,” she said quickly, but it sounded like a lie. “But my first priority is you.”
“But, Calista-”
“No buts. I’m a big girl. I can take care of myself.”
I wanted to protest, I wanted to say that at nineteen, I was well and truly a ‘big girl’ also, but it had been so long since someone had taken care of me that I instinctively wanted to fall sobbing into her arms. So, instead of arguing, I nodded and zipped the duffel bag up.
“I’ve been working on a plan,” she began, pulling some extra clothes from the colossal wardrobe for me. “It’s two fold, and I think you could probably complete the first part tonight.”
“Lay it on me.” I told her, pulling on the black jeans she handed me.
~
Later that night, I picked up the ornamental phone on my nightstand and dialled the number that would put me through to Louis’ rooms.
“Hello?” he said uncertainly.
“Louis? It’s Alexa,” I wound the cord – the phone had a cord for some reason – around my fingers nervously. “I was wondering if you wanted to come over tonight.”
“Really?”
“Yeah,” I said simply, not trusting my voice not to wobble with nervousness.
“I’ll be there soon,” there was no mistaking the eagerness in his voice. “Is there... anything you want? I can let the maids know to set the room up before I get there.”
Oh geez. My fingers were shaking, but it had gone just as Calista had said it would.
“Um, actually. Remember the other night when you took me out to dinner?”
“You want candles,” he said, and I could hear the smile in his voice.
Perfect.
“Yes,” I said, allowing a little shy smile onto my face. “Lots of them.”
The candles arrived a few minutes later. I stepped back, allowing the maids to set them around and then light them. I was wearing one of my more modest negligees, though I still felt exposed enough to hide awkwardly behind a chair.
The maids were quick and efficient, making my bed and straightening the long silken curtains that were draped down the bedposts. My heart was hammering as they left the room quickly, one of them even dropping me a quick wink as she pulled the door closed.
I waited a few seconds, and then carefully crossed to the largest branch of candles. I didn’t know how long it would take Louis to reach my room. I didn’t want to risk being caught.
Carefully, I manoeuvred the branch towards the bed, and then shoved it over. The candles somehow stayed lit as they crashed onto the fine silk of my bed and immediately, the flames began to gobble up the fabric. I took a step back as the fire climbed the bedpost, growing hotter and hotter as they went.
I raced across the room as alarms began to shriek. My hand grasped the door handle, and I pulled with all my weight.
It didn’t open. This wasn’t part of the plan. I tugged furiously on the door, but it didn’t budge. Who’d locked it? Had I?
Whoever had locked the damn door didn’t matter. I flattened myself against it and screamed for help. Behind me, the flames climbed higher and higher, and the alarms wailed for assistance.
But still no one came.
We needed to leave. As soon as possible.
I dug in my closet until I found a small duffel bag. I’d just began to stuff underwear and clothing into it when Calista opened my door without knocking. She stood in the doorway, my discarded outfit bundled into her arms.
“I take it whatever it was didn’t go well?”
“No it did not,” I threw some jeans into the bag and then straightened up, looking at her. I had forgotten I was only in my underwear. “He threatened me with Absentium.”
Her soft mouth hardened, her eyes locked onto mine.
“We need to get you out of here,” she said, coming over and beginning to help me pack.
“And you too, right?” I asked, suddenly worried she’d turn into a martyr.
She smiled slightly.
“Of course,” she said quickly, but it sounded like a lie. “But my first priority is you.”
“But, Calista-”
“No buts. I’m a big girl. I can take care of myself.”
I wanted to protest, I wanted to say that at nineteen, I was well and truly a ‘big girl’ also, but it had been so long since someone had taken care of me that I instinctively wanted to fall sobbing into her arms. So, instead of arguing, I nodded and zipped the duffel bag up.
“I’ve been working on a plan,” she began, pulling some extra clothes from the colossal wardrobe for me. “It’s two fold, and I think you could probably complete the first part tonight.”
“Lay it on me.” I told her, pulling on the black jeans she handed me.
~
Later that night, I picked up the ornamental phone on my nightstand and dialled the number that would put me through to Louis’ rooms.
“Hello?” he said uncertainly.
“Louis? It’s Alexa,” I wound the cord – the phone had a cord for some reason – around my fingers nervously. “I was wondering if you wanted to come over tonight.”
“Really?”
“Yeah,” I said simply, not trusting my voice not to wobble with nervousness.
“I’ll be there soon,” there was no mistaking the eagerness in his voice. “Is there... anything you want? I can let the maids know to set the room up before I get there.”
Oh geez. My fingers were shaking, but it had gone just as Calista had said it would.
“Um, actually. Remember the other night when you took me out to dinner?”
“You want candles,” he said, and I could hear the smile in his voice.
Perfect.
“Yes,” I said, allowing a little shy smile onto my face. “Lots of them.”
The candles arrived a few minutes later. I stepped back, allowing the maids to set them around and then light them. I was wearing one of my more modest negligees, though I still felt exposed enough to hide awkwardly behind a chair.
The maids were quick and efficient, making my bed and straightening the long silken curtains that were draped down the bedposts. My heart was hammering as they left the room quickly, one of them even dropping me a quick wink as she pulled the door closed.
I waited a few seconds, and then carefully crossed to the largest branch of candles. I didn’t know how long it would take Louis to reach my room. I didn’t want to risk being caught.
Carefully, I manoeuvred the branch towards the bed, and then shoved it over. The candles somehow stayed lit as they crashed onto the fine silk of my bed and immediately, the flames began to gobble up the fabric. I took a step back as the fire climbed the bedpost, growing hotter and hotter as they went.
I raced across the room as alarms began to shriek. My hand grasped the door handle, and I pulled with all my weight.
It didn’t open. This wasn’t part of the plan. I tugged furiously on the door, but it didn’t budge. Who’d locked it? Had I?
Whoever had locked the damn door didn’t matter. I flattened myself against it and screamed for help. Behind me, the flames climbed higher and higher, and the alarms wailed for assistance.
But still no one came.