Elias tilts his head curiously. “How so?”
“Daniel isn’t going to our grandmother’s anymore,” I say, sick at the words. “He abandoned me, and he was cruel. He said not to trust anyone, and that no matter what, I have to leave tomorrow. Like, what?” I ask, confused. “No offense, but my brother can’t live here. I went downstairs and told my dad that I wanted the three of us to get out now, but he blew it off. He said we were better here—and in a way he might be right. But . . . I don’t want to stay at the Ruby anymore. I’m scared of this place. I’m scared of what’s happening.” I roll my eyes, aware of how insane I sound. “I think my family’s possessed,” I add, wanting Elias to laugh. But he doesn’t. He lowers his eyes.
“They looked happy, Audrey,” he says quietly. “When I saw them last night at the party”—he lifts his gaze to mine—“they were both happy. Isn’t that a good thing?”
“Uh, sure. Except for the fact that they aren’t actually happy. They’re grieving—we’re all grieving. And although I’m all for denial, this is different. I think it has to do with Kenneth.”
Now, this seems to surprise Elias. “What does Kenneth have to do with this?” he asks. “Did he say something to you?”
“More like threaten.”
Color blazes on Elias’s cheeks and he steps closer, taking my arms. “Tell me everything,” he says. “When did this happen?”
For a moment I’m reminded of Ryan and how he tried to fix things for me. In the end I nearly got him killed. I don’t want to drag Elias into the same trouble I continually find myself in. I slide my hands along his chest and drape them over his shoulders. “Never mind,” I say, wishing for his easy smile to return. “Forget I said anything.”
It doesn’t work. “Audrey,” he says, staring down at me. I get on my tiptoes, tempting him to kiss me instead of scold me. He does, but only briefly. “Tell me what happened,” he murmurs, kissing me again like he can’t help it.
I sigh, tilting my head as Elias’s kisses trail over my jaw, my neck. My tension starting to ease now that I’m preoccupied. “He cornered me in the ballroom,” I say, closing my eyes. “Kenneth told me to stay away from the staff, that they’d be punished for consorting with me. Like he’s the—”
Elias pulls back so quickly, so violently, that I stumble and have to catch myself on the mantel of the fireplace. “What?” he demands. “Did he tell you that—that they’d be punished?” Elias’s eyes have gone wild, his body poised to leave.
“Yes, he said he was enforcing the rules of the Ruby and that I should spend the rest of my time in my room.”
Elias curses and bolts for the door. Alarmed, I chase after him, and we’re running, full-on running, down the long hallway. “What are you doing?” I shout, too caught off guard to process the fear bubbling up.
“I need to get to the basement.” His voice is rough, and I can barely keep pace with him. The hallway is darker than it was when we came in, the pictures blur as we run past. It hits me—Lourdes is in the basement. Elias fires me a look. “Go back,” he orders, although he’s obviously not going to stop to force me.
“No,” I gasp out, worried for my friend. If Elias is scared, there must be something wrong. “The elevator’s the other way,” I tell him.
“The Ruby will slow us down,” he says, taking a hard left and throwing himself against a metal door. We’re in a back stairwell. White walls, gray concrete steps. Elias takes the stairs two at a time, and I can’t keep up any longer.
“What do you mean?” I call out, tramping behind him as quickly as I can. “What does that mean, ‘The Ruby will slow us down’?”
Elias rounds the next level and shoots me a terrified glance as he continues to race toward the basement. I understand the expression, what it conveys, and my entire body tenses. Kenneth is going to kill her. That’s why Elias is freaking out. Kenneth is going to kill Lourdes. I renew my speed, and I’m nearly caught up when Elias grabs a fire extinguisher from the wall and then rams his shoulder into the door, exploding onto the basement level.
“Stay behind me,” he says, slowing down and testing the weight of the extinguisher, as if he plans to use it as a weapon. The walls are red, and there are sounds echoing down the hall. Grunting. Crying. At about three doors from Lourdes’s, Elias stops to look back at me. “You’re not part of this,” he says calmly. “Your brother’s right, Audrey. You leave tomorrow no matter what. Even if you have to let us all burn.”