While there’s some laughter and joking, there’s a sombre undercurrent to the atmosphere that lingers in the background. The sight of our lounge being filled with so many people I consider friends and family should fill me with hope and warmth, but all I feel is cold.
And angry. So bloody angry.
Ollie’s brother is sitting in the armchair, his pregnant wife curled up in his lap as he talks quietly with a pale and haggard looking Rachel. Rachel’s partner, Tamsin, sits on her other side on the sofa, clutching her hand in her lap in silent support. While Andy’s condition hasn’t worsened since he was bitten, the doc is still reluctant to clear him when there’s still a chance he could turn.
Theo is curled up on the other side of the sofa, wincing every time he moves in his infinite but impossible quest to get comfortable. Anthony sits on the rug in front of him, glass of whisky in hand as he talks with a few of the guys from the security team who are sitting on the floor with him, including Simon. The other armchair is taken by Harriet, Rhys’s sister, who’s cuddled up in her husband Matt’s arms.
I’m the only one standing, choosing to lean against the wall behind the sofa while cradling an untouched glass of whisky that Anthony shoved at me nearly half an hour ago. Harlow sits beside me, refusing to leave my side the moment I walked out of the shower earlier. The poor dog has been miserable since Ollie was taken, whining and howling whenever she’s left alone and running around Haven whenever she’s let outside. It’s heartbreaking.
Even Ketchup has noticed Ollie’s absence. I’ve found her restlessly flying back and forth around Haven, cawing and chirping as if calling out for Ollie. Bean, at least, hasn’t noticed yet. She’s still content to hang out and graze in her field, but it’s only a matter of time until she realises Ollie isn’t here.
There’s a knock on the door, causing Harlow towoofsoftly before trotting over. Since I’m the only one standing, I follow her and open the door, shocked to findCharles and Jerri,of all people, standing there. What the hell are they doing here? Harlow grumbles by my side, mirroring my thoughts.
“Are you going to let us in?” Charles finally says as his eyes flick down to Harlow uneasily.
Jerri crosses her arms over her chest with a scowl.
I frown. While it’s not completely Charles’s fault that Ollie and Rhys were taken, his and the Council’s incompetence definitely aided in the Scourge enacting their plan. As for Jerri… well, I’m not in the mood to deal with her bullshit, not with how short my temper has been lately.
“Why should I?” I ask him, my eyes narrowing with suspicion.
He rolls his eyes. “Because we’re the ones who organised this whole thing. Now let us in so we can share the damn information you need.”
My eyebrows jump upward to my hairline. “You’rethe one who gave Anthony whatever intel he has?”
“Yes, now move and let us in,” Jerri huffs, losing her patience.
Harlow sneezes and whines but moves when I do, allowing the older councillor and Jerri inside. I hear a few of our other guests gasp and protest at their appearance at our cabin as I close the door behind them and walk back into the lounge.
Anthony is standing when I enter, basically telling everyone what Charles told me at the door. “Jerri came to me earlier and told me to gather people I trust here tonight because she and Charles need to talk to us. Apparently there’s some shit we need to know; not just so we canfind and save Ollie and Rhys, but also keep Haven safe from the Scourge and Lodge.”
Theo catches my eye from his more upright position on the sofa, silently asking me if I’m okay with this. I shrug back. We should at least hear them out. Although I trust Charles about as far as I can throw him—which, considering he’s solidly built despite being an older man, isn’t very far—and Jerri even less.
Theo relents with a sigh. “Fine. Let’s hear it.” He waves the councillor and Jerri forwards and motions for them to stand in front of the crackling fireplace. Charles does while Jerri hangs back.
I retake my spot against the wall, the damn untouched whisky still in hand and Harlow by my side. She huffs and leans heavily against my leg, prompting me to reach down and stroke the soft fur on the top of her head. It helps ground me even as frustration continues to bubble inside me. Whatever these two have to say had better be good because I’m slowly losing it over our lack of progress in trying to find Rhys and Ollie.
Charles clears his throat, and I silently thank the universe that he’s the one speaking, not Jerri. “I had Jerri approach Anthony this morning because we came across some troubling news.” He hesitates for a moment. “As some of you may know, there are several hidden exits built into the wall that only a select few people know about. Those people being councillors, certain security team members and Rhys, Theo and Alex. Jerri discovered this morning that the Scourge used one of these exits to gain entry into Haven.”
My body goes cold at his words and Theo and I lock eyes. Both of us know exactly what he’s about the say before he says it.
“The exit that was used is only known by councillors.”
You can hear a pin drop in the deafening silence that follows those harrowing words. Everyone stares at Charles with sickening shock and horror; faces pale, eyes wide and mouths open.
Anthony is the first to speak. “You’re saying that our own fucking leadership has betrayed us?”
Charles grimaces and nods. “It appears that way, yes.”
“Who?” The word is torn from my throat. It’s the only question I need an answer to. I don’t care about why or how or when. I only need to know which piece of shit I’m going to hunt down and torture until they tell me where the love of my life and my best friend are. That’s the only thing that matters to me right now.
Harlow growls in agreement, feeding off my aggression.
Charles blanches at the savage rage in my tone and Harlow’s snarl. “I-I don’t know. I only realised this after inspecting the exit Jerri found.”
Harriet leaps from her husband’s lap and rounds on Charles with a fierce expression. She may be half a foot shorter than the man, but she’s still terrifying. “How the fuck do we know it isn’t you?” she demands, poking him in the chest.
Charles steps back and rubs the spot where she poked him with a wince. “If it were me, why would I set this meeting up and tell you what I know?”
