I wasn’t sure what to believe. I sighed, unable to answer him. “We’re here,” I remarked stepping out of the car. “Everyone split up. If you see anything, don’t approach Craynor. Meet back here in twenty minutes.” The doors of the car all opened and closed. I headed down to the left while we all split up in different directions.
I tried to push all thoughts of Henry, Margo and the uprising aside. I needed to find Joshua. He was the reason I was here in Haven. Joshua? He didn’t answer. I surveyed the damage left behind. Haven looked nothing like it had when we’d lived within the city gates.
The barbed wire was crushed to the ground by brick and stone. It looked as if vehicles had driven over it. I walked through the streets, sifting rubble and grimacing as I found decaying bodies left behind. There’d been no burials, no ceremonies for the dead. I choked back a sob and refocused on Joshua.
My feet climbed atop the rubble, the only way to get further into Haven. The city was in shambles. Nothing looked to be standing from where I was situated. Rane had made it out alive. It was possible wherever she’d been hidden, Craynor could have taken Joshua. I wished I’d asked her more about it.
My boots crunched metal and glass, this had once been the dormitory. I had remembered escaping from it. I walked further into town, glancing to the far right and seeing Henry sorting through the rubble at his feet. He eyed me, shaking his head. Nothing yet.
I couldn’t see Rane or Gavin. They must have been farther to the right. The rubble was higher in spots with buildings that hadn’t fully fallen to the ground but their foundation had become weak. Could Joshua have been in there? It worried me. If I went in, it was possible I wouldn’t come out again.
I headed across the rubble, scraping my legs and arms, but ignoring the pain as I made my way past Henry. “Where are you going?” he asked, keeping his voice down in case Craynor was close. We didn’t want to alert him we were nearby.
“See what’s in there.” I pointed towards the building that had shifted its balance months ago and no longer looked three stories but an oddly shaped two as it slanted to the side.
“That doesn’t look safe,” Henry remarked. “Let me go in there first.”
“I’ll be fine.” I wasn’t afraid. It still stood after months it wasn’t likely to fall on me today. At least I hoped so as I climbed over one last pile of rubble and walked inside.
It was dark inside and I wished I’d had more light, a candle, something to help me maneuver through the floors.
“Olivia?” I heard Henry’s voice calling out from the entranceway.
“You’re blocking my light,” I called, glancing back at him. “Do me a favor and check out the building across the street.” I gestured towards the other similar structure left standing. “If he’s anyplace, it’d be somewhere he could lock Joshua up.”
“Sure,” Henry agreed and disappeared. I breathed a sigh of relief, finding a little more light as I wandered through the building.
Joshua? Again there was no response. I hadn’t had an answer from him for hours now. I’d hoped as we reached Haven we’d be in close enough contact to connect. It worried me now that I hadn’t heard from him and he didn’t respond.
“Joshua?” I whispered, trying to keep my voice down but unsure what else to do. Maybe he couldn’t speak with me telepathically. I walked from room to room, searching the entire building, careful as my arms gripped the wall as the building slanted and I slid further downhill. “Joshua?” I called again, this time louder. I heard a creak and glanced around, wondering if it was the building making the sound or me.
He didn’t seem to be in here and I needed to get out before more damage was done, with me inside. By now, my eyes had adjusted to the darkness and I moved towards the door of the small room, trying to find my way through the entrance where I’d come in. I’d barely reached the foyer when I saw Craynor standing there with a knife in his hands.
“Where’s Joshua?” I demanded, staring hard at him. My eyes noticed blood on the knife and my stomach somersaulted with the thought of something terrible having happened to him.
“You’ll find out soon enough.” Craynor smiled wickedly, throwing the knife in my direction. It came at me and then stopped mid-air as Joshua had done that one day in training. The blade fell to the floor. “How the…” his words trailed off in shock. The surprise gave me enough of an advantage as I ran past Craynor, trying to escape.
“Help!” I screamed. “Craynor’s here!” My voice betrayed me as I croaked and felt a blade cut into my back. My body slumped to the floor, and before I had time to crawl away, he covered my mouth with a towel as it welcomed me to darkness.
CHAPTER 7
Slowly I began to wake, unsure how much time had passed. My back ached but I was still alive. My stomach grumbled in protest. It had been awhile since I’d eaten. Fruit and water wasn’t satisfying enough for an only meal. I tried to move realizing my arms were bound behind me. I was tied to a chair. “Joshua?” I breathed, opening my eyes and glancing around as I saw Josh tied to a chair with his back to me. “Josh, wake up.” I nudged the chair forcing him to move slightly as he grimaced.
“Owww, stop that,” he mumbled. “My head hurts.”
“Sorry.” The room was dark and though a frosted window was at the top it wasn’t more than a few inches to let light in. There was no way we could use it to escape. I had no idea what building we were in, but we were in Haven. At least that was something. Henry, Gavin or Rane would find us. They had to. I screamed when I’d seen Craynor, I was confident they must have heard me. Henry was the closest to me. Though he’d gone inside the next building over, perhaps that’s where we were? I didn’t see Craynor. I felt Joshua’s presence as he was tied to me from behind. “We have to get out of here,” I told him.
He mumbled an apparent sentiment of agreement but didn’t say anything else. “Come on,” I urged working my hands with the knots in rope. I’d learned how to untie them months ago from Maya. I could do this! It took several minutes before I felt them loosen. I kept at it, “Joshua, talk to me.” I needed him to stay awake.
He groaned in protest. At least he was responsive. I loosened the rope from my hands and leaned forward, freeing my legs from the rope binding them together. I stood up and stretched, walking over to Joshua as I worked his hands free first and finally his legs. “Hey, look at me,” I urged, my hands on his face careful not to hurt him as I stared into his eyes. The room was dark and barely any light was visible but his eyes flickered open long enough to meet my gaze. “There you are.” I smiled, trying to keep him awake. I leaned in, placing a soft kiss to his lips as my own eyes closed. I could feel the energy pour out of my body and slowly into Joshua’s.
“Stop,” he muttered, shaking his head trying to break free.
“Josh, it’s me,” I whispered pulling back. I looked him over, my thumb stroking his cheek. His skin was ashen and he had a few cuts, but he looked overall better than he had before I’d healed him.
“My head,” he whispered. “It’s throbbing.”
“I need to finish.” I didn’t care if it exhausted me. Right now Joshua needed to get better and to do that meant healing him. His hand gently pushed me further away.
“I’m okay.” He urged me to move away. “Try and find a way out of here. Save your strength for that.”
I sighed, deciding not to fight him on it. We would need a way out and soon. I didn’t know when Craynor would return. I walked along the length of the room, trying the sealed door but it didn’t budge. I pushed my ear against it, listening for sounds. I could hear footsteps outside and opted not to use our abilities to unlock it. Not yet. We would escape, but we needed to be ready. Coming back towards Joshua, I knelt down glancing him over. “Let me help you feel better.”