Chapter 41
On a Knife Edge
Alex
Despair is thick in the air as the depth of Elsa’s crimes come to light, one document at a time.
After dropping Harlow off with Tobias and his wife, Theo and I sit in her abandoned office, surrounded by disgusting, enraging and heart-wrenching papers, all of them detailing just how much of a monster she is.
And just how blind we’ve been.
This has been happening for months. Food, supplies and weapons have been going missing, funnelled out of Haven and into Scourge hands without any of us noticing.
But that’s nothing compared to the sickening horror of the people who’ve been taken—sold—to these bastards.
The attack two months ago was the first of many attempts by Elsa to get people out of Haven.
And it almost worked.
Except she hadn’t accounted for me, Rhys and Theo to go after them and be successful. Or for us to ruin their secondary camp and cripple their farming operation.
But that’s little consolation for the people who’ve been sold since then. Something I plan on fixing once I can get my hands on those Scourge bastards.
The sun has barely risen when I finally sit back in my chair with a sigh.
My head is pounding and my eyes are blurring after studying page after page of neatly scribbled notes.
The rage that’s been riding me hard ever since Ollie and Rhys were taken has died down, overtaken by exhaustion, guilt and deep sorrow.
“This is so fucked up,” I say as I rub my tired eyes with bruised knuckles. “I can’t believe she got away with this for so long. How could we have been so blind?”
“I don’t know, but I refuse to be blind any longer.” Theo shifts in his chair and groans. “Motherfucker,” he growls, his face contorting with pain. “I should have taken my painkillers yesterday.”
“Probably,” I grunt as I stretch. My back clicks in several places and muscles scream from me sitting in that damn chair all night, causing me to wince. “Is that everything?” I glance around at the piles of papers and notebooks we spent the entire night reading through. “Are we done?”
“I hope so.” Theo hobbles to his feet just as there’s a knock on the door.
We both look over to see a ragged-looking Anthony standing in the doorway, wearing rumpled clothing. His hair sticks out at odd angles as if he’s been running his hands through it, and his sunken eyes are surrounded by dark circles. The guy looks like shit.
“She’s completely gone,” he says grimly as he steps into the small room. “We’ve cleared the entire site and Elsa’s not here.”
Theo nods with a sigh. “We figured as much, which is why we got a head start on looking through her shit. Here.” He slides our list towards Anthony and explains everything we’ve found.
The more he explains, the sicker and angrier Anthony becomes until he’s shaking as he clutches the paper between clenched fists. “And you’re sure about this?” he grits out, a thunderous expression on his face.
Theo nods grimly. “We’re sure.”
The other man shakes his head and curses. “And I thought things couldn’t get any worse.” He paces the length of the small office, the paper crinkling in his hands. “You’re sure this is everything?”
“From what we’re found, yes,” I say with a weary sigh.
“Alright, I’ll get the security team on this.” He goes to walk out of the office, but Theo stops him.
“Have you heard anything from Andy and his condition?” he asks.
“From what Kevin says, he’s stable and responding well to the IV antibiotics, but it’s still a little touch and go with how far along the infection is.”
Better than nothing. I just hope we spotted it in time.
“I’ll update you both when we have answers,” Anthony says before he strides out of the room.
“What the fuck are we supposed to do now?” I ask with a tired groan as I stare at the empty doorway.
My entire purpose for the past few days has been trying to find information about where Ollie and Rhys are by rooting out the traitor.
Now that she’s gone and we’ve looked through everything in the office, I have nothing to do.
Nothing to stop the impotent rage from building up inside me.
Theo limps around the desk. “Help me back to the cabin and I’ll give you something to do.”
I frown. “If it’s sorting through more files, I might actually start murdering people. Starting with you.” I’ve read enough files and reports in the past several hours to last a lifetime.
He huffs out a laugh and shakes his head. “No reading, I promise.”
My eyes narrow on him for a moment, unsure whether or not to believe him before I wrap my arm around him. With his weight supported, the two of us make our way out of Elsa’s cursed office and towards our cabin.
“You want me to make Ollie a bed?” I ask, staring at Theo with furrowed brows.
He nods from his place on the sofa, his face and body more relaxed after finally taking his painkillers.
“She can’t keep bed-hopping between us. She needs a place that’s just hers and a bed big enough to fit all four of us.
Since there’s no chance of you getting some much-needed sleep, this is the next best thing. ”
“I don’t even know how to make a bed. I’m an ex-rugby player, not a bloody carpenter.”
“You’ll learn,” Theo says with far more confidence than I feel. “I’m sure there’s someone around here who has experience making wooden shit with their hands.”
My nose wrinkles. That means I’ll have to interact with people, something I’ve been avoiding since my temper is on such a short fuse.
He chuckles at my expression. “Or you can just figure it out yourself.”
Neither are good options, but with how unstable I’m currently feeling, I’d much rather just work it out myself rather than risk blowing up at some poor unfortunate soul. With a heavy sigh, I leave a smirking Theo on the sofa and make my way upstairs to the loft bedroom Ollie claimed.
Which is where I spend the next few hours, dismantling the single bed that’s already up here while trying to work out how the hell I’m going to build a bed.
My hands are bruised and bleeding from being stabbed by splinters and nails, and I’m still no closer to figuring this shit out, but I’m feeling…
calmer. And exhausted, but my mind is too wired to sleep.
I’ve just finished hauling the last of the dismantled bedframe outside when three haggard, concerned-looking councillors hurry towards the cabin.
All of them look like they’ve aged several decades, with Katherine looking particularly frail as she pulls her thick, puffy coat closer around her body.
Adam’s hair is a mess of tangled, greasy curls, and Charles looks like he hasn’t slept in days.
“What the hell is going on?” Charles demands as the three of them stop in front of our cabin.
“First Elsa disappeared, and now the security team is rounding up residents like they’re fucking Gestapo!
Why hasn’t the Council been notified of anything?
We’re the ones who run Haven, not you or Theo or the security team.
Us. The Council elected by the residents! ”
Great. Just what I bloody need; Charles being an entitled asshole and demanding answers neither he nor the Council deserve.
The anger that I’ve tried so hard to quell bubbles up, turning my blood to lava. It urges me to slam my fist into Charles’s stupid face to shut him up and then growl at them about their incompetence. Much like Rhys had the night the horde was let into Haven.
The reminder of Rhys and that he isn’t here is a punch to the gut and only angers me more.
Thankfully, the door behind me opens and a sleep-rumpled Theo emerges before I can do or say anything I might regret. “What the fuck, Charles? Weren’t you the one who came to us about a traitor in your midst?” he says, shaking his head at the older man. “Or is your memory that fucking bad?”
That takes the wind out of Charles’s sails, and the man deflates. “Oh… the traitor is Elsa?”
I roll my eyes. “Well, it’s not the bloody Tooth Fairy.”
Christ, how the hell are these idiots the leaders of Haven? Ever since we arrived back, it’s become more and more apparent that these people aren’t fit for office. I’m not sure if they were always like this or if something happened while Rhys, Theo and I were gone, but it needs to change.
Theo elbows me in the ribs and shoots me a look, silently telling me not to lose my shit. “Yes, we have ample evidence that she was the one who betrayed Haven,” he says, turning his attention back to Charles.
Katherine and Adam turn to the older man in shock, eyes wide and mouths hanging open.
“You knew Elsa was a traitor?” Adam chokes out, the blood drained from his face.
Charles grimaces. “I knew it was someone on the Council, but wasn’t sure who.”
Katherine covers her mouth with a horrified gasp while Adam’s shock morphs to anger.
“This is a fucking mess,” he grumbles, raking a hand through his greasy hair.
“But if Elsa was the traitor, then why are the security team grabbing random people from their homes? And why weren’t we notified the moment Elsa was revealed?
” The entitled demand and accusation in his tone has me clenching my fists and swallowing a growl.
I’m so done with these idiots.
“Theo and I spent the entirety of last night combing through Elsa’s records instead of wasting time talking to you. And those residents might have helped her smuggle supplies, food and people out of Haven,” I snarl as I advance towards the three idiots.
Theo grabs my shoulder before I can get too close, but the effect of my words on them is immediate. All three of them blanch, their faces so pale they look like they've seen a ghost.
“People?” Charles asks in a weak voice. “She sold our people to that vile gang?” He looks to Theo, almost begging him to say that it’s a lie, but Theo doesn’t give him that mercy and nods.
“The missing supply team members…” Adam sways as he speaks. “I thought… I thought Rhys was just being paranoid… Oh God.” He slaps a hand over his mouth and staggers to the nearest tree, leaning heavily against it.
Katherine joins him, silent tears dripping down her wrinkled face as she clutches her throat. “How long?” she asks.
I remain quiet, letting Theo be the one to answer their questions. I’m pretty sure I’ll just growl at them if I try.
“We’re not sure, but at least a few months for the supplies and food. As for the people, since the Scourge first attacked in January.”
Charles’s hand trembles as he runs it through his messy hair. “Alright.” He sucks in a deep breath before stiffening his spine. “What do you need from us?”
To do your bloody job is what I want to say to them. Like he can read my mind, Theo’s hand tightens on my shoulder and I bite my tongue. Doesn’t stop me from glaring at the three of them as Theo answers his question.
“You need to inform the people about what’s happening, without going into too many details and panicking them. Tell everyone to cooperate with security forces and that everything is being done to ensure their safety. Got it?”
“Consider it done,” the old man says before turning to his two fellow councillors. “Let’s set up a settlement meeting and get this over with.”
I’m only too glad to watch as the three of them leave, disappearing into the trees.
Theo pats my shoulder. “Come on, big guy. You have a bed to build.”
I blow out a breath that sounds more like a snarl as I resist the urge to tell Theo where he can shove his bed-building idea.
While I’d love nothing more than to help Anthony with his interrogation of the traitors, I understand that with the state I’m in, they might not make it out of the room in one piece.
So, with a heavy sigh, I turn and follow Theo back into the cabin, throwing myself into building the bed and focusing on the most important thing in my life; Ollie.