Isaura (Aberrant) Read online

  “It's safe,” the third stoutly man answered.

  “Very well.” They let go of me and led me further inside Spade. “Come with me.” My eyes moved over the city, the interior stone walls and its fortress. There was no escaping from here, for anyone.

  “Where are we going?” I asked, hiding my fear. This had after all been my idea.

  “To sit down someplace a little more comfortable,” the man told me. “I'm Henry.” He held out his hand to properly introduce himself.

  “Olivia,” I responded. “I've come to you for two reasons.”

  “Two reasons?” Henry repeated curiously. “The first was to tell us of Cabal's fall, am I correct?”

  “Yes.”

  “How did that happen?” His eyes narrowed with skepticism.

  “The rebel alliance from Shadow led the attack…”

  He interrupted me, “Shadow?” Henry frowned. “I don't know it.”

  “Most people don't,” I acknowledged. We'd done well in keeping our town a secret. “Maybe you know of Chancellor Collins?” It was a long shot, but he'd once admitted to being from the Eastern Rebel Alliance.

  “Collins,” he repeated trying the word on his tongue. “Perhaps. I remember a young boy in his teens who ran away decades ago.” Henry paused. “He'd be sixty, maybe? Martin Collins. Could that be him?”

  “I don't… know,” I stammered. I'd never asked his first name and he hadn't provided it.

  “Cabal is restructuring their government?” he prodded.

  “They're seeking leaders from every neighboring city,” I explained. “The Governors of Cabal are dead. Well,” I sighed heavily. “All but Craynor. The other reason I'm here.” He opened the heavy wooden door for me. “A friend of mine has been taken. I was hoping you might know something.”

  Henry paused again with one door open as he turned towards me. “Are you suggesting we have something to do with a kidnapping?”

  “I never used that word,” I reminded him.

  “Very well.” Henry turned walking into the chamber and I followed a moment later. “We see it quite often in the Gravelands, kidnappings. Pirates sell young men and women into the slave trade. It's not uncommon.” My eyes moved over the stained glass windows and the painted ceiling. It was a beautiful, old cathedral. I'd read about such places but had never seen one.

  “What is this place?” I asked turning around in a circle taking in every sight around me.

  “Is that what you've come here to ask me?” Henry questioned, leading me to sit down on an oversized plush suede sofa. Unlike a cathedral, this seemed to be his living quarters. Some things still mystified me.

  “No,” I admitted, trying to understand where I was and what was going on. “The former Governor of Genesis Alpha, Craynor, has taken Joshua. I've got no leads other than I suspect he went to Haven.”

  “You're a ways from Haven, dear.” Henry smiled. “But I can show you a map and spare you two men if you'd like.”

  “I appreciate the offer, but I don't require any men to accompany me.” I didn't want to tell him I had help on the outside. I didn't trust Henry and refused to risk Rane and Gavin's life. “I would appreciate a look at the map, though. It might help in me finding my way to Haven.”

  “Of course,” Henry smiled. “I can provide you with a map to take with you. There is a price, though.”

  “A price?” I asked, wondering what I had that I could trade for the map. I had nothing of value on me, except for the ring Joshua had given me. I moved my hands behind me, sliding it off and into my pocket. “I'm not sure what I have of any value.” I couldn't give it up.

  “You are of value, a rare precious commodity.” Henry smiled again.

  “I'm married.” I held out my hand showing him the stamp on my finger, the tattoo that tied Joshua and myself together for eternity.

  He looked at my finger strangely, “I don't know what this means.” He pushed my hand away. “Marriage by Cabal is not marriage at all Olivia. You should know that.” He eyed me skeptically.

  “Agreed,” I answered curtly. “But Joshua is my husband and he is the one I'm trying to rescue.”

  Henry laughed. “You're rescuing your husband from Craynor? Dear child, you'll be dead by nightfall. Please let me send two men of mine with you. If not for protection then to ease my own mind.”

  I didn't know what to say to that. If I told him no, he'd wonder why not. “I couldn't trouble you. I'll be fine,” I insisted. “I took out six outlaws yesterday. What's one more man?”

  Henry studied my face curiously. “Six men? That's a tale if I've ever heard one.”

  “It's not.” I wished I hadn't confessed as much, but I felt compelled to talk to him, to trust him. I couldn't explain it. There was something about him, hypnotizing and mystifying.

  “Then let me accompany you,” Henry offered, showing me his hand. “I will make sure you find your way safely to Haven and in return all you will owe me is a kiss.”

  “A kiss?” I didn't like the offer. There was something unsettling in it. “No deal.” I shook my head and Henry smiled.

  “Are you sure, Olivia? It's just one simple kiss, and believe me without the map you'll never find your way to Haven. Assuming that's where Craynor is keeping Joshua.”

  I paused my eyes narrowing. “Tell me what you know.”

  Henry held up his hands. “Nothing I haven't already said.” He sat down on the sofa beside me and I felt my insides recoil. I stood up. He was cute, and if I hadn't been in love with Joshua I would have felt a definite attraction to the dark brown locks and hazel eyes. He was muscular, taller than me by half a foot and charming. I was married, though, and all other men were off-limits. Besides I didn't care about anyone but Joshua.

  “You're just playing games with me.” I was fed up and headed for the door. “If you don't know anything, you could have just said so.”

  “Fine, fine.” Henry sighed. “Let's go.”

  “What?” I reached for the handle of the door. “You're not coming with me.”

  “I am, Olivia,” Henry insisted. “You need my protection. You said it yourself there are outlaws running amuck and maybe you were lucky, running them over or something.” He laughed. “But luck won't save you.”

  “You have no idea,” I muttered beneath my breath. “Get the map. I'll meet you by the gates. But I won't kiss you,” I retorted as I headed out of his chambers and past the guards for the main entrance. How I would explain this to Gavin and Rane?

  CHAPTER 6

  “I see you made a friend.” Gavin's voice echoed as I stopped the car and saw Gavin and Rane looking flustered. He seemed less than pleased to see a new face joining us.

  “Gavin, Rane, this is Henry. He's offered his services to take us to Haven. He's also offered us some food,” I remarked, pointing towards the bag of fruit in the backseat along with bottles of water.

  “You brought the Grand Duke Henry of Spade,” Gavin remarked with a laugh. “Really, Olivia? You go all out when you need help.” He shook his head and I couldn't understand what I did wrong.

  I gave him a quizzical look, but he didn't answer me. “Get in.” I motioned towards the truck with the window rolled down. Rane and Gavin climbed into the backseat before I took off towards the direction of Haven.

  “So what's the price of this expedition?” Gavin asked Henry. “I know you didn't just do this out of the kindness of your heart.”

  “On the contraire,” Henry laughed. “I asked for her hand in marriage. I am searching for my queen.”

  Rane's jaw dropped. “What?” she exclaimed. “You couldn't have!”

  “He's joking. He asked for a kiss,” I clarified. “And I said no,” I reminded everyone, including Henry. “I'm already married.”

  “Olivia, a kiss is like asking for a hand in marriage, it's a proposal in Spade.” Gavin's eyes locked on me from the back of the truck.

  “Well, I'm not marrying you,” I glared at Henry. “I'm already taken.” I shoved my left arm
across my body, pushing my hand into his face. The tattoo showed on my finger. “I can't believe you! See this. Taken!” I reminded him.

  “Relax,” Henry said. “I'm not in the habit of stealing wives from their husbands. Truly, all I asked for was a kiss. Although Gavin is right, I am looking for a wife.”

  We drove southwest, the car silent for hours as I hoped Joshua remained alive. He hadn't spoken to me since the previous day. I didn't know what that meant. Was he still alive? Were we too far away to connect with one another telepathically? It was the one secret I still hadn't shared with Gavin and Rane. Now that Henry had tagged along on the journey, my abilities had once again become a secret.

  We had finished our morning breakfast, courtesy of the Grand Duke Henry of Spade. It was a mouthful. I was just glad he let me call him Henry. I had a feeling that was unheard of in Spade. I glanced at Henry, unsure if now was the time to bring it up or not. They'd killed, Margo. I couldn't ignore it. My stomach lurched at the memory of her funeral. Finding the courage I asked, “Are you in charge of the guards?”

  Henry studied me for a moment, but gave me an honest answer, “I'm in charge of all of Spade. Why do you ask?” He was gentle and warm in his speech. I couldn't understand how they'd shot at Margo without reason or cause.

  “Your men killed a friend of mine.” I glared at him, long and hard, momentarily taking my eyes off the road. It wasn't much of a road considering what the world had turned to in recent years.

  “Olivia!” I heard Gavin's voice and glanced ahead, doing my best to avoid the rubble as I hit the brakes, slamming the truck to a stop. The seatbelt restrained me from hitting the steering wheel or being thrown through the windshield. The city was in ruins.

  Henry sighed. “I've killed a lot of men in my days. Nothing I'm proud of. There is a high cost of war and a higher cost to protect those you care about. Those who look up to you. Your citizens,” he reminded me coolly.

  “You killed a friend of mine: Margo.” I didn't suspect he remembered her or her name. “She came to Spade last February. She and another friend of mine came to make an alliance with a town in the far western region of Cabal. You shot and killed her before she could say anything, tell you who she was.”

  Henry didn't answer for a long moment. Was he trying to remember Margo or just unsure how to respond? Finally he spoke, “I don't remember that day, but we had a traitor from Torv pretending to be one of our soldiers. He had protected our borders a little too violently. Something I still don't fully understand, unless he was concerned his cover might have been blown. Eventually he had to be put down.”

  “Put down?” Rane quipped. “He wasn't an animal.”

  Henry spoke gravely, “You didn't know him. Most of our men are to be trusted, but occasionally things don't go as planned. It doesn't excuse any of what happened and I am sorry for your loss,” Henry told me. “But I can assure you, we are not like Cabal. We are not evil or the outlaws you imagine us to be. We've survived this war and the government for decades. I've done all I can to protect my people and those who enter the gates from the government. I don't claim to know what's best for the world outside of my city walls. I can only claim to want to try, to want to understand and find peace among men.”

  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 aw
hile 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.