Haunt

Ch. 28- Never

Lianna's POV

Goosebumps crawl up and down my body, rapidly. Her words make sense but yet I do not process them.

Eric got shot? But how?

"Lianna! We need to go!" Ebony pleads frantically.

My eyes lock with her own. Everything comes into perspective then and I run to grab my shoes from the small closet. I slip on the boots I wore the first night we went looking for the Dauntless camp site. Funny, I could not have known then what trouble would come from just being curious.

Ebony and I rush out of the commons, arms linked. She is breathing, heavily and I am almost just as out of breath.

"How do you know?" I ask, suddenly wondering how Ebony would know such information. How she would know before me.

"Nate told me."

I had almost forgotten that Nate even existed. It's been so long since I've heard his name.

"Where is he? Eric, I mean."

Ebony pulls me in the direction of the Pavilion. Lights up ahead show signs of buzzing life. At night, Amity is usually quiet. Some people stay out late but it is never a crowd, but that is what's here. Tons of people surround the eating area.

I can only imagine what Eric could be thinking, if he's thinking anything at all. If he's even alive...

And that's when it hits me.

Eric could be dead. He was shot. But where? By who?

"Joanna has put him in one of the resting areas. An Erudite representative is on the way to treat him."

"Nate knew all of this?" I question.

Ebony gives me a snide look as if I've somehow offended her with my question.

"He was there when it happened." She replies, obviously irritated.

I keep the rest of my questions to myself, afraid that I may upset her even more. She unhooks her arm from mine and starts to walk ahead. I follow behind her as we approach the growing crowd.

Joanna stands on a lifted surface of an old oak trunk. She waits for everyone to quiet down before speaking. I look around to see if maybe my parents are here but there seems to be no sight of them. Figures, Dad probably wouldn't mind to hear that a Dauntless member has been wounded, especially one that has had relations with his daughter.

I still don't understand what has upset him so about me interacting with them. I know it has always been a rule to mingle only within our own factions but this sudden angry behavior is  almost childish. He's blown things way out of proportion. It's not as if I ended up pregnant or something so absurd.

"Ladies and gentlemen, there is nothing to worry about. An accident has occurred with a prominent Dauntless soldier. You all have nothing to fear..." Joanna speaks with such a reassuring tone.

A black clothed figure makes his way through the crowd until he's practically on top of me. Nate grabs my hand and I have to suppress a scream. His green eyes peer into my own.

Nate leans his head down, his lips briefly brushing up against the side of my ear.

"He's okay."

The pins and needles sensation immediately ceases and I breath out a sigh of relief. I squeeze Nate's calloused hand and smile at him.

"Where is he now?"