Alisha’s POV
Seizing the moment before Archie could react to my taunts, I quickly slipped off the bed and ran out of the bedroom, making a beeline for the door. The pounding of my heart matched the rapid rhythm of my footsteps. I knew that if I lingered any longer, Archie's wrath would descend upon me. Just as anticipated, moments after I reached the corridor, his furious voice thundered through the room, reverberating through the mansion, "ALISHA!"
Fear coursed through me, spurring me to pick up my pace. Archie's shout had been deafening; maybe all people in the estate could hear it. I wasn’t sure whether Shaunda was awake, but if she had heard Archie's outburst, it would be apparent that Archie was angry with me.
Maybe I should make up another excuse, like Archie was frightened by a bug, so he called my name for help? Whatever, at leat now, I couldn't request Samuel to find me an empty room, or tomorrow Shaunda would inevitably know Archie and I not only argued but also separated.
With a resigned sigh, I decided to take a walk by the seaside, where the calming sound of waves crashing against the shore would help clear my thoughts and provide a respite from Archie's turmoil.
I removed my shoes and settled onto the beach, allowing the cool breeze to embrace me. It carried away my internal apprehensions temporally. The seashore at night possessed a distinctive charm, bathed in the ethereal glow of moonlight that lent the navy-blue sea an enchanting, somewhat dangerous allure. Waves surged towards the shoreline, caressing my bare feet and delivering an assortment of exquisite seashells.
I contemplated my situation. After divorcing Archie, the chances of returning to this beautiful island would be slim to none. However, a glimmer of hope flickered in my mind. If Archie would offer me a more generous settlement, and if and if I worked hard on my songwriting and singing, maybe I could become a big star. Then, I could buy my own island. Haha!
I couldn't help but drift into daydreams for a moment, but then I was abruptly called back to reality by peculiar sounds emanating from a distance along the rocky shore. I furrowed my brow, puzzled. It was considerably late; who on earth could be out here? Could it possibly be Archie again, hiding and planning to ambush me?
I quickly got up, intending to leave the beach. I started to feel uncomfortable and unease again, which was similar to what I had experienced on the way to the Blood Dawn.
However, I had a feeling that I should go there to find out what happened. Determined to investigate quietly, I advanced toward the darkened rock formation. The sound grew louder and clearer with each step. I hid behind one of the stocks, cautiously peering around to know what happened.
What I saw sent shockwaves through my body: a dozen burly men appeared on the moonlit beach, a rudimentary boat beached in front of them, with more individuals coming down from it. In the moonlight, they appeared cold and terrifying.
Their menacing appearance chilled my spine; some brandished machetes, bows, and arrows, their figures bathed in the eerie glow of the moon, and one of the machetes even had blood dripping from it.
My eyes widened in horror, and I instinctively covered my mouth with trembling fingers to stifle any inadvertent gasps. These people must be invaders, sneaking onto the island with nefarious intentions.
I didn’t know how much guards in the island, but these people must be very dangerous. I need to inform others.
Heart pounding like a drum, I began to retreat cautiously. I reached for my phone, intending to text Archie to send a warning. A gust of sea breeze brushed against my skin, and I held my breath, fingers trembling as I attempted to compose a text.
Yet, in the next heartbeat, one of the men near the rocks abruptly spoke, "I smell an unusual and delightful fragrance."
A shiver ran down my spine. My blood seemed to freeze in my veins. Without hesitation, I sprinted away, attempting to press the call button. Since I had been discovered, there was no need for me to keep silent.
Sadly, before I could place the call, a man among the dangerous invaders leaped and lunged at me, crashing me down onto the sandy beach, and my phone went flying. He pinned me with his foot, yanked my hair, and bent close, his face marred by a ghastly white scar from left eyebrow to right chin. His malevolent, clouded eyes leered into mine as he hissed, "Where do you think you're going, little bitch?"
The pain radiated from my scalp and back, forcing an involuntary groan from my parched lips. My mouth was inundated with sand; the impact had been so brutal that, for an instant, it felt as if my heart had stopped beating..
The man who had mercilessly tackled me now held my chin firmly in his grubby, calloused hands. His leering gaze, ran appraisingly over my features. "Not a bad catch, it seems. Fortune favors us tonight. I'll spare your pitiful life and you need to serve us well with your charming body later. First, answer me this: do you know the whereabouts of the Silent Witch?"
Their target was Shaunda? My mind raced, recalling that Archie had mentioned before that many people wanted to force Shaunda to work for them because of her unique Gift.
No, I couldn't let them harm Shaunda. Summoning every ounce of strength left in me, I managed to croak out, "I don't know who the Silent Witch is. I lived here for a long time, but I I've never heard that name before."
The man's lips curled, a cruel semblance of a chuckle. In the very next breath, his hand struck me, hard, across my face. The world momentarily blurred, and my ears rang with a deafening buzz. A trickle of blood oozed from the corner of my mouth.
"You treacherous wretch, how dare you lie to me?" His voice hissed with venom as he reached into his boot, retrieving a wicked dagger. His movements were callous as he undid a few buttons of my shirt with the dagger, and then he whistled lightly, using the blade to cut a menacing line across my throat. Crimson welled up, trailing down my neck.
"For the sake of your pretty face, I'll give you one last chance. Tell me the location of the Silent Witch, and I'll help stop the bleeding. Refuse, and you'll taste the agony of a slow death as your blood drains away."