Chapter 182
Odalys pulled out her bag and began unpacking the herbs she had collected that day. She carefully laid them out to dry on a nearby surface. speaking softly as she did so. “These herbs are all top–quality”
“The herbs from the mountains are wild, and they’ve been growing for many years. They’re much better than the ones grown artificially, which have neither the age nor the potency of wild ones,” Odalys explained, her tone carrying a quiet wisdom.
“By the way. Odalys,” Selah interjected, her curiosity piqued. “When we were on the island, you mentioned cutting down a few pieces of wood that had been struck by lightning. I looked it up later, and I read that lightning–struck wood can ward off evil. Is that true?”
Selah’s question caught the attention of both Stellan and Freya, who turned to Odalys, eager to hear her response.
Odalys finished arranging the herbs and wiped her hands, giving them a small smile. “Yes. I heard that lightning–struck wood is one of the best materials for warding off evil It’s incredibly rare, though.”
“Can you sell some to me once you’ve finished processing it? Selah asked eagerly, her eyes practically glowing with excitement.
Odalys chuckled, her expression wa “Sure. Once I’ve processed it, I’ll get you a portion.”
“I want some too? Stellan said, raising his hand with childlike enthusiasm.
“Me as well!” Freya added, joining in
Odalys smiled. nodding. “Alright. You’ll all get some. The sky had grown completely dark, and a sharp, knowing look crossed her face. It seemed the moment had arrived
She grabbed her backpack and turned to face the others, her voice canal “Want to go for a walk?”
“Selah and Freya exchanged looks, sensing something was off but following her lead anyway
“Sure, let’s get some fresh air, Selah said as she gently helped Freya to her feet, the tension already creeping into their movem
Just as the group stepped outside, they were joined by Francis, who had heard the noise and decided to follow. Without a word, the group silently made their way down the familiar path. As they walked, they began to hear a strange, haunting sound.
“Who’s screaming?” Freya asked, her voice tinged with confusion.
The scream was shrill and full of agony, a sound that seemed to echo through the night.
“Sounds like Rafael, Selah whispered, her voice low and cautious.
The mention of Rafael made Freya uiffen. She felt a cold shiver run down her spine, remembering the figure she had seen hiding in the room earlier. Though she hadn’t seen his face clearly, the memory of his presence still haunted her.
The group walked in silence, their footsteps soft on the dirt path. As they passed by Rafael’s door, Odalys casually kicked a small stone toward it The tour hit the door, making a loud sound in the quiet night.
At that moment, the door seemed to shudder as the protective barrier around it vanished, and with a loud crash, Rafael came stumbling out, blood staining his clothes
His face was pale and twisted in pain, his frail body crashing to the ground as he desperately tried to crawl away.
“Help me! Please, help Kalari cried, his voice hoarse and desperate, but his eyes were wild with fear.
He looked as if lar had just barely escaped from something far worse, and when he saw the group standing there, he scrambled towards them like a desperate animal, looping for salvation.
Francis and forllan stepped forward, blocking his path with ease. Their large figures towered over him, and Rafael suddenly seemed small and helpless in conjun
“What’s going on? What happend to you?” Stellan asked, his tone deliberately cold
Stellan could see the bloodstains soaking through Rafael’s clothes, the man’s injuries still raw and untreated. But despite the evident pain and his bloodard state, there was no mercy in Stellan’s ryes
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Chapter 182
matter how much Rafael might try to plead. Stellan wasn’t about to feel sorry for him. The image of Rafael trying to drag Sophia into his room earlier was more than enough proof of his lack of decency.
If they hadn’t been surrounded by people, a defenseless girl might have already fallen victim to his twisted intentions.
He didn’t deserve sympathy. He wasn’t even human–he was a beast.
“Im injured: She hurt me!” Rafael struggled to straighten himself, his body trembling with the effort. His hand shot out, pointing at Freya with a fierce glare in his eyes. “This woman, she stabbed me! I don’t know what she used, but she did it. It’s her she’s the one who hurt me!
Freya’s heart sank as he pointed at her.
She hadn’t even thought he’d be the one hiding in the room, but now it made sense. She felt disgust rise in her chest…
To think that this man had been fixated on her–her–this entire time. She couldn’t believe it.
“You’ve got to be kidding,” Freya said, her voice icy. “You’re accusing me of stabbing you? I’ve been with everyone here all day. I haven’t left their
side for a moment.
The rest of the group nodded in agreement. “Exactly. She’s been with us the entire time. You think she had a chance to stab you?” Odalys added, her voice cool and cutting
Rafael’s face flushed with frustration, his words failing him as he struggled to come up with a response.
“He glanced nervously at the group but couldn’t hold Odalys sharp gaze. Her eyes seemed to pierce through him, her presence intimidating.
“Where exactly did she stab you? Selah asked coldly.
Rafael hesitated, unable to answer. His lips trembled but he was silent, his earlier bravado evaporating under their scrutiny.
“Never mind, we don’t want to cause any more trouble with the villagers, Odalys muttered, her tone low and resigned. “If the cameraman hadn’t been there, we’d be drowning in accusations. It’d be impossible to clear our names, no matter how hard we tried”
Odalys stretched lazily and took a step forward, glancing back with a smile. “Let’s go for a walk, then we’ll head back and get some rest.
Rafael’s heart raced when he saw her move. His panic flared.
“No! You can’t leave!” he shouted, rushing forward in desperation.
gaze shifted to
He planted himself in front of Odalys, his face ashen, his eyes wide with fear and fury. He glared at her for a moment, then his gaz Freya “lis ber Shar’s the one who stabbed me in your room!”
The words landed like a slap, and for a moment, the entire room went s
silent.
Everyone stared at him, eyes filled with suspicion and contempt
Odalys didn’t flinch. She raised an eyebrow and gave a slurp, mocking laugh. “Oh really? Then how about you explain why you were in our room ini the first place! We’ve had no dealings with you–what exactly were you doing hiding in there?”
She stepped closer, her voice cold and biting. “And even if we take your ridiculous story at face value–if you were hiding in our room and she found you, it’s called self–defense. Do you have a problem with that!”
Katarl’s heart sank as the words cut through him.
He vaguely felt like far har stepped into a trap.
“They hadn’t said anything yet, but they had already convicted him.
“But the pain in his body made him lose his composure. He knew the
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that if the bleeding didn’t stop soon, he would die–and he didn’t want to die.
