Chapter 226
Rafael’s gaze grew dared, his eyes wide with a sort of naive, foolish clarity. The confusion in them deepened as he stared at her.
family!
Odalys bent down to meet his gaze, her voice low but cutting “Wasn’t it you who killed that
She continued, her words hanging in the air like a thunderclap. “Do you remember how they died? Do their injuries remind you of the ones you carry!”
Rafael’s body stiffened at her words. The impact was like a bolt of lightning striking the very heart of his mind.
“Injuries?” Rafael murmured softly, as if trying to grasp the meaning of it.
Then, as if struck by a sudden thought, he spun around and bolted toward the edge of the village, heading straight for the small woods. As he fled the door of the house behind him creaked open
The elderly man and his son stepped out, spotting Odalys and the others. They were about to approach, but stopped when Odalys gave a slight nod of her chin, signaling them to follow.
“What’s going on?” Orson asked, his brow furrowed in confusion.
Odalys ignored him, her eyes already focused on the fleeing Rafael. Despite his age, he moved quickly, his strides long and sure, disappearing from their sight in mere moments.
“That man’s injuries…. They look like blood that just won’t stop bleeding. Percival’s voice resonated, his tone deep and steady.
His words made both Callum and Orson pause in shock. They turned to him instinctively, finding his expression thoughtful, almost contemplative.
“It looks like the poison I’ve been suppressing inside me.. but it’s different somehow,” Percival added, his voice trailing off.
“Maybe this is what Odalys was talking about–the poison I’ve been suppressing suddenly stirring, growing more restless the closer I get to this place,” Percival said.
Orson, following Percival’s line of thought, began to piece things together, “So, the source of all of this… could be here?”
A cold shiver ran down Orson’s spine as he took in the quiet village. His unease grew,
“Whether it is or not, we’ll know soon enough. Odalys doesn’t act without reason, Percival replied, his tone full of trust in her.
There was a subtle admiration in his voice, an almost protective quality that suggested to Orson that Odalys was someone he deeply respected. Callum, equally eager, added, “Let’s see for ourselves.”
The group quickened their pace, following Odalys toward the woods. They came upon Rafael, who was kneeling in the dirt, his hands frantically digging at the ground.
“How
could it not be here? I swear it was right here!” Rafael mumbled, his voice breaking
He dug deeper, the dirt flying as he scraped at the earth, going nearly 2 feet down before stopping, panting, a look of confusion on his face. “I remember. It has to be here,” he muttered again, eyes wide and frantic.
Just as his words faded, he looked up and froze, seeing Odalys and the others standing nearby.
His body tensed, as if realizing something. He shot to his feet, glaring at Odalys, “Did you deceive me?”
Before he could say anything further, the sound of police sirens cut through the air, and Rafael’s face turned pale. He scrambled to get up and run, but it was too late. Police officers surged forward, surrounding him.
“Let go of me! You can’t arrest me!” Rafael screamed, thrashing against their grip, but his wrists were quickly cuffed.
The leading officer stepped forward, showing his badge. “Rafael, you’re under arrest for murder, arson, and kidnapping We have the evidence. You’re going with us?”
unable to comprehend. “This is impossible. Where’s your evidence?
Rafael collapsed onto the ground, his body shaking as he stared at the officers, unable to he demanded, but his protests were ignored as the officers dragged him away.
As they walked toward the police car, the officer exchanged a few quiet words with Percival. Then, with a respectful nod, he turned back to the task
at hand.
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6:26 PM c
Chapter 226
Rafael still struggling, twisted in fear and desperation. His voice broke out in a furious shout, “Who are you? Who the hell are you?”
But before he could say more, his mouth was silenced, and he was dragged into the car
Orson stood there, still rubbing his wrist in confusion. “What now?” he asked, his voice laced with unease.
Odalys glanced at the spot where Rafael had been digging, then picked up a nearby hoe and began to dig herself. Percival, Callum, and Orson quickly joined her.
Moments later, they uncovered a blood–red soil, as though something had soaked into the earth itself, staining the ground with a horrifyingly vivid color
“What is this? It s
smells… like blood,” Orson muttered, leaning in to sniff the air, his face contorted with disgust.
The pungent, iron–rich smell hit him like a wall, and he quickly stepped back, recoiling.
Odalys dropped the hoc, gesturing to the elderly man who had followed them. “Come here. Look at this”
The old man hurned over. His face drained of color when he saw the red earth beneath them. He whispered, his voice trembling. This this can’t bc. How could it be like this?”
“This is a forbidden practice of our village,” the old man continued, his voice shaking with fear.
Orson and Callum exchanged a look of confusion, then watched as the old man collapsed to the ground, overwhelmed.
“What’s going on!” Callum asked, unable to keep the curiosity from his voice.
Odalys stood silently for a moment, her gaze complicated as she studied the blood–soaked earth. The smell of death and decay was overwhelming. She quickly turned away, covering her nose.
“This village… they live by fabric, weaving clothes for generations,” she began, her voice q
quiet but firm. “But the raw materials they use are a secret. That secret is what made their craft so highly regarded.”
“And once people became wealthy, they wanted to control the demand for these goods. So they turned to dyeing, mixing the raw materials with human blood. They added poisons, creating substances that were incredibly toxic, yet also deeply intoxicating”
She paused, looking at the red earth with a grim expression. “They infused the fabrics with these poisons. The scent of the fabric would make people hallucinate, even hurt themselves. And if the poison wasn’t used on fabric…..
Odalys took a deep breath, her voice low and steady. “If it was buried in the ground, over time, the rain would carry the poison through the earth. and into the water sources. Anyone near here would die without a doubt.”
Percival, ever the observer, was quiet for a moment. His gaze lingered on the earth beneath them, his brow furrowing in thought.
“Why here?” he finally asked, his voice quiet, but edged with suspicion.
Odalys looked around at the silent woods, the isolation of the village settling in. “Because they wanted to control the people here. This place is remote, so even if people die, no one would come to investigate.”
The people here are skilled. Their work is sold to the wealthiest across the country. If something went wrong, no one would think to trace it back to this village
Orson, however, focused on something more sinister. “You said this poison causes hallucinations, even self–harm?”
Odalys nodded, her expression darkening. Not only that. Many people in the area have died of leukemia, or suddenly developed cancer, and no one knows why. It might be linked to this… this poison”
Percival narrowed his eyes as he looked at the bloodstained earth, his mind
working
“They targeted the rich. If someone suddenly falls ill, no one would think to check for poisoning. And cancer. leukemia–they’re diseases people
ung else.”
expe
