Page 58 of The Hunt

Rocking. I was definitely rocking. But why?

Blinking, I turned my head to the right, and my breath caught in my throat. A small window, curved at the edges, showed nothing but endless water under a dark sky.

What the hell?

I sat up too fast, my stomach protesting the sudden motion. A quick glance around the room didn’t offer any answers. It was small with sleek, minimal furnishings in white and gray. There was no sign of my phone or my purse. Nothing familiar at all.

My heart started to pound as I swung my legs over the side of the bed. That was when I noticed the black garment bag hanging from a hook on the wall. A note was pinned to it, written in sharp handwriting.

Everly – get dressed and join the party.

A chill ran down my spine. Who the hell brought me here? And why did they want me to attend a party?

For a moment, I considered ignoring the note, refusing to play along with whatever game this was. Then again, what else could I do? Stay in this room and wait for something to happen?

No, I couldn’t take the awful suspense.

Slowly, I unzipped the garment bag and found a red dress inside. It was slinky and fitted; the kind of thing I would pick for a night out at the clubs. Alongside it was a pair of black heels, silver earrings, a matching necklace, and a sleek black and silver wristband.

I held up the wristband, eyeing it warily. It had a small, intricate design etched into it, along with a number.50.Proof of guest status, maybe? Was that what the note had implied?

I dressed quickly, my hands shaking as I slipped into the heels and clasped the necklace. The wristband clicked into place with a quiet snap, fitting perfectly.

Taking a deep breath, I opened the door and stepped into the narrow hallway beyond. Soft lights lined the ceiling, guiding me to a staircase. Each step I took echoed faintly, the sound bouncing off the polished metal walls.

When I reached the top, a rush of cool night air hit me. A sprawling deck stretched out before me, gleaming under strings of fairy lights and the pale moonlight. At least fifty unfamiliar people, dressed in clothing that ranged from casual shirts and jeans to extravagant evening wear, were milling about, laughing and drinking. Silver trays of food were being passed around by waitstaff in matching uniforms.

The scene was dazzling, glamorous… and utterly surreal. None of it answered the only question screaming through my mind.

What the hell was I doing here?

I spotted a waitress gliding past with a tray of empty champagne flutes and hurried to intercept her. Her silver name badge said ‘Alison’.

“Excuse me,” I said, my voice shaky but firm. “Where am I? What is this?”

She blinked at me, clearly startled. “Sorry, ma’am… do you mean you want to know the name of the yacht?”

“No. I want to know what’s going on here,” I said, gesturing around us. “And I need to know how I got here, too.”

Her brows furrowed as if I’d just asked her to solve a riddle. “It’s a party,” she said slowly, her tone laced with confusion.

I stared at her, my frustration bubbling beneath the surface. “I can see that,” I said, trying to keep my voice even. “But where are we? What’s this partyfor? And can you tell me how we all got here? HowIgot here?”

Her puzzled expression deepened, and she glanced around nervously as if searching for someone else to answer. “May I see your wristband, ma’am?” she finally asked.

I showed her the black and silver band on my left wrist, and she visibly relaxed. “Oh! Youarea guest,” she said, smiling. “For a minute I was worried you’d sneaked aboard.”

I stepped a little closer, lowering my voice. “I don’t actually remember coming aboard. Can you tell me what this party is for? Or who’s hosting it?”

Before she could answer, a sharp snap of fingers cut through the air, followed by a commanding voice. “Hey, where are those refills?”

She gave me an apologetic smile, her tray wobbling slightly as she turned toward the source of the voice. “Sorry, I’ll be back soon,” she said before hurrying off toward the door that led below deck.

I clenched my jaw, frustration simmering as my questions remained unanswered. The low hum of the party swelled aroundme. Everyone seemed to be having a good time, eating, drinking, and socializing, but all I could focus on was the unsettling feeling that something was deeply wrong.

It would help if I could remember the last thing that happened before I woke up below deck, but for the life of me, I couldn’t recall a single detail. I wasn’t even sure what day it was. All I knew was that one minute I’d been at a lecture at Hollingsworth, and then the next minute I was waking up on this mysterious yacht. There wasdefinitelya bunch of stuff that happened between those two moments, but I had no idea what any of it was.

My stomach growled, and I let out a soft groan.Water.Food.That could help. Dehydration and hunger were obviously fogging my brain. Once I was satiated, things might start to come back to me.

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