The Search For Peace 2

Chapter 44

The girl with the caramel coloured hair felt her breath catch in her throat. Her back prickled with sweat as the hooded figures around her lit candles and began to chant ominously in another language. Isabella blended into the crowd, moving her lips as well.

She watched Juliet struggle against the shackles. She looked up, at the ceiling, a slithering monstrosity coming down ever so slowly. Her gaze snapped back to Juliet as she let out a blood-curdling scream.

In the darkness, the large snake slid along the domed surface of the roof, entangled with an old chandelier. It danced alongside the voices chanting its name, it's jaw wide open atop the girl who's screams bounced off the walls.

"Stop it!!" Juliet writhed in pain, in fear, but she couldn't move, the shackles grazing her wrists with every pull. Heart pounding, she was forced to watch the huge jagged jaws slowly make their way lower and lower. "Please, stop it!!" She knew there was no point in yelling for help, as these people had purposefully put her in this situation. She didn't understand why. What vendetta did they have against her to kill her this way?

"No...no!!!" Tears streamed down her face, and her fingertips turned to ice. The chanting around her grew louder by the second, the snake's descent gaining momentum. It was such an ugly colour, a meak brown with patches of purple and green. "Please!!!!!"

The snake hissed loudly and shot down swiftly, and Juliet closed her eyes, letting out a final, hoarse shriek. For a second or so, she forgot how to breathe. Her eyes rang in that way they did before you fainted, so she didn't hear the gasps and shouts of the people around her.

But then, something wet hit her cheek, bringing a little bit of her consciousness back. She braced herself, opening her eyes slowly. She came face to face with Austin Leo.

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Harmony held her hand up, trying to sheild herself from the tingling Ray's of the sun. As she trekked over the rocky terrain leading to the massive volcano of the island, she couldn't help thinking about all the things Alyssa had said to her.

What did she mean, anyway? Why was she so mad at her for something so strange? Her mind whirled, and her bare feet baked in the sun. She was wearing these wooden sandels given to her by Mina, but most of her thighs and her shins were being scorched by the island sun.

As she began to reach an area shaded by the wide leaves of high palm trees, she stopped to take a breath. She had decided to go meet with the leader herself, taking the directions from Mina and Maya, who didn't even offer to come along with her. She found that strange, as she was their guest, so they should've come along, but for some reason they seemed... uncomfortable when she mentioned wanting to meet their leader.

She found a number of things strange right now, but she shook her head and treaded forwards, choosing to focus on her task instead. Alyssa was probably back at the salon by now anyway. She was probably okay...right? Where else would she go? Great, now she was worried.

She snapped back into attention when someone suddenly whistled in front of her. Eliseo, her original escort, and the so-called 'prince' of the Cancer Clan, swept his gaze over her, crossing his muscular arms.

Instinctively, Harmony took a step back, hugging herself. He smirked, drawing closer. "You look great, I must say." He looked down and cocked an eyebrow. "Nice legs."

"Excuse me?" Harmony had never been told that she had 'nice legs' before...and well, she didn't want to be told so by him.

"What, can't take a compliment?" His taunting eyes bore into her, patches of light shining onto his bronze skin. "And I wonder where your friend is, hm?"

Harmony attempted a scoff. Her heart was beginning to pound, and she was losing the feel of her trembling legs. "What, is this how you treat all your guests?" She wasn't going to give in easily, though, no matter how afraid she was. "Give them fake compliments and play around? What are you, a pervert?"

At this, he let out a burst of laughter, running a hand through his silky smooth hair. "You know, I like that about you..." Again, he stared at her intensely, rooting her to her spot. "You're assertive. And keen." Suddenly, Harmony felt a little dizzy, as if put under a spell. "Very, very keen."

And then, his hand plunged into her stomache....a hand...holding a dagger.