The Hunt

13. Everly

13

Everly

I woke with a groggy heaviness clinging to my limbs, like my body was made of lead. My head throbbed faintly, a dull ache behind my eyes, and my mouth was dry and sticky. There was a strange vertiginous sensation in my head too, like the world around me was swaying, though I quickly realized the feeling wasn’t just in my head.

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 party for ? And can you tell me how we all got here? How I got 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! You are a 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 around me. 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 was definitely a 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.

I grabbed a glass from a nearby tray and chugged it before finding a buffet table laden with food on silver trays. After I loaded up a napkin with mini pumpkin quiches, I walked over to the edge of the deck, my gaze drawn to some lights in the distance. Civilization was close… but not close enough. I couldn’t even make out the skyline of the city I was seeing. Just the colorful lights twinkling like stars.

I shoved one of the quiches in my mouth, barely even registering the taste as I chewed. My mind was still reeling too much to focus on anything beyond my endless questions.

A voice broke through the silence.

“You looking forward to things kicking off tomorrow?”

I turned to see a man standing beside me. His casual stance didn’t match the tension I could feel crawling up my spine.

I swallowed my mouthful of food and replied. “Sorry, what do you mean?”

He smiled, but it didn’t quite meet his eyes. “Tomorrow’s game,” he said, tilting his head slightly. “Are you looking forward to it?”

“That’s what this party is for?” I said. “A game ?”

The man’s expression soured. “Ah, so that’s how you’re going to play this,” he said. “Flying solo before we’ve even begun. You might regret that tomorrow, you know.”

I frowned, trying to process his words. “I’m sorry, I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said. “I don’t know why I’m here, or what game is happening tomorrow. Could you tell me?”

He rolled his eyes. “No need to play dumb with me, sweetheart. You’ve got the wristband, which means you must’ve been accepted into the party at the dock earlier. And that means you’re a contestant in the game.”

My hand instinctively went to the silver wristband on my wrist. “I don’t remember coming here,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady. “Could you please explain what this party is for, and what this game is that you keep mentioning?”

The man shook his head with a small laugh and walked away. Before he could go far, he stopped another man who looked like he was considering approaching me. “Don’t even bother,” he said snidely. “She’s one of those people. Not the type to team up.”

I stood there, completely baffled, watching both men disappear into the crowd. Then I sighed, scanning the deck for another waiter to question. Someone had to answer me at some point, didn’t they?

Unfortunately, the wait staff were all rushing around, too busy to spare me so much as a glance. Frustrated, I turned my attention back to the edge of the deck and spotted a man leaning against the railing, staring out at the water with a cigarette in hand.

I approached him and gave him a tight smile. “Hi.”

He dipped his chin in a brief nod. “Hey. Looking for a light?”

“No thanks. I just wanted to ask you something.”

He shrugged. “Okay.”

“So, this is going to sound really weird, but… I woke up below deck about fifteen minutes ago, and I found a note telling me to join this party. But I have no idea what the party is for, or who brought me here, or what this game is that I’ve heard other people talking about. Can you tell me?”

The man’s brows rose. “Are you serious?”

“Yes. I just want to know what’s going on. I’m really confused, and no one will tell me anything.”

A slow grin spread across his face. “Ah. I know what this is," he said, voice laced with amusement. "You're a plant, right?"

"A plant?" I echoed.

He chuckled and mimed zipping his lips. "You're not a real contestant,” he said. “You're just here to see if any of us are willing to break the NDAs we signed before the game starts.”

“No, I—

He cut me off. ”Sorry, honey. You won’t get a word from me. Not falling for that."

Before I could respond, he turned and walked away. I stood there, mouth gaping, still trying to process what he'd said.

“Is that true?” a sharp feminine voice said from somewhere on my left.

I turned to see a tall, middle-aged brunette woman staring at me.

“Do you work for them?” she went on, stepping closer. “Trying to test us to see if any of us break the non-disclosures?"

I shook my head quickly, my breath catching in my throat. "No," I said, trying to steady myself. "I don't work for them. I don’t even know who they are. I honestly have no idea what’s going on here."

“So how did you end up here, then?” she asked, narrowing her eyes. She gestured to the dark water surrounding the yacht. “This is a pretty damn specific location. It’s not like anyone can just wander in off the street, for obvious reasons.”

My eyes began to sting with tears, and I blinked rapidly, trying to hold them back. “I really don’t know how I got here,” I said, shaking my head. “I woke up below deck in a bed feeling really weird, like I’d been drugged or something. I have no memory of who brought me here, and I don’t know anyone at this party, either. I’ve tried to ask people what’s going on, but they just talk vaguely without giving me any details. Like, apparently there’s some sort of game tomorrow? But when I asked the guy what it was, he got angry at me and walked away. And then that other guy started talking about NDAs. I just… I don’t know what’s going on. Can you please, please tell me before I totally lose my mind?”

As I rambled, the woman’s expression shifted from suspicion to something a little more cautious, though she still looked unsure. “Why do you have a wristband if you’re not a contestant?” she asked. “We all got them when we boarded.”

“I found it when I woke up. There was a note telling me I had to wear it, along with this,” I said, running my hands over the red fabric of the dress. My voice began to quiver, and a tear slid down my cheek. “Please believe me. Please. ”

The woman’s voice softened. "You really didn’t choose to come here?"

“No! I don’t even know what day it is!” I said, voice hitching as more tears spilled out.

“Okay. Just try to calm down. Take some deep breaths,” she said in a low voice, moving closer. She placed a hand on my shoulder and gently patted it. “I’m Cheryl. What’s your name?”

“Everly.”

“Okay, Everly. It’s the 30 th of October, 2024. Does that make sense to you?”

I frowned. “The last day I remember was the 29 th ,” I said, wiping my cheeks with the back of my hand. “But it’s pretty blurry. I was in a class at college, and then… nothing. It’s all gone after that. So there’s more than twenty-four hours missing.”

“What college do you go to?” she asked.

“Hollingsworth.”

Her brows rose. “Ah. That could explain it.”

“Explain what?”

Cheryl was silent for a moment, eyes flickering with unease. Clearly, she still wasn’t sure if I was a plant trying to bait her into breaking her NDA.

“Have you ever heard of The Wild Hunt?” she finally asked.

I nodded. “Yeah, it’s a secret society on my campus. I know some of the guys in it.”

“Friends of yours?” she asked, looking wary again.

“Definitely not,” I said through gritted teeth.

She frowned, tilting her head. “Have you signed anything with one of the members recently?”

“No.”

“Any contracts at all, even verbal ones? Maybe something you agreed to without thinking?"

“No,” I said, voice barely above a whisper as I choked back more tears. “Could you please just tell me what you know?”

An announcement crackled through the ship's speakers, interrupting our conversation.

"Attention all guests. We’ve just received a sudden wild weather warning. For your safety, please proceed below deck immediately while the crew takes care of things. I repeat, please head below deck now."

The calm yet commanding tone made it clear there was no room for negotiation. I looked around. Everyone else was already heading toward the stairs that led below deck, a ripple of murmurs spreading through the crowd.

Cheryl nudged me. "We better go."

My mind was still reeling from our strange conversation, but the urgency of the announcement made it impossible to delay further. As we slowly headed down the stairs, I felt a new layer of unease settle into my stomach. Whatever was going on here, it was obviously related to The Wild Hunt… and that couldn’t possibly be a good thing.

After five minutes of navigating our way through the thick stream of guests descending below the deck, we finally reached the bottom of the stairs. I led Cheryl to the room I’d woken up in earlier.

Once we were inside, I gestured to the note pinned to the empty garment bag. “See?” I said. “This is what I told you about.”

Cheryl took a step closer and stared at it for a long moment, her lips pressed into a tight line. When she finally spoke, her voice was low and full of disbelief. “You really weren’t lying.”

“No. I swear.”

“I’ve heard of this kind of thing happening, but I didn’t expect...” She trailed off, head shaking. “I didn’t think I’d get proof so soon.”

I blinked in confusion. “Proof of what?”

“Listen, Everly. I didn’t want to say this before, because I had no idea who you were, but I think I can tell you now,” she said in a low voice, eyes darting around to make sure no one else was listening in from the hall. “I’m a j—”

A sudden flash of light outside the window briefly blinded me, followed by a booming sound that rattled the walls. A sharp gasp rose from the crowd clamoring outside the room as the air filled with panic.

"Everyone, please remain calm!” The captain's voice crackled through the intercom, though it sounded strained. "This is what we call a freak storm. It seems to come out of nowhere, but really, it’s the same as any other storm. Everything is going to be fine. Right now, it’s directly above us, but we’re doing our best to navigate it. Stay where you are, stay calm, and let the crew handle things."

The booming continued, almost like the storm was actively trying to tear the ship apart. Another flash of lightning lit up the room, casting everything in an eerie, unnatural glow. The small windows rattled as rain poured down them in sheets, slashing against the glass with a fury that seemed to match the chaos outside.

“Holy shit,” I muttered. “This really did come out of nowhere.”

Cheryl moved closer to me, her face pale. She rubbed her forehead and muttered something under her breath. "I don’t feel right," she said, voice thin and tremulous. “Do you?”

I blinked, trying to focus, but the room around me suddenly seemed to ripple, like the air itself was warping. Shadows from the flashing lightning, perhaps.

“I feel a bit dizzy,” I said. “It must be from the storm rocking the boat so much. It’s crazy.”

“No, it’s—” Cheryl cut herself off midsentence, shaking her head. “It’s not the storm. I feel… I don’t know…”

She trailed off, voice going from shaky to outright slurred as she stumbled forward. I grabbed her arm to steady her, but it was difficult because my own legs were beginning to feel unsteady. My head was spinning too, like I was drunk, but all I’d had tonight was a glass of water.

A wave of dizziness washed over me, and I almost fell over, losing my grip on Cheryl’s arm. I clutched the edge of the bed to steady myself, my breaths coming in shallow, unsteady gasps.

"Everly?" Cheryl's voice reached me, but it was muffled, like she was underwater. "You feel it too, don’t you?"

I opened my mouth to respond, but all I could do was nod slowly. Everything was spinning, and my body felt heavy, my limbs unresponsive.

A voice from outside the room cut through the haze. “There’s a fucking hole!”

It was followed by another urgent voice. "We’re sinking! Get the lifeboats!"

The words hit me like a punch to the gut. I tried to focus on the door, but the room was growing darker, the edges of my vision flickering in and out as if the storm outside was bleeding right into my mind.

A second later, there was a high-pitched scream. Then everything went black.