Descendants of the Gods

Chapter 22: Queen of Amazons

KASDEYA ARGYROS' Point of View

Maaga ang gising namin para sa meeting. Pagkarating namin sa throne room, nandoon na halos lahat ng taong may mataas na posisyon sa lugar na 'to.

Nangunguna si Nephele sa pila namin at ako naman ay nasa pinakadulo. From my point of view, I can see everyone, including my companions, and the room feels more suffocating than what I imagined.

Mula sa labas ay rinig na ang usapan. It actually feels so bothersome, knowing that so many people are in one room at the same time.

Some of the women in the hall would stop to look at us. Isang hagod lang ng tingin bago magsimulang magbulungan sa isa't isa. I sneer.

"We should get acquainted with the others. Para hindi naman tayo magmukhang outsiders." Suggest ni London habang naglalakad kami papasok.

Reinn discreetly rolls her eyes. "But we are outcasts. Hindi naman tayo taga rito."

She's right. At bago pa man makasagot ang iba ay bumilis ang kanyang paglakad. None of us can or tried to keep up with her as she walk her way towards our designated table.

Nanatili akong tahimik. I examine the surroundings using my eyes. Nakatingin pa rin ang iba sa amin, and to be honest, I think most of their gazes are on me.

Ang ilan ay nakaawang ang mga labi sa mangha. Some are just simply staring. May ilan ring namumula at mukhang tulala. But whatever they are doing, majority of their eyes are focused on me.

Hindi ko sila pinansin kahit na ramdam na ramdam ko ang kanilang paninitig. I pass by two Amazons when I hear their conversation.

"What a pretty child. Whose daughter is she?"

"She's a demigod. One of the diplomats sent by the Acropolis of Half Bloods. Maybe she's a daughter of Aphrodite."

"An impossible guess. The blonde girl is Aphrodite's daughter, you can see it in her naturally seductive eyes, but she can't even match this girl's beauty."

"Oh come on, don't exaggerate. She's not beautiful. She's only cute at best."

"But even so! If she ever grows old— unlike most demigods— I'm sure she'll be even more beautiful. Maybe even prettier than—"

I didn't get to hear the rest when I'm no longer within earshot. Kahit na gaun ay napangisi pa rin ako sa mga sinasabi nila. I even chuckle. Parang ngayon lang nakakita ng ganitong mukha.

"Bakit hindi pa nagsisimula?" Tanong ni River pagkaupo naming lahat.

Nakaupo ako sa pagitan ni River at Reinn. Sa tapat ko naman ay si Nephele na katabi si Abigail at London. We're sitting in a round table, just like the rest of the people inside the throne room.

Nephele looks at her after giving all of us a look, especially me. Feeling ko ay disappointed pa rin siya sa ginawa kong pagsisinungaling kagabi.

Kinwento sa akin ni River na muntik na raw magkaatake sa puso si Nephele dahil akala niya may nangyari sa aking masama nang hindi nila ako maabutan sa kwarto.

I already cleared up the misunderstanding and she accepted my half-hearted apology, but I think she's still not over it. "We're still waiting for the queen. Konting paghintay nalang, baka paparating na."

"I hope we can leave after this. Ang bigat ng atmosphere dito," London pouts. "It's like p'wede kang mamatay any second. The stares from some Amazons are giving me chills."

Nagliwanag ang mukha ni Abigail, tila may naalala. "Hey, London! Empath ka 'di ba? Kaya mong maramdaman ang feelings at emosyon ng mga tao. Can you read them now?"