Intruded Trails (Van Doren Series #1)

Chapter Forty

Once a Queen

Tahimik ang silid at malumay ang ihip ng hangin. Mistulang tumigil ang oras ko sa mga salitang binitawan niya. Samu't saring mga alaala na pilit kong binabaon sa limot ang bumugso sa isipan ko. Unti-unting napawi ang pagkagulat sa mukha ko at napalitan ito ng pamimitig.

I stared blankly at the once king.

Everyone's waiting for me. Naanig ko ang pagpigil ni Farren sa kapatid nitong akmang susugod kay Daniel. Sullivan pointed his staff towards him. I saw his hold trembled. Tila kumikimkim rin ito sa katauhang gumulantang sa harapan niya. Humihigpit ng humihigpit ang kapit ko sa kamay ng trono. Wala na akong may nararamdaman pa, at hindi ko ito nagugustuhan.

"Seal his power. Chain him and put him in the deepest dungeon."

I made sure my voice was numb when I spoke those words. Walang pasabing tumayo ako na siyang nakapagpaigtad sa lahat. The smile on the king's face disappeared as Rigor and his men aggressively pulled him up by Glinda's chains.

Rigor wrapped a strap on his neck made from his own power. Every knight has this common power to seal another power if they are commanded by the one they serve. I'm sure this king is familiar with this lock on his neck.

Nginisihan lang ni Glinda ang hari bago binigay kay Rigor ang parte ng kadena niya at lumipad pabalik sa tabi ko.

I formally clasped my hands together. "Thank you for your effort in traveling all the way from your kingdom to mine, and for telling us your reasons."

"Bibisitahin ka nalang namin kapag may kailangan kami. You can assure that you'll be well taken care here, if you behave..." Glinda muttered loudly and give him a mocking smile.

The king harshly lift his gaze to me, dumbfounded. Ilang sandali pa ay tumalim ang titig nito. He didn't try to break free from the chains but did force a step closer to the staircase of the throne's sphere.

"I'm not lying to you, Devisee..." He said in a hoarse voice.

"It doesn't matter now." Malamig na sagot ko.

His jaw moved roughly along with his gritting teeth. The calm in his eyes a while ago vanished in a blink and turned into something chaotic. Parang kasalukuyang sumasabog na siya ngunit walang nangyayari dahil wala na siyang may ipapalabas pang kapangyarihan. He's powerless beneath me and it's better this way.

He said he knew it very much. I am easily deceived if someone pleads or if  someone is weak in front of me. He knew I am capable of showing  compassion and forgiveness. Ginamit niya ito para kunin ang oras niyang magsiwalat. I should've known earlier.

I confirmed it in Sullivan's eyes. Sa oras na binaba nito ang nakatakip sa mukha niya... Ang manlalakbay ay isang hari... na walang pinipiling lugar. Kilala niya ako bago pa man lahat ng mga pinagdaanan ko. I don't remember the slightest image of his face. But if he did knew me and witnessed everything I was before, how could he receive mercy from me? How could he stood outside the walls for this?

Bumigat ang paghinga ko. How could he ask me to be his queen if I knew about Epione?

"What have they done to you?" Singhap niya. Nandilim ang mga titig niya sa lahat ng naririto sa silid.

Bahagyang tinaasan ko siya ng kilay. "What have you done to me?" Balik kong tanong sa kanya.

Natigilan siya. His face suddenly paled as if he got caught on his crime. I saw how his shoulders weakened before averting his eyes away from mine like he couldn't take what he's seeing more in me.

"I a-admit that I am not a good king. I have never been. No king or queen has ever been. Everything that has happened to you... was not just at our fault. You have all the reasons to envy us, but you decided, too--"