The Curse

Chapter 11

Tahimik lang kaming lahat pagkauwi. We looked defeated.

"May iba pa sigurong paraan?" Freya asked.

"You heard the man, Freya." Noah replied.

Hindi ko na pinakinggan ang sinasabi nila at dumiretso na sa kwarto. I can feel Ashvin's presence behind me but I didn't bother to looked back. Nang makapasok sa kwarto ay huminto ako sa tapat ng kama at hindi sya nililingon. I heard the door locked.

"Linnaea..." na blangko ang isip ko nang marinig ang boses nya. Naramdaman ko ang paglapit nya at wala pang isang minuto ay nakayakap na sya sa akin mula sa likudan.

And that hit me.

I'm not the only one who's hurting.

Halata sa yakap nya na natatakot din sya, na nasasaktan din sya—tulad ko.

"I- I don't like what's happening, Linnaea." He almost whispered. I closed my eyes hardly when I heard how his voice broke.

"Baby, what should I do?" He asked, hopeless.

Napakagat ako sa ibabaeng labi at humarap sa kanya. I can't bear to stare at his eyes.

"D-don't leave me, please?" He said while trying to stop himself from crying. He knows.

I nodded and gave him a soft smile.

"I would never." I pledged.

That night was peaceful and quiet. Because we're both thinking and worrying.

Nakayakap lang ako sa kanya at para syang bata na nakatago sa dibdib ko. Sobrang higpit din ng pagkakayakap nya sa akin na akala mo mawawala ako.

Nang gumising naman kami sa umaga ay ayaw nya ng umalis. Kung hindi pa kami kinatok ni Freya ay hindi pa sya babangon.

I'm just watching him while he's walking on our room. He looks gloomy.

"Ashvin," I called him. Huminto naman sya at humarap sa akin. His eyes were sleepy.

"Everything will be fine," I assured him. Hindi sya sumagot at naglakad lang papunta sa akin.

"Let's just run away..." he begged that I didn't bother to answer. I just hugged him tightly.

———

"Dapat sa loob na tayo lumabas," Cloud said while looking at the castle of Tacenda. Pumasok nalang kami agad at nagulat dahil hindi kami hinarang ng mga kawal sa labas.

We're just walking when we saw a woman upstairs. Halatang naghihintay sya.

"You really went here," Hindi makapaniwalang sabi nito at bumaba sa hagdan. He gracefully went to us and gestured us to come with her. Lumiko sya sa isang pasilyo at nakita namin ang tanggapan.

"Maupo kayo," she said the moment she sat down in the middle. We looked like in court.

"I already know why you're here," she started. Tahimik lang kami at nakikinig sa kanya.

"But I won't answer most of your questions," she added that made them shocked.

"What?" Litong tanong ni Eira.

The Queen nodded, "You just have 10 questions for me, after that—leave."

Napanganga sila at hindi makapaniwalang nakatingin sa Reyna.

"What—."

"Start now," she cutted Marius. Ilang minuto pa kaming natahimik bago sila nagtanong.

"How can you help us?" Thanara asked.

"By answering your questions?" The Queen weirdly look at Thanara. Napairap naman ang babae.

"What do you know about the prophecy?" Noah asked.

"Everything,"

"Like?" Eira asked.

"Like who's the traitor, who'll sacrifice, who will suffer,"

"Then who's the traitor?" Atlas asked.

Hindi nakasagot ang Reyna at nakangising tumingin kay Atlas.

"I know that you knew the answer to that. Why bother asking? Sayang yung chance nyo," she said and chuckled.

"I'll change the question of Atlas," Yesenia said. Tumango naman ang Reyna.

"What's the other way to break the curse without needing the bad blood?"

"She needs to die to break the curse," pagturo nito sa akin na agad nilang inilingan.

"There's no other way?" Zandria asked.

Umiling ang babae.

"A prophecy is like a curse, it's bound to happen and it's tied in your soul."

"Then, what's the first prophecy?" Thrax asked.

Kumunot ang noo ng Reyna.

"Cerrannos didn't tell you?" She asked, confused. Umiling naman sila bilang sagot.

"I doubt that," she said and crossed her arms in her chest.

"He really didn't," Eira said and rolled her eyes.

"What's his last words?" She asked seriously.

"Go at the Village of Scale, demigods. Eighteen over eighteen. People there will bow before you, for you are powerful and a warrior."

Aidan said that made the Queen laughed. Tawa lang sya nang tawa at napahawak pa sa tyan.

"18 people of the Prophecy,
Bound to rule everybody,
18 people who's capable and mighty,
Will fight the destiny as their duty."

Pakiramdam ko ay rinig sa buong kastilyo ang sinabi nya. Kumunot naman ang noo nilang lahat.

"That's...the first prophecy?" Belle asked.

"You dumb kids!" Tawa na naman nito at napahawak pa sa lamesa para kumuha ng suporta. We're just looking at her weirdly.

After minutes of laughing she just stopped like nothing happened. I sighed and looked away.

"Where can we find the runes?" Haze coldly asked.

Napatingin naman sa kanya ang Reyna at umayos ng upo.

"Unfortunately, the runes aren't in the same places. It's distributed in different places. I can't tell you because I don't know if I'm right," she shrugged.

"How can we activate it?" Blade asked.

"You and you," pagturo nito kay Haze at Thanara.

"You're mates, right?" She asked. They slowly nodded as an answer.

"The moment you two saw the runes that were made for you, it will come naturally. Because it knows you. But to activate it? You should go back to the Village of Scale."

"Doon na naman?" Cloud whispered.

"Hep! That's the 11th question!" We all sighed because of her words.

Napatingin sya sa akin at tumitig. They also looked at me confusedly.

"Don't...expect too much. You'll get disappointed." She said while staring at me. It looks like she's staring at my soul.

"Don't hurt yourself too much, you can trust each other...I know that." For the first time, she smiled at us genuinely.

Tumayo sya at akmang aalis na nang magtanong ako.

"Why can't you tell us everything?" I asked seriously. Lumingon naman sya at tumango.

"Do you know why my kingdom's name is Tacenda?" She asked back. Hindi kami sumasagot kaya nagpatuloy sya sa pagsasalita.

"Tacenda means that some things better left unsaid."

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