The Dissolving Flower

Kabanata 5

THE ICE FAE

"SO, Zebrion."

"Call me Zeby!"

"Zeby." Lis crossed his arms, eyebrows up while squinting his eyes. "Are you aware how dangerous your pet is?"

"Yes!" mabilis naman nitong sagot na parang pinagmamayabang pa.

He tried to stay calm but seeing her bright face as if they weren't almost got shot by a beam made him want to pinch her on the face.

"Kung ganoon, bakit mo hinayaang magpagala-gala 'yan dito?" singhal niya habang salubong ang mga kilay.

The Ice Fae giggled dahilan para mabuwisit pa siya lalo.

"Are you trying to lecture me, twisted chief?" She leaned towards him. She was close. Too close that their nose touched. At parang pinaliguan ng isang balde ng yelo ang pakiramdam niya. She was too cold. Papaano? He was under Aster's spell; he shouldn't feel any coldness.

"I'm older than you so don't lecture me," she pouted. He thought she would kiss him, but instead she blew at his face. Napapikit naman siya ng matamaan ang kaniyang mukha ng maliliit na mga snowflake.

It came out from her mouth.

'Yuck!'

Napahawak siya sa balikat ni Aster dahil bigla siyang nanghina. Hindi dahil sa may ginawa ang Ice Fae sa kaniya kundi dahil nasusuka siya. Hindi niya lubos maisip na binugahan siya ng snowflakes sa mukha. It was so—

"Disgusting." Nilingon niya si Aster dahil sa sinabi nito.

"That was what I'm about to say, too!"

Makikipag-high five na sana siya pero napatigil nang mapansin niyang hindi lang nakatingin si Aster sa Ice Fae kundi sa kaniya rin. Pabalik-balik ang tingin nito sa kanila na para bang ang dumi nilang dalawa ng Ice Fae.

'What? Ba't pati ako nadamay?'

"Aster, nakakasakit ka na," he said but his butler's expression remained the same, empty.

Zebrion giggled again. "How rude of you, Mister Butler."

"You are the rude one here, Miss Zebrion," sagot naman ni Aster. Itinaas nito ang kanang kamay bago ulit nagsalita. "First, you called the master 'twisted' which is a word, I assume, not positive."

'You called me worse than that!' Gusto sana niyang sabihin pero napunta ang atensyon niya sa kamay nito. His eyes widened when a small ball of light started to form on Aster's palm. Hindi maganda ang kutob niya rito.

"Second, you exhaled at the master's face, an action that is rude and disrespectful to the master and to the Royal Dragon Lineage."

Napapikit siya nang sumalubong sa kaniya ang malakas na hangin.

"According to the Mythrian Law, they who dares to disrespect the Dragon lineage shall be extinguished. Therefore, as his butler, I am going to cease your existence." After he uttered those words, the ball of light broke, and a violet light, shaped like thorns grew out from his palm. Kagaya kanina, napalibutan ng liwanag ang paligid habang palaki ito nang palaki. Hindi pa nakalalapat ang niyebe ay natutunaw na ito dahil sa init.

Nilingon siya ni Aster at naghintay ng kaniyang pahintulot. Napailing na lang siya at napatampal sa kaniyang noo. Really? Do they really need to kill the fae?

Binalik niya ang tingin sa Ice Fae. Akala ni Lis na matataranta ito pero wala man lang bahid ng takot ang gumuhit sa mukha ng babae. Her transparent wings released snowflakes, and even her eyeballs. Nakangiti ito sa kanila na parang bang aliw na aliw.