[Kabanata 33]
Hindi ko inaasahan ang mga salitang kumawala sa mga labi ng aking hari. Sinalubong ko ang mga mata niya at nakita roon ang pait na tila'y ayaw niya balikan ang masakit na nakaraang umagaw sa buhay ng kanyang mga magulang.
Ang mga tanong sa isipan ko'y patuloy na dumadami at hindi ko alam kung ano ang uunahin kong itanong sa kanya.
"Are you sure?" iyon ang unang lumabas ang bibig.
"Sigurado ako, Isabelle. Dahil nakita ko ito mismo, ang hindi ko lamang maintidihan ay paano ito napunta kay Lorkim? Enzo, Loah, and I retrived their bodies and it was still on her neck when we buried them."
Hindi ako nagsalita.
"D-did he—" mariin ko siyang pinigilan.
"No... no. He can't do that, he's very fond of your parents. Maybe he has the same key?"
Napabuntong hininga si Khalil at tumango. "I have to show you something."
Hindi niya na ako hinintay na magsalita at mabilis na tumalikod. Sumunod ako sa kanya papasok sa loob. I saw Enzo playing with the kids, Casper and Caspian being surrounded by women, and Maxine talking to my sister.
Napansin naman at ni Van at Blaise na tumango lang sa akin. I smiled at them before following Khalil going inside a room. Huli ko napagtantong ito pala ang dating silid ng mahal na hari't reyna.
It's just a small room with one bed that covered with white cloth, and in the center is the painting of them. Katulad na katulad sa larawang nakita ko sa tindahan ni Lorkim. Tahimik lamang si Khalil sa aking tabi nang lumapit ako upang hawakan ang kanilang larawan. Hindi ko alam kung paano ako namamangha sa kakaibang presensya na nararamdaman ko sa larawang ito.
Sa muling pag-angat ko sa larawan ay nakita ko nga ang kwintas na susi na kaprehong-kapareho sa suot ko ngayon. Nangangatal na inangat ang kanang kamay at dahan-dahang hinaplos ito.
Suddenly, scenes flashed on my mind. White key, golden flower, and bloody hands of the Queen. Halos sumakit ang ulo at napaatras kung hindi lamang ako nahawakan ni Khalil.
Ramdam ko ang takot sa aking sistema. "Y-you parents... were they murdered?"
"Yes, did you see something?" tanong niya.
Tumango ako. "The queen... she's holding a golden flower."
"It's for Maxine."
Napaangat ako ng tingin. "What do you mean?"
"When Maxine was still a child, she developed a rare disease that made her skin sensitive to our touch. Hindi namin siya mahawakan, at mayakap. Masyadong nasaktan si Ina at halos wala nang pahinga kakahanap ng gamot para sa bunso namin."
"We gathered all the enchantress, priestess, and even siphoners to try to heal her, but none of them worked. Until one day, someone sent a letter that a flower called 'The Middlemist' and can only be found on Lotus Mountain. Kung alam ko lang na iyon ang huli naming pagkikita... s-sana... sana napigilan ko sila..."
Napakuyom siya ng kamao. Sinapo niya ang kanyang noo at umupo sa kama. "T-they spent a month inside that dreadful mountain. And when I saw them, it's already too late... I-i should've stopped them, that mountain are filled with vicious creatures that even the mighty King can't defeat them."
Kumunot ang noo ko. "Killed by creatures? No, I didn't saw any creatures."
"We saw them bathe in their own blood, my love. I saw my father my father hugging my mother and they have so many deep claw marks. What do you mean that you didn't saw a single creature?"
BINABASA MO ANG
Ravenna Series #1: Arcane Twilight
VampirosWe share secrets but you're still a mystery to me. With the disappearance of his father, Isabelle Dein Lockhart had no choice but to seek help from vampires whom she hates. The further she seeks for her father, more questions about her real identity...
