Daughter Of Dusk And Dawn

79.

"May balak ka pa palang siputin ako?" biro ko sa prinsipe. 

Kanina pa ako naghihintay sa kanya. Akala ko ay iniwan na ako nito. 

He rolled his eyes playfully. "Kinailangan ko pang tsumempo para takasan ang kapitan."

I felt bad for Keiv suddenly. Malamang ay naghuhurimintado ang kapitan ngayon sa pagkawala ng prinsipe. I almost wanted to bring Gestalt back to the guards. 

However, I had more pressing issues. Kung ano ang gusto sabihin ni Demora, malamang ay importante ito. Kung hindi, hindi ito maglalakas loob na tawagin ang prinsipe at isulat ang liham na iyon gayong ilang araw lang matapos ng insidente. 

Keiv can lick his wounds later. I'll just be extra nice to him the next few days. 

The prince threw me a piece of cloth. Hindo ako nito sinabihan at tumama ito sa mukha ko.

Sinapo ko ang tela.

Bastard. 

I clicked my tongue in annoyance and threw him a sharp look. Which he disregarded. "Isuot mo 'yan." 

I did. Without any delays, we went out of my room. "Saan ang mga ibang kawal?" tanong ko sa kanya. The guards in my room were nowhere to be found. "You didn't kill them, did you?"

"Haha," he said mockingly. 

Obviously, he dismissed them. Stupid prince. Kapag nalaman ng kapitan, tiyak na madadawit ako. Not that it was my fault. Regardless, the guards answer to Keiv. Marahil ay tapat ang mga ito sa prinsipe. Gayunpaman, siguradong magsasalita ang mga ito sa oras na mapagtanto ng mga ito na wala sa palasyo ang prinsipe, their would be king. 

With the prince, it was easy to leave the palace this time. Some of the guards, despite their hesitation, gave way once the prince commanded them. 

"Kung hanapin ako ng kapitan, sabihin niyo ay may kailangan akong gawin. Baka bukas na ako makakabalik!" ang tanging naging utos niya. 

Gestalt and I walked the night streets. He and I both wore cloaks. I stayed alert, in case. Buti na lang at dala ko ang kutsilyo ko. I fished for it and gripped it tightly. Disguised or not, hindi pa rin kami sigurado na ligtas ang syudad. Lalo na ngayon. Gestalt would be king in few days. Mabuti nang maingat. 

Narating namin ang aming destinasyon. Demora and Genesis's humble abode was silent. The windows barely lit. Hindi tulad noong una, may iba sa awra ng lugar. The grass were overgrown, the flowers wilting. It was the exact opposite of what it once was. 

Anong nangyari? 

Masama ang kutob ko. At kahit hindi magsalita si Gestalt, alam kong parehas kami nang nararamdaman sa pinta pa lang ng mukha niya. He reached for the knob, hesitated. 

I reached for it myself. He glanced at me with gratitude. Binuksan ko ang pinto at pumasok sa loob. Gestalt following closely behind me.

Masangsang na amoy ang bumungad sa akin. Hindi ko inaasahan ito. I gagged at the smell. "Ano 'yon?" bulong ko. 

It smelled like death here. 

"Demora," rinig kong usal ng prinsipe. And then I saw him. In the corner of the room, behind the table, a flickering candle beside him. Nakaupo si Demora sa sahig, nakasandal sa pader. Malayo ang tingin. Hindi agad kami nito napansin.

Kaagad na lumapit ang prinsipe sa kaibigan. "Demora," he shook him hard. 

Demora blinked, as though coming out of a trance. Nang mamukhaan si Gestalt, ngumiti nang bahagya ang lalaki. "Gestalt!"

"Anong nangyari dito?" tanong ng prinsipe. 

Iniwan ko sila sandali at sumilip sa silid, hinanap si Genesis. Where is she? But the bed was empty. The smell however, was worse inside the room. I fought the urge to gag once again. Lumabas ako ng silid at nilapitan si Demora.