Angel Of Venom

Venom XVIII

Chapter 18: Shadows and Blades

It was already lunch time when Aldaine arrived at the dining hall. Naabutan niya roon ang kapatid at mga magulang. Nang sumulyap siya sa upuan ni Lavinia ay walang tao room. Agad na kumunot ang kaniyang noo.

"Where's L?" he asked using his newly-thought nicknamed for Lavinia.

"Oo nga? I thought she's just running late," sang-ayon din ni Asta sabay tingin kay Kamaria.

Archimedes did not answer and just looked at his wife. There's uneasiness in the air between them that the twins cannot decipher. Bumuntong hininga si Kamaria habang nilalapag ang mga kubyertos sa kaniyang pinggan bago kunin ang wine glass.

"She went back to the villa with Devon, her servant. Today is the late Duchess Claymour's death anniversary. Let us have her peace today. I'm certain you understand what I mean, right?" ani Kamaria bago sumimsim sa kaniyang wine glass.

"Oh..." tanging naiusal ni Aldaine.

"All right," Asta sighed with a worry plastered on his face.

Lavinia inhaled the smoke from her tobacco pipe before letting out a heavy sigh. Nakatulala siya sa labas habang nakaupo sa malaking bintana ng kaniyang kwarto sa lumang villa ng mga Claymour.

Tahimik lamang siyang pinapanood ni Devon nang may pag-aalala sa kaniyang mga mata. Sandali siyang sumulyap sa nagkalat na wine glasses at rum sa receiving area ng lumang kwarto.

Lavinia looked so lonely with her long, laced, long-sleeved and black dress. Nakakalat ang mahaba at tuwid niyang mga buhok habang marahan itong tinatangay ng hangin. The long hem of her dress was extending to the rough floors of the room.

"Do you know what date is today, Devon?" biglang tanong ni Lavinia sa tamad na boses.

Agad na bumalik ang tingin ni Devon sa amo.

"20th of the month of September, Master," simpleng sagot ni Devon.

Lavinia smiled bitterly, "That's right. Today is the day that my mother died," she sighed before lowering her hand with the tobacco pipe in it.

"I'm... Sorry to hear that, Master."

Hindi agad nakasagot si Lavinia roon. Tuluyang bumagsak ang kaniyang kamay sa kaniyang gilid. The ashes from her tobacco pipe slowly fell on the floor. The silence was deafening, but more than the suffocating silence, the loneliness that's surrounding the air is more evident than the rest.

"You're the first one to apologize to me regarding my mother's death," halos pabulong na usal ni Lavinia.

Sandaling napapikit si Lavinia nang umihip ang may kalakasang hangin. Dinama niya ang hangin na dala ng malamig na panahon.

"Narinig mo na ba ang balita patungkol doon? I'm sure you've heard of it, haven't you?"

"Yes, master..." mahinahong sagot ni Devon.

"They said, I killed her. They said, I cursed her. They said, I don't deserve to live because of that. They said..." Lavinia paused upon remembering her father's words back then.

"As if Leticia's death wasn't enough..."

"... I took her away from him. They said that as if I didn't lose my own mother too. That's why... Devon. The very being of your master. The Lavinia of today, they are the cause of it."