ANG liwanag at ingay na nagmumula sa buhay ng piging ay hindi na nalalayo sa 'min. Sa oras na marating namin ang kinukubli ng mga higanteng pinto, opisyal nang magsisimula ang tunay na laro. Ang larong wala pa ring pinal na kampeon hanggang sa may dumaloy na dugo. Ang larong kung saan namamayagpag yaong mga taong mula sa nakaraan ko. At higit sa lahat, ang larong kailangan ni Caesar na maipanalo.
Hindi ko ipagkakaila. Simula paglabas ko ng kwarto, kakaiba ang dagundong ng tibok ng puso ko. Ano ang kabuuang tingin ng High Command sa mga isiniwalat ko? Paano kung mahapyawan pa nila ang mga pahinang maingat kong nilalampasan? Paano ay kung mauna akong talikuran ni Caesar bago ko pa siya matulungang makawala sa tanikala?
I consciously glanced at the man beside me and hopelessly stared at him. And when he didn't utter a single word despite noticing it, I took upon the courage to ask the questions I'd been itching to throw.
"Are you mad at me?" I whispered before I shifted my eyes toward the shortening line of guests before us. "I told you. Hindi mo magugustuhan ang mga kwento ng dating ako. Are you disappointed? Would you have preferred to never know what lies beyond my past?"
"Rather than mad, I'm upset," he answered unexpectedly quickly, almost as if he's been waiting all this time for me to take the initiative to speak. Because let's be honest, I hardly talk to him first. Whatever response I could've said, it was just all in my mind, and it never left.
"I'm upset that just when we've settled one thing about this marriage, a new problem arises." I gulped at the clear bitterness in his tone, almost wishing he didn't answer at all. How is it that the more we open up to each other, the more we misunderstand each other's motives?
"Marriage," natatawang ismid ko na siyang ikinangiti ng isang gilid ng mga labi ni Caesar.
"They say the first year is the hardest," he added.
Matapos ng palitan na ito ay muling katahimikan. Ngunit sa pagkakataon na ito ay hindi na nakaririndi o nakayuyupi ng konsensya. Katahimikan itong nakalaan sa pagkakaunawa namin na anuman ang tunay na motibo ng pag-iisang dibdib na 'to, kami lang dalawa ang nakapaloob dito. Dalawa kami sa bangkang ito at nasa sa amin kung ay malulunod na isa o lulubog kami nang sabay.
"Ako ang nagsabi na ayos lang na may itago ka pero hindi ko maiwasan ang mahiwagaan. At sa tuwing nakatatanggap naman ako ng sagot, imbes na mapalagay, mas lalo lang akong nababagabag," pagbabahagi ng saloobin ni Caesar.
"Do you regret choosing me?" I asked, oblivious of where the guts to do so came from. "Do you think Dr. Pherenn gave you a bad recommendation, after all?"
"Are you going to win the Queen of the Hunt just to prove you're not?" Caesar snorted.
"And if I do?"
"I don't think winning a title for the seventh time will still be as impressive as the first."
YOU ARE READING
The Montelier Bride
Mystery / ThrillerIn order to survive her hunters, Quinzel de Agustin, a woman who bears truths that could forever change the Underground, told one lie--- she's a mute. However, when their trail comes closer than ever to threaten her freedom, Quinzel decides to resor...
