The Song of Teardrops (Van Doren Series #3)

Chapter Thirty-three

Bonds

Nanghihina akong napaupo sa lupa nang makalabas na sa kagubatan. Binuksan ko ang mga palad ko at pinagmasdan ang kaunting mga sugat kong natamo roon. Napasinghap ako bago mabilis na kinuyom ang mga iyon at iniwas ang tingin roon.

Hinawakan ko ang maliit na hibla ng kasuotan ko at pinunit iyon. I slowly placed the fabric on my palm. It's my first wound that wasn't healing. Senyales na unti-unti na talagang nababawasan ang kapangyarihan ko dahil sa paggamit ko nito.

My breathing rushed and rested the back of my head on my knees. I do not want to lose my powers...

"I'm sorry for Draven." I heard Queen Tauriel's voice behind me.

Napaayos ako ng upo. Hindi na ako nag-abala pang lumingon sa kanya nang marinig ang mga hakbang niyang papalapit sakin. Tumigil siya sa paglalakad sa tabi ko. 

I lifted my gaze to her. She was just staring beyond the cliff in front of us--the same cliff we've landed on with her dragon. If I only knew what awaits us, we should've left the moment we came.

"Your Majesty... I shouldn't have convinced you to come here..." I whispered regretfully. 

"And I shouldn't have sent the knights here knowing what they might face. You warned me about Erandil... but I didn't listen," she whispered back. "Walang ibang sisihin rito kung hindi ako."

Napaangat ulit ang tingin  ko sa kanya nang may maalalang isang bagay.

"Did you know? Did you already know that I was a goddess before even Erandil said it?"

Mahina siyang tumango. "I'm sorry for dragging you into this. I only wish to have someone with me here who would understand..."

"Understand?" Hindi makapaniwalang napatingin ako sa kanya. "What do you want me to understand? H-Hindi mo pa nga ako nakikilala..."

"I need someone who can understand Erandil's power, and the stolen wand." she glanced down on me. "I don't know what its purpose in this world was. I don't know who really owns it. From the moment it was made, it already has fallen to the wrong hands, including Erandil's."

The stolen wand. She mentioned before that she didn't know what this was made of. Ito ang gusto niya mula sakin? Ang maintindihan ito?

Napabuntong-hininga ako. "That wand was dangerous. Whoever touches it, also touches wickedness. It could poisin your mind if you use it."

"That's why you didn't use it against her. You didn't took it away..." she murmured. Huminga siya ng malalim at binalik ulit ang tingin sa harapan. "Iyon ba ang rason kung bakit may mga sugat ka sa kamay mo?"

I looked down at my hands and shook my head. "Dahil ito sa kapangyarihan ko..."

"So, the wand didn't affect you?"

"Goddesses don't weaken just because of a wand." I answered. "Kadalasan, sa mismong kapangyarihan ko pa mismo ako nanghihina."

I glanced at her. She slowly nodded back. "I know..."

"What else do you know?" direkta kong tanong.

She faintly smiled. "Alam ko na hindi ka nagmula sa panahong ito..." tumingin siya sakin. "...dahil nabanggit mo na ang tungkol sa mga Ravensiels. Everyone after The Fall forgot about Ravensiels, except for... important people." nag-aalinlangan niyang sagot.

Napatango-tango ako. "Ngayon nalaman na rin ng Hari... Anong susunod mong gagawin pagkatapos nito, mahal na reyna?" nag-aalala kong tanong. 

She sighs. "As usual, Cassius will take care of everything... while I need to disappear for a while."