Sinubukan kong tumayo. Nanginginig ang mga paa kong umapak sa malamig na sahig.
"Blade." I whispered. Hindi ko na kayang maghintay pa dito. Nararamdaman kong nasa panganib siya. That's he's been calling out for me.
Pinilit kong itulak ang pinto nang sa wakas at malapitan ko iyon. Naka-lock. Pati na rin ang mga bintana ng buong kwarto.
Nakapagtataka talaga kung paano nakapasok at nakalabas ang lalaking puti ang buhok kanina. Malapit na talaga akong maniwala na multo lang siya talaga at hindi totoo.
I'm losing my mind at lalong lalala iyon kung di ako makakawala dito.
I heard gunshots. Malapit lang. Blade never use one.
Posible kayang kasama din si Bullet? Or si Van? They came all to rescue me.
I sighed. I need to get out of here. Mother will kill them for sure. She had this place surrounded by her loyal followers. Hindi ako papayag na mapahamak ang mga taong malalapit sa akin at ang mate ko.
I took the small table beside the bed. Quite heavy but this will do, I think. Makakabasag iyon ng bintana.
I readied my self and lifted the table. I was about to hit the glass panes nang may biglang pumigil sa akin. Hinawakan noon ang kamay ko nang mahigpit.
"Stop that, Nia!"
"Paeng?!" I exclaimed. Naramdaman ko ang paghigpit ng collar sa leeg ko. Hindi ko na masyadong ininda dahil sa sobrang tuwa kong makita siya.
Andito din siya! Ililigtas din niya ako!
"D*mn Natalia," aniya. Ibinaba niya ang table at mabilis akong niyakap. "I was so worried."
"P-Paeng..." I whispered again. Pero bakit siya nandito? Paano siya nakapasok?
My eyes shifted on a open space on the wall. Doon sa tinatakpan ng makapal na kurtina. There's a hidden passage between. Hindi ko agad napansin yon dahil sa disenyo. Napanganga ako.
Now that answers my questions. Hindi ako nababaliw tulad nang inaaakala ko. Doon dumaan ang lalaking may puting buhok na yon.
He didn't say his name. Sino nga ba talaga yon?
Agad akong kumalas kay Rafael nang may maalala ako. "Si M-mama..si M-mama? Si Helena?" I asked him.
Mother ordered someone to kill the Queen. Alam kong galing si Rafael sa nest namin at alam niya ang nangyayari doon. Nag-alala ako nang husto sa pamilya ko.
"She's alright, Natalia. They are. No one will hurt them now." He answered. Nakahinga akong maluwag kahit kaunti.
Saka ko noon napansin ang hitsura niya. Duguaan at madumi. Parang nagpagulong-gulong sa lupa. May mga pasa pa sa mukha at mukang kakahilom palang. Hinawakan ko nang marahan ang pisngi niya.
Sino bang gumawa nito? Para tinorture kung siya kung saan.
"Don't worry about me. We need to get out of here." He said. Mabilis niya akong hinila. He pushed the main door somewhere and it opened wide.
I gasped. How?
Sa isang mahabang hallway kami dumaan. Di ako makatakbo nang mabilis tulad nita kaya nahuhuli na ako.
Natigilan ako sa gitna. I can hear something. Gunshots. Howls. Even the sounds of tearing flesh. Nandito sila. Si Blade. Malapit lang.
"Nia. Come. It's not safe there. Let them, you can't fight like them. You can't use your voice." Ani Rafael na hinila na uli ako bago ko sila mapuntahan. "He'll come for you. Be at least somewhere safe."
Napilitan akong sumama sa kanya. From what I understand, magkakasama sila. Maybe this was their plan. I should go by it.
"W-where are you taking me?" I ask Rafael.
"Just follow me, Nia." He said. Sumunod naman ako. We ended up in a large room. Pakiramdam ko nasa dulo na yon ng Paradiso.
"Stay here." He said. Umalis siya sa tabi ko at pumasok sa isa sa mga pintong naroon.
Must be a bathroom, I thought and sighed. Kilala ko si Paeng. Ayaw nang nadudungisan, siguradong maglilinis iyon ng katawan.
This was not a time for that, I thought. Pero wala naman akong magagawa kung pipigilan ko siya.
Are we going really wait here for Blade? Di parin nawawala ang pag-aalala ko ngayong alam kong nakikipaglaban siya. Pero kung susugod ako doon, I would become a burden.
Napaupo nalang ako sa kama sa gitna at bumuntong-hininga. Mas malaki ang kwartong yon kaysa sa una. Grander actually. Hindi ako makapaniwalang may ganoon sa Paradiso. Ang buong akala ko, under construction pa lahat.
Dark velvet curtains covered the high windows. There's a grand chadelier on the cieling. The bed consist of rich satin sheets and sheer fabrics hanging on the canopy.
It was fit for a king. Mas magarbo pa nga ito sa kwarto nila Mama at Papa sa Sanctuiare.
"Are you alright?" Rafael called.
Napalingon ako. He was there by bathroom door cleaning himself with a wet towel. Wala na siyang pantaas.
He looks different from what I remembered. It's been almost a year since I last saw him. Lalong lumaki ang katawan niya. His biceps are bulging and has now a clearly defined abs. If he was human, iisipin kong nagwo-work out siya.
He smirked. Gusto kong umirap, hindi ito ang tamang panahon para sa mga ganoong bagay. Nagtataka lang talaga ako sa hitsura niya kaya ko siya tinitigan. I feel something odd about him.
Suddenly, I felt my chest tightened. Napahawak ako doon.
"Nia?" tanong ni Rafael.
Si Blade. I can feel it again. He's been hurt. Mas malala ito kaysa kanina. I can't even breathe sa sobrang paninikip nang dibdib ko.
"Natalia...What's happening?" Nilapitan ako ni Rafael. Hinawakan niya ako sa balikat.
"Si...Blade..." I told him. Kailangan niya ng tulong. If only I could get rid of this collar off.
Umalis ang tingin sa akin ni Rafael. Tumingin sa paligid at may pinakikiramdaman. Maya-maya ay ngumiti ito.
"P-Paeng?"
Napaawang ang bibig ko. His eyes definitely changed. From a lighter shade of brown to bright set of red.
He's been awakened. When? Noong wala ako da Sanctuiare?
"They've been taken care of, I guess. The trap worked." He said.
Nanlaki ang mga mata ko. Tumingin siya sakin at ngumiti. "Don't you worry, Natalia. I'm still here."
I pushed him away. Napatras din ako sa kanya.
I realized it now, he knew about the room I was in. He even knew I can't use my pysch because of this collar.
And he was a Valerius. This was their territory. He was that prince that my mother was talking about. She gave me to him, kapalit ng Paradiso.
"H-How....How could you?"
Napatakip ako sa katawan. I still wearing a sheer night dress and Paeng's eyes were on me.
Ayoko maniwalang traydor siya. We were friends since I can't even remember. Magkaibigan din ang mga magulang namin. And Helena was so inlove with him. If it for his ambition for the throne, hindi na niya kailangan pa itong gawin.
"You are supposed to be my bride, remember?"
Lalo akong napaatras. There's lust in his eyes and I definitely knew what he was planning to do with me.
"S-stop...please.."
Horrors from Rafaella's memory came rushing back at me. Mauulit na naman ito.
"You should have stay chained on that bed, my princess."
