Mage Weavers ✓

Chapter 22: Shift in the Skies

/22/
Shift in the Skies

---

THE STARS twinkled quietly up in the heavens above as both me and Delphine flew over the grand Pearl Orient Seas, whose calm waters reflected hazy images of us levitating.

Delphine's wings fluttered like soft chimes of little bells. Tahimik lamang ako habang tinatawid namin ang dagat, bracing myself for what is about to come.

If Gabryle is still upset with what he had found about me, then so be it. This time, I'm going to face him. This time, I'm not going to run.

Nang medyo nakalapit na kami sa dalampasigan ay naaaninag ko na ang tangkad ni Damien at ang pabalik-balik na pag-lakad ni Madison sa buhangin. Damien had his hands cupped around his eyes, searching through its holes as he peered towards the depths of the sea.

Nang napansin na niya kami ni Delphine ay agad itong kumaway at napatayo mula sa buhangin si Haisley at Hugo.

Gabryle, who looked as if the gloomy weather itself, lit up by the time Damien was shouting and waving his hands.

All five of them eagerly waited on the shore for my arrival.

Halos paiyak nanaman ako na lumanding sa may buhangin, feeling the wet sand crush beneath my toes. My teary eyes looked at them hesitantly — natatakot akong lumapit at ma-reject.

But that feeling soon washed away as Haisley and Madison came rushing to hug me.

"Are you okay? You look hurt!" Haisley cried, at mahina naman akong binatukan ni Madison.

"Welcome back Sky!" Ngiti ni Damien at agad na tsumansing, hugging the three of us whilst letting his head rest on the crook of Madison's neck.

"Hoy!" Sigaw ni Madison ngunit mahigpit ang yakap ng binata sa aming tatlo.

"I'm glad you decided to return," Hugo said with a sigh of relief before also stretching out his hands to hug us.

Mas lalo lang akong napaiyak. "You guys-s waited for-r m-me...?"

"What did you think?!" Madison exclaimed, rolling her eyes jokingly before smiling at me. "You're part of this team. Sky, you're part of this family."

I smiled through the tears before hugging them again once more.

Nang binitawan ko na ang lima ay napaharap naman ako kay Gabryle na nakatayo at tila naghihintay.

He couldn't look straight into my eye as he stepped forward and wrapped the shoal in his hands around me. Mainit sa pakiramdam ang makapal na tela at napansin ko ang kaniyang mga dumudugong kamay.

"Let's get you back to the castillo," He merely said before giving me an apologetic smile. Lalakad na sana siya palayo ngunit hinila ko agad ang kaniyang braso at saka niyakap ang binata.

"I'm sorry," I croaked, tears pouring down once more. "I-I really didn't know, m-maybe I was-s in the past; b-but I'm not so sure, I-I—"

Naramdaman ko siyang nanginig bago inilapat ang kaniyang mga kamay sa aking katawan at niyakap ako pabalik. He then stroked my hair and whispered, "No Eloise... I'm sorry."

"SPG!" Sigaw ni Damien at agad na sinuntok ni Madison ang tiyan nito.

"Kailan ka ba titigil?" Madison hissed before attacking him once more. Nakangiti naman si Hugo na nakaakbay kay Haisley habang pinapanood kami.

"Let's go back?" Gabryle murmured, placing his hand on my lower back.

Tatango na sana ako nang biglang kinuwha ni Delphine ang aking atensyon at saka itinuturo ang kaniyang wrist. I gulped. She was signaling me to tell the others about my half-tattoo.