LUNA

37: Males

Why is he here? At bakit nasa banyo siya? Kanina pa ba siya nandito? At kung ganoon nga, ibig sabihin narinig niya kami ni Sage kanina? That's not the real question though, it's: why is he here in the first place?

Midnight Zagreus of the seven is here. Standing in front of me. Two hands in his pockets. Wearing his oh-so-wonderful black royal clothes embroidered with red fiery linings at the edges. His bloody eyes scanned me from head to toe, tilting his head a little bit to the side as if he was really surveying something special to him. Heat crawls all over my neck and up to my face. My hands clench tight on my breasts, and I absently squeeze shut my thighs together. The pee I was so focused to let out earlier suddenly aborted.

Ang mga patay nitong mata ay nakakakaba kung makatingin saakin.

I am an embarrassment. Wearing nothing but my lacy panty in front of our high ruler. This is not something I would rejoice about. 

Walang emosyon ang mukha ni Midnigh— Zagreus ng ibalik ang titig sa mga mata ko. Automatiko akong umiwas ng tingin. Settling my eyes on his broad chest.

"Hindi ako nanilip, kung iyan ang tinatanong mo" medyo nagulat ako sa lalim ng boses niya kahit naman alam kong malalim na talaga boses niya sauna palang. "Hindi ko 'rin alam na may ginawa kayong... kababalaghan. Ngayong oras lang ako dumating. I ought to talk to Tobias alone, in his room, but he's not there. I went here, and oh, I changed my mind. I want to talk to you instead. Saktong pumasok ka rito sa banyo kaya sumunod ako"

Gumalaw ang kanyang matipunong katawan. If he was a different person, I would've snapped his neck already for being here without my permission. I kept my jaw settled and my eyes straight in front. Unfazed.

"Tobias is sleeping" Not a question. A statement that I need to confirm.

Tumango ako. "Yes, your highness"

Mula sa gilid ng aking mata, nakita kong hinablot niya ang puting twalya na naka sabit sa dingding.

"I just came back here"

He throws the towel at me. I catch it with ease and cover my body quickly but gracefully. We do not want our high ruler to think that we're some ungraceful black witch who doesn't have any poise in her body.

"I was just curious about something, thought of getting back here"

His words didn't ring a bell.

"Kasali ako sa meeting kanina ng mga prinsipe at ni Tobias"

Puzzle pieces started to tear smaller. Wala akong maitindihan, ngunit hindi ko ito pinahalata sakanya. I washed off every emotions in my face and kept my expression neutral.

"I can answer one question, my love. Go on, ask me anything and I will answer you honestly"

Humakbang siya palapit saakin. Hindi ako umatras at nanatili ako sa kinatatayuan ko. The venom in his voice is so evident I cannot just ask anything recklessly. Nananantya ito saakin. Gustong malaman kung ano ang gumugulo sa isipan ko ngayon.

And I guess he already knows the answer to that question, but he wants me to pick which one is troubling me more.

Him being here, or him being in the meeting with the other mortals.

Will I ask him why he's here? Or will I ask him why he was invited to the meeting?

I won't play under his game. Na kahit high ruler ko siya, hindi ako pwedeng maging tanga sa harapan niya.

So I asked him the question I think he wouldn't have guessed for me to ask.

"Who are you?"

For a second there, I thought he'd do something to me cause I didn't say any formalities, but Zagreus only steps forward again, and when I steal a glance at his lips— he was grinning slightly.