LUNA: The Witching Hour

6: Talk With the Queen

"Ipinatawag ka ng reyna?"

Sinubo ko ang pagkain na niluto ni Nym para saakin sabay tango. Before I let her speak again, my index finger is already in mid-air to stop her from doing it. I chewed the fried rabbit Nym cooked earlier here at my house. Too bland but that's fine. Sumimsim ako sa dugo na inihanda 'rin niya para saakin bago ako nagsalita.

I turned from my seat to face her and saw how focused she was at the current topic. Her short brown hair, a little longer now, and her turquoise eyes still got that twinkle when she's interested at something.

"Isa lang naman ang rason kung bakit ako pinapatawag" Kinagat ko uli ang pagkain. Nginuya, nilunok, bago uli nagsalita, "Stop staring. I'll gouge your eyes out"

She gives me a shrug, but that smug expression is still plastered on her face, "Or you're being summoned by the Queen because of your magic" Behind her, I can spot Trixie, her cat walking along the edge of the kitchen's window. "Black witch with a magic of light. Baka isa ka talagang white witch? I mean, you don't know who's your father?"

Hindi ko pinansin ang sinabi niya at tumayo na. Aalis na ako. "I know he's dead"

Nym hums, leaning towards the table. "So is he human?"

"Tanong mo sa nanay ko" Walang gana kong sambit sabay pasok saaking kwarto.

I don't have time to talk about my family, if I ever had one. I have a female who calls herself my mother, but we don't talk at all nor did she try to even reach out when I came back from finishing the tradition. Ilang beses kaming nagkatitigan dalawa, pero ni isang beses, hindi kami nag usap ng mansinsinan. Nung una, hindi ko siya namukhaan pero ng maamoy ko ang pamilyar na baho, sumagi kaagad sa utak ko na... siya ang aking ina. She had given me an emotionless look, and then brought her eyes down to my belly and saw how her brows furrowed upon noticing that I'am now bearing her grandchild. I couldn't tell whether she was happy about it or disappointed. Still, the confirmation of her ill-feelings toward me was seen in her eyes. In her hazel brown eyes.

I don't hate her, I just don't bear any feelings for her.

Nagpalit lamang ako ng mas maayos na damit. Another long flowy dress in the shade of black. It was plain and simple. Nothing extravagant. I wear my pink hair down and put on a little color to my face to be presentable in front of the Queen. Isasarado ko na sana ang drawer na naglalaman ng mga gamit kong pampaganda ng makita ko ang kutsilyo ni Zagreus roon.

It was just yesterday when he found out about it. When he entered his hand inside my dress just to pull out the dagger.

I have questions for him that I intend to ask at the perfect time, but what he had done yesterday might have answered one of my questions.

At the red moon event, when he knew where exactly I was positioned--- it was because of the dagger. It was the dagger that exposed my location without Zagreus exerting an effort.

The weight of it. The eerie energy residing in it. Walang makakagamit ng maayos dyan kundi ang may-ari lamang. Sage once told me.

Zagreus owns this weapon. He would be able to feel it's presence immediately. It was an easy logic to realize but I was too deep involved with my own personal reasons to even notice that I was letting a demon outsmart me. It makes me feel safe. I once told Sage. Now, I want to take it back.