Chess Pieces Aftermath: Gray Sanford

Chapter 38

Sinundan namin sina Eresh at Loki na umakyat ng hagdan. We walked in the hallway and stopped at the second to the last door. Sa hula ko ay ang master's bedroom ang pinto na nasa pinakadulo ng hallway na 'yon.

Loki opened the door. Pinauna n'ya si Eresh sa pagpasok bago s'ya sumunod sa loob. He stood by the door, waiting for all of us to go into his office before he finally closed it.

Pinasadahan ko ng tingin ang buong kwarto. It was like the usual office I always see. May dalawang bookshelves sa magkabilang gilid ng kwarto. May desk sa bandang dulo at swivel chair sa likod noon. May coffee table sa gitna at dalawang mahabang sofa sa magkabilang gilid ng cofee table. At isang one seater chair sa pinakapuno.

Napatingin ako kay Creed na lumapit sa bookshelf na nasa kaliwa. He took out a book pero bago n'ya pa tuluyang maialis sa shelf ang libro, Loki was already beside him and pushed back the book to its place.

"Do you even know how to read?" Loki asked him.

Mabilis na napalingon si Creed kay Loki na nanlalaki ang mga mata. Parang hindi makapaniwala sa itinanong sa kanya. I even heard him make a small gasp, clearly offended.

While Loki was just casually looking at him like he just asked him out of curiosity as if he really didn't know if Creed could read or not. I almost believed it if not for the mischievous glint I saw in his sea-green eyes.

"How rude!" Creed exclaimed. "Sa trabaho ko, buong araw akong nagbabasa ng mga case files!"

Loki chuckled.

"Kidding." Tinapik pa n'ya ng dalawang beses sa balikat si Creed.

Napaderetso ako ng tayo nang biglang lumingon si Loki sa gawi ko. Naramdaman yata na may nanonood sa kanilang dalawa kanina pa. I immediately felt uneasy. There's something in those eyes that I was afraid to meet his gaze.

But Loki gave me a warm smile. Nahalata siguro ang pagkailang ko. Then he offered me the sofa.

"Please, have a seat," he said.

Naunang maupo si Creed sa akin kaya plano ko sanang tumabi sa kanya. Magaan talaga ang pakiramdam ko sa kanya. I have this feeling that things will get heavy today. Hindi ko alam kung anong mga malalaman ko kaya gusto ko sanang tumabi kay Creed dahil pakiramdam ko, kaya n'yang pagaanin ang sitwasyon.

"Reyziel, seat there," sabi ni Eresh na nakaupo na sa pang-isahang sofa. She pointed at the sofa on her left.

Napatigil ako sa pag-upo ko sana. Napalingon pa ako kay Creed na tinawanan lang ako dahil sa itsura kong hindi natuloy ang pag-upo sa tabi n'ya. Nilingon ko si Hunter and he gave me an encouraging nod.

Napansin kong nakatingin na pala silang lahat sa akin at hinihintay akong lumipat ng upuan kaya iyon na lang ang ginawa ko. I sat on Eresh's left. Si Hunter naman ang tumabi kay Creed while Artemis sat beside her husband.

It was Lucius who sat beside me. I uttered a silent thanks, thankful for his calm demeanor. He looked like he's always calm and collected in every situation. Kaya kung sakali mang hindi ko mapaghandaan ang mga malalaman ko mamaya, sana, mahawa ako sa pagiging kalmante ni Lucius.

Loki stood on his wife's right side. Napatingin tuloy ako sa kanya, inaabangan na umupo s'ya. But he looked at me and smiled. Na-realize ko na iyon ang paraan ni Loki para suportahan ang asawa n'ya. As if in that way, he could give her comfort.

When Creed told me that Loki and Eresh were the Duke and Duchess of the British Royal family, ang akala ko talaga, nagbibiro lang s'ya. Ang akala ko, gusto n'ya lang talagang makita ang reaksyon ko.

But when Loki spoke and I heard his British accent, his accent was so thick it was hard to miss, and the way how Eresh carries herself, I was convinced that Creed was indeed telling the truth.