Soulstone Academy

Chapter Thirty: Darkness

Anong pinagsasabi ng baliw na 'to?

"Tuluyan na bang lumuwag ang turnilyo sa utak mo? I seriously recommend that you see a doctor-"

"I mean," tumaas ang naiinis niyang boses. "Stop flirting with my man!"

I glanced at the 'man' in question, pero abala na ito sa pag-aayos ng uniform. He pretended to not have heard any of our conversation. Nag-iisip na din siguro 'to ng paraan para maiwasan ang mga tanong ko.

"Hoy! Nakikinig ka ba?!"

Umatras ako para hindi matalsikan ng laway ni baliw. "Fortunately, kagaya ng maayos mong pagdescribe na isang lalaki ang Damon na 'to, maayos din ang tainga ko, thank you."

She rolled her eyes.

"Pero, seryoso, tingin ko need mo ng doktor. Should I call one of the academy physicians to see-"

"Maybe you're too shocked to comprehend the truth, Raven." Beatrix crossed her arms proudly. "Damon and I are together. Kami. May relasyon kami."

Napaawang ang labi ko. I blinked, turning to Damon who was intently staring at me. I tried to say something but I couldn't form and choose the right sentence, kaya ang nasabi ko na lang ay,

"Ew."

Suminghap si Beatrix. "Nang-iinsulto ka ba?!"

"We're nly together. It's a casual relationship." pagtatama ng lalaki.

Still, that won't change my reaction. I approached him to ask about his conversation with Ellis! Hindi ang maki-usyoso sa relasyon niya. Much more with Beatrix involved.

Tsaka... siya at ang babaeng 'to?!

"Pero akala ko crush mo si Helios?"

"I admire him. That doesn't mean I want to be his girl!" umirap siya. "Isa pa, a prince like him is more suited to be with someone like Dustine, a daughter of a High Lord and Regent."

Aside from discovering Damon's ugly taste in girls and finding out that Beatrix would jump at any handsome man who'll offer a relationship, I couldn't believe what I just heard.

"Sino ang alin?"

"Don't tell me you don't know?" mapakla siyang tumawa. "Kaya naman pala lapit ka ng lapit sa kaniya. Let me educate you, Raven. Helios is not just any ordinary boy, he's the prince. The successor of the throne. The future king of Hiraya. At ikaw na walang pagpapakita ng halaga sa mga batas natin ay hinding-hindi pwede sa kaniya."

That son of sun! He's a prince?!

Sa ilang beses naming magkausap, ni hindi niya man lang nasabi 'yon? Kahit na 'Oi, Raven. Prinsipe pala ako' na lang sana.

He says those buffet words all the time but fails to provide the most important thing. O baka naman sa'kin ang problema? I mean... being a royal isn't exactly a secret. Bilang isang citizen ng Hiraya, isa sa obligasyon namin ang makilala ang naninirahan sa Palace, lalong-lalo na ang royal family.

But what can I do? I've been imprisoned in my own house my whole life. Ang tanging alam ko lang na lugar ay ang central town ng Alora. I can't even remember the king's name, without hearing it once, and since I don't even know his surname, there's no room for realization.

Tamara's third finger-snap brought me back to the present. Ang pasaway kong kabayo na si Lilith ay marahan akong sinipa. Nanghihingi na naman ng atensiyon ang bubwit.

Tumayo ako at bumuntong-hininga. I can feel three pairs of eyes following my every move. Hindi ko sila pinansin at sumakay kay Lilith, letting my heels click on the stirrup. I don't usually let Lilith wear a saddleㅡ nagamit ko lang when I had to train herㅡ but this time, I wasn't really in a mood. Gusto ko lang magpahangin sa gubat at dahil wala kaming training, I wanted to use that opportunity.