Hidden Bite (Book 3 of Bite Trilogy)

Chapter 13

Dedicated to: Francisca Pingol

Chapter 13: Meeting

"I am sick of you. I am sick of Gazellian love."

I witnessed how Zen almost stumbled by those words while pressing the wound on his shoulder, how his eyes weakened, and how he tried to come near me again.

"Claret!" Rosh and Kreios called my name in unison, with the same surprised tone.

Natigil sa dapat pagkagat sa akin si Kreios at nanlalaki rin ang mga mata niyang tumitig sa akin. Even Rosh's wrist was shaking.

"Y-You can hate me right now. But at least, allow me to make this easier for them."

"E-Easier? You should have thought of that before you kept me in the dark, Zen. Alam mo na simula pa lang ang rason kung bakit may humahabol kay Divina! You were trying to think of a way to solve this again without telling me? What happened now?"

Ramdam ko ang paghinga nang malalim ni Rosh sa likuran ko.

"Stop it. You two! You shouldn't be killing each other right now!" Malakas na sabi ni Rosh.

"Go. We can have this for now," dagdag ni Kreios nang lumingon siya kay Zen.

Hindi na rin nagsalita pa si Zen. Agad na may lumapit na dalawang babaylan sa kanya at inalalayan siya ng mga ito. Hindi na muling nagsalubong ang aming mga mata bago ako yumuko at sinunod ang sinabi ng mga babaylan.

Kreios and Rosh nodded at each other, and together with the healers of Mudelior, I tore a part of Prince Rosh's wrist and started sucking his blood, while Kreios' was on my wrist as well.

Ilang beses ibinubuga ni Kreios ang nakukuha niyang dugo sa palapulsuhan ko habang walang imik o galaw si Rosh sa likuran ko.

"It's working," ani ng isa sa mga babaylan.

It took only few minutes before Kreios, Rosh, and the healers successfully removed the poison in my blood. Kinapa ko ang saksak sa aking dibdib ngunit wala na iyon kundi bakas lamang ng dugong nawala sa akin.

The healers left the hallway as Kreios have ordered, but when I glanced at the huge window, I saw how the military forces of Mudelior started to march outside the castle.

"Y-You okay?" nag-aalangang tanong ni Kreios.

Hindi ako sumagot sa kanya at lumingon lang ako kay Rosh. He looked so pale after giving me so much of his blood. "We will find her."

Nagsimula na akong maglakad habang nakasunod silang dalawa sa akin.

"Where?"

Magkasunod ko silang tiningnan ni Kreios, wala sa kanilang makapagsalita. Ipinagpatuloy ko ang paglalakad habang tanaw ang emperyong nagsisimula nang maalerto.

How that someone could enter the high security of Mudelior without even getting noticed?

"I think you have to talk with Zen, Claret. You and Zen are Divina's parents. In this problem, you should be together," sabi ni Rosh.

Tumigil ako sa paglalakad at hinarap ko ang malaking bintana. I pushed it forward to fill my lungs with air— a fresh scent of air as if nothing terrible had happened.

"Together? He never wants me to be involved." I said, exasperated.

I might be healed but my knees felt so weak. Ramdam ko pa rin ang pangangatal nito at maging ng aking mga braso, ngunit pilit kong pinatatatag ang sarili ko.

"I will find my daughter."

"Alone?" sabay na tanong nina Rosh at Kreios.

Hindi ko na sinagot sina Rosh at Kreios. Dinala ako ni Kreios sa ibang silid tulad ng nais ko at hinayaan ko ang sarili kong mag-isa roon.