Hidden Bite (Book 3 of Bite Trilogy)

Chapter 18

Dedicated to Gladys De Chavez

Chapter 18: Cursed

Rosh, Seth, and I left the Empire of Parsua Sartorias after King Dastan and Queen Leticia issued us their traditional blessing to every group who would have their journey.

Everything was so quick that all I just remember was how we mounted our horses and sped fast to leave the palace's gate. There were no conversations between us, but a deafening silence until we reached the border of Sartorias. Rosh, Blair, and Seth respected it and allowed me to move ahead of them at a quite far distance.

My thought was filled with Divina and Claret as the chill of the evening breeze embraced us with the familiar earthy scent after the rain. The damp grasses on either side of the street were glistening with droplets of water, and our only source of light was from the windows of small houses illuminated as we passed by.

I heaved a deep sigh.

Queen Leticia might have given me information that Claret wouldn't be alone, and the two daughters of Goddess Eda would be willing to extend their help, but I still couldn't help but worry.

Paano kung tanggihan niya rin ang dalawang ito gaya ng pagtanggi niya kina Rosh, Seth at Blair? I've inflicted her too much pain and mistrust, that even these three princes that she used to have a journey with gave her hesitation.

I shook my head.

"Zen."

I was too occupied with my own thoughts that I didn't notice how Rosh managed to gallop his horse beside mine.

Hindi ako nagsalita at saglit lang akong lumingon sa kanya.

"You're the same as her, Zen. Halos hindi na rin namin makausap si Claret. I know that it's hard for you, but you heard Leticia. Claret's with her own company."

"S-She declined you because—" Rosh cut me off.

"She wants us to work with you, Zen. She's worried about you."

Muli na akong napalingon sa kanya. "Her?"

"She's still your mate. Well, we can always receive a couple of knives, daggers or even swords from our mate, right? As long as she doesn't replace me with someone else, I'll survive the heartache," and then he laughed.

I grimaced. "Are you suggesting that it's fine to be a battered husband?"

"Well, you deserved that cut, aren't you? It's fine to accept that kind of hatred sometimes, but if you turned it as always then that's going to be a problem." He laughed again.

Rosh laughter served as an invitation for Seth and Blair to join us.

"Tobias wants to join this journey as well, but his mirror has been acting strange lately," sabi ni Rosh na nagpalingon muli sa akin. Kung nasa akin ang atensyon kanina nina Seth at Blair, ngayon ay na kay Rosh na muli.

"He's the next one, right?" tanong ni Seth.

"I think so," tipid na sagot ni Rosh.

Nagpatuloy kami sa pangangabayong tatlo at muling namayani ang katahimikan pero ramdam ko na halinhinan sa pagsulyap sa akin ang tatlo.

"Do you think that you'll do better when we already face an ambush or unexpected enemy?" tanong ni Rosh.

Tumango ako.

"I know that it's reasonable for you to be absentminded, with your daughter and Claret's situation, but I don't think we'd be successful with your state right now, Zen," paliwanag ni Seth.