Hidden Bite (Book 3 of Bite Trilogy)

Chapter 69

Chapter 69: Questions

Zen and I were sitting by the riverbank. We had that casual conversation about Kezalli and Tobias, and how we understood them as someone who had the same experience, but when I felt how my fangs arched and Zen moved a little, now with his glowing eyes, I knew that we were about to have our own feast.

But the sudden noise behind our back made us jump on our seats and look casually behind us.

"Divina, my adorable little one," Zen said as he opened his arms for his daughter.

"Mama! Papa! I was looking for you!"

Halos tumakbo na sa amin si Divina. Ikinalong na siya ni Zen at humalik na ako sa pisngi niya. "You told me that you had a lot of adventure. How was it? Did you learn a lot?"

She smiled at me. "Yes! And I think I grew stronger!"

"Of course, because you are my daughter."

"But I want a little brother, Papa!"

"Urgh. . ."

Malinaw na malinaw sa aking mga mata ang ngiwi ni Zen sa sinabing iyon ni Divina. I saw how Divina pouted her lips and she's about to cry again. Agad kong hinawakan ang braso ni Zen at mariin iyong pinisil.

"Of course, you will have your little brother soon. And he will look like you."

"Cute?"

She cupped her face with her wide smile. "Of course."

"A lot of creatures have been telling me that I look like Papa. Is my baby brother will look like Papa, too? So, we're all cute?" I laughed.

"Huh? I am not cute. You have a handsome father."

"It's okay to be cute, Papa! Sabi ni Kezalli because I am cute she will give Mama a loan. See? Loan must be a gift!"

Mas lalo akong tumawa.

"Huh? What is loan?" nagtatakang tumingin sa akin si Zen.

"And we have to talk Papa! We need to have a serious talk, just between a father and a daughter," taas noong sabi ni Divina.

Kapwa sila lumingon sa aking dalawa na parang hinihintay nilang maintindihan ko ang gusto nilang mangyari.

Why do I have this feeling that this is just their reunion? Kung sabagay, kahit nang nasa palasyo pa lang kami ay halos hindi na rin maghiwalay ang mag-ama kung hindi lang nakikipaglaro si Divina kina Dawn at Dusk, o kaya kay Levi at Haring Dastan.

"Sure. But I want to come back. I don't want to sleep yet."

Tumayo na ako. Nakangiting kumaway sa akin si Divina at si Zen na biglang inilabas ang dila sa akin. Ngumiwi ako dahil mag-ama talaga sila ni Divina, hindi lang sa mukha kundi sa ugali.

Tipid na akong naglakad pabalik sa posisyon namin kanina nang pigilan ko ang sarili ko. I know that Zen's aware that I was still near them, and listening but he continued his conversation with our daughter.

I heard how Divina moved away from her father, how she tried to remove the crumpled part of her dress, and the way she placed her hands on her waist. Her every gesture even with its sound could make an image inside my mind—after all, I am her mother.

"Papa, you have to apologize to me. Divina heard a story and I should get mad about it."

Sumandal na ako sa isang puno, pinagkrus ang mga braso ko at tumanaw ako sa kaunting espasyo ng kalangitan na nakikita ko dahil sa nakaharang na nagtatayugang puno sa paligid.

Akala ko ay makikipagbiruan si Zen sa sinabing iyon ni Divina, pero alam kong alam namin sa isa't isa kung ano ang tinutukoy ng aming anak.

Divina is a small child. And now that she spent her time not just in the human world where she met her grandfather, she also happened to spend her time with Cyanara— the woman who doesn't want to meet me.