Song of the Winter Solstice (Gauntlet Series 1)

Chapter 18-The Chase

With his scorching gaze, I break into a sweat. My heart pounds, and my hand begins to feel clammy against my bouncing knee. elves

I can feel my heart in my mouth. Earthen becomes as silent as the grave. Hindi pa rin ako tinatantanan ng mapang-usig niyang mga titig. Dinig ko ang paglangutngot ng mga naapakang tuyong dahon nang siya'y humakbang palapit. Napaatras ako at umiwas ng tingin.

The more that he's near me, mas lalo akong natutukso.

Tukso. The prime thing I should not allow myself to delve with.

"Tell me whose blood was that?" mariin niyang pag-uulit. Ilang pulgada na lang ang lapit ng mukha nito sa mukha ko.

I can smell his masculine scent. An addicting sexy sweat.

Napasinghap ako bago nakaisip ng idadahilan kay Kenru. He may kill me later on but he does not need to know about it. May kailangan pa akong dapat malaman mula sa masked flame wielder. Sa mismong kalaban.

"It's from a monster. I-I killed a m-monster along my way to the pax." Pagdadahilan ko without looking at him straight. Hindi pa rin nawawala ang kaba sa dibdib ko. I can feel that he knows the truth - that I am hiding something.

"Monster. That could be in any form, but yeah. Okay." He breathes out like he's trying to make me believe that he's convinced. I can sense that he's one of those elves who are not good at lying.

His statement makes me conclude that it's the proper time to make an exit. I am not so sure what's in him but everytime he's around, it's as if he takes control of everything--even my breathing.

Tumalikod ako at nagpasyang bumalik na sa base. Pero bago pa man ako makalayo'y naramdaman ko ang mga yapak nitong nakasunod sa akin.

Maingat akong naglakad sa pabalik habang siya nama'y nakabuntot sa akin. Hindi ko alam kung anong tumatakbo sa utak nito. Pero sigurado akong binabantayan nito ang bawat kilos ko. Kenru is not the type of guy who let anything suspicious pass, based on my observation.

Sabay-sabay na napalingon sa amin sina sir Borracho, Bonbon at Rouma nang makarating kami sa base. Tulog ang mga ito kaninang umalis ako. Mukhang may kakaibang kinikilos ang lahat. Kasalukuyang nagtatapon ng mga sanga ng kahoy si Bonbon habang nakamasid lang sa apoy si Rouma.

They all look trying to look relaxed. It's halt hour in the first place. We should all calm down and take a good rest. Siguro'y ito 'yong mga oras na dapat sinusulit ko rin. Dahil baka bukas ay katapusan ko na. Baka wala nang halt hour sa mga susunod na araw.

***

The wind is chilling. I can feel the chill penetrating the thick fiber of my woven blanket. I see my own breath as I open my eyes. Sa ilalim ng puno ng camphor tree ako natulog. Bumungad sa akin ang mga sanga ng evergreen na hinahampas ng malamig na hangin. Tuluyang nagising ang diwa ko nang mamataan ko ang presensya ni Kenru na nasa sanga ng puno kung saan ako nakahiga. Mulat na ito.

His gaze traces me quickly before he jumps and landed on the ground. His every move, even this early, is still divine. He's a royalty and his gestures don't deny that.

"Hunting time! Hunting! Hunting!" Malakas na pagak ng boses ni Bonbon. Parang isa itong batang tuwang-tuwa habang inuulit-ulit ang salita.

What does he mean hunting?

Tila nabasa naman ni Kenru ang tanong sa utak ko. Boluntaryo itong sumagot at nagpaliwanag, "Hunting time happens every after halt hour. It's a form of reinforcement."

Parang natandaan ko naman ang sinabi sa akin ni Prinsipe Killan. We will hunt monsters to awaken our skills for the battle. Wala sa sarili kong nasambit, "Killan mentioned me about hunting wild forces of Morse."