CHAPTER 11 - My Man
Malamig kong sabi. Clearly imitating Hestia.
My eyes locked with his. His gaze was empty, lifeless even.
Maybe I was foolish to think this man could ever be my ally.
He hated Hestia so much---enough to make the idea seem impossible.
He stared back at me with the same intensity.
I couldn't tell how many seconds had passed, but neither of us looked away.
From the corner of my eye, I saw Hunter quietly leave, leaving the two of us alone.
Pigil hininga ako ng biglang lumapit at tumungo papalapit si Adelion, kung kanina dalawang hakbang lang ang agwat namin, ngayon 3 or 2 inches na lang.
Lumapit sya papunta sa aking tenga. Ramdam ko ang kanyang mainit na hininga na tumatama sa aking balat.
Sabay kaming napatingin ni Adelion sa pamilyar na taong dumating.
Si.... Si Zayair?
Nanlaki ang mga mata ko.
He looked like a priest.
A devil in disguise. Tsk.
I was so happy when Wesley informed me that he was out on a mission, but his mission was here?!
In Obsidian Temple?
Zayair was about to talk but his brows furrowed when he saw Adelion. Then he looked at me.
It was so awkward... Nagpalitan kaming tatlo ng tingin. My face suddenly went red when I remembered something. Yeah, when I open my eyes, sila pareho ang una kong nakita sa mundong 'to... ng nakahubad. What a bad experience. I shake my head at the thought.
I felt a little left out while both of them were busy staring at each other.
Why am I staying still?
Shit. I need to run.
Dahan-dahan akong umatras bago tumalikod. Iniyuko ko ang ulo ko at bago patago akong naglakad ng walang tunog. Nakatatlong hakbang na ako, pero---"Your Highness" Napahinto ako sa paglakad ng bigla akong tawagin ni Zayair. Mariin akong napapikit at nagbuntong hininga.
Humarap ako ng dahan-dahan, pareho silang nakatingin sa akin. At hindi lang basta tingin, matalim! Tumikhim ako bago itinaas ang tingin kay Zayair. "What?" I tried my best to sound aloof. Good thing, hindi ako pumiyok.
Nangunot ang noo ni Zayair ng biglang lapitan ni Hestia ang lalaking kanyang nahuli.
"Curtis? He's that man? She replace me with that man?"
He thinks while glaring intensely at him, as his mood gradually drops.
Adelion remained expressionless as he stared at the princess who was giving her full attention to him.
Kaagad na tiningnan ni Hestia si Ace. Wala itong pakialam sa paligid at mukhang walang balak magpaliwanag.
"He didn't. I permit him to speak that way. He's not like you guys..."
paliwanag ng prinsesa habang minamasahe ang kanyang noo.
Ngunit parang mas lumala pa ang sitwasyon dahil bumakas sa mukha ni Zayair ang inis.
Si Hestia ang unang naglayo ng tingin dahil nababakas sa mukha ni Zayair na wala itong balak maglayo ng tingin. Hinarap ni Hestia si Curtis."Curtis! Call me! Not by names! With courtesy, please?" Hestia.
Natahimik lalo ang paligid. Parang lahat ay naghihintay na sabihin nya na nagbibiro lang sya, ngunit nanatili ang seryosong kuryosidad sa kanyang mukha, waring talagang nais malaman ang sagot.
Zayair and even Adelion were taken aback when Hestia bowed her head---a rare gesture that Hestia had never shown to anyone before.
Napangiwi si Hestia nang biglang lumuhod si Ace, isang tuhod na bumangga sa sahig.
Itinaas niya ang kanyang mata, ang mga mata nito'y tinitigan siya ng seryoso at walang emosyon, "Nyx symbolizes the night, while Hestia represents the Greek goddess of the hearth. Unique. A name that balances light and dark." He compliments.
Mas lalo pang nanlaki ang mga mata ni Hestia nang hawakan ni Ace ang kanyang kamay at hinalikan ang likod ng palad.
Kahit may bahid ng sarkasmo sa boses ng binata, hindi maiwasan ni Hestia ang manlambot ang tuhod dahil sa matamis na ngiti ng lalaki.She felt the heat on both her cheeks as she looked into his eyes.
Agad namang sinilip ni Hestia si Ace at tinanong. "Did you really..."
Nabalot ng katahimikan ang paligid. Hindi tinatanggal ni Zayair ang nanlilisik na mata sa direksyon ni Ace, na hindi mabasa basa ang ekspresyon.
Ngunit, nagbago ang lahat nang may maghawi ng espada gamit ang dalawang daliri.
Pinanood ni Adelion si Zayair na umalis, ang mata niyang nakatutok sa likod ng lalaki. Nakakuyom ang kanyang kamao habang malalim na pinagiisipan ang kanyang sinabi.
Kaagad kong tinakpan ang kanyang kamay upang itago ang asul na dyamante, hindi ko maiwasang kabahan sa pinaggagagawa ng lalaking 'to, mabilis ako na tumingin sa paligid para siguraduhin na walang nakatingin. "So kinuha mo nga?" tanong ko nang may halong sarkasmo nang maibalik ang tingin sa kanya.
Bigla niyang hinila ang kamay niya pataas, pero hindi ako bumitaw.
Sa lakas ng hatak niya, napabigla ako at napabunggo sa matigas niyang dibdib.
Isang pulgada. Isang pulgada ang layo namin.
I can feel my heart racing. Saglit kaming nagtitigan hanggang sa lumapit siya sa akin, halos maramdaman ko ang init ng hininga niya sa tainga ko.
Sinubukan kong umatras, ngunit bago ko pa magawa, mahigpit niyang hinawakan ang bewang ko gamit ang maugat at maskulado nyang braso, na may sapat na lakas para pigilan ako.
Tiningala ko sya, nakatitig siya sa akin, diretso, at seryoso.
"Because from the begin with, this magic stone was originally taken from our family."
What?
Magic Stone?
Just a piece of rock that can be used as communication?
! If a cellphone can do video calls, dito sa mundong 'to, yung Magic Stones naman ang ginagamit bilang communication tool.
It shows the LED screen of the other party, parang cellphone.
And as far as I know, ginagamit lang ito ng mga high-ranking na tao, like royalties.
Hindi alam kung bakit pero parang mali ata yung interpretation nya sa mga salitang lumabas sa bibig ko. Curtis cold expression gradually turns into an amusing smirk. He held strands of my hair, then slowly leaned over. Making our distance 2 cm apart from each other.
I just realized that he has this rugged yet undeniable charm that could easily belong to a character straight out of a romance novel.
His jet-black hair is just enough to frame his chiseled face. His sharp eyes were gold with a hint of red. His remarkable features are completed with a strong, well-defined jawline.
A faint tattoo peeks out from the edge of his half-buttoned shirt, which shows off his toned chest.
Around his neck rests the Binding Gorget, which sways gently with every calm breath he takes.
There's something about the way the Binding Gorget sits on him—it makes him even hotter, as if it enhances his presence.
Lihim kong kinagat ang aking labi. The fuck? I find him more hot with the collar? No, this is not me. It should be the Old Hestia. Yeah, it's her feelings! I'm not a pervert.
My attention snapped back to him as he spoke again.