Map of the Blazing Hearth (Gazellian Series #8)

Chapter 13

Chapter 13: Run

Suddenly those two big red lights that served as a threat for the Atteros who've been crossing this beastly world, brightened and brought another meaning to our eyes.

Not fear. Not threats or even deaths...

Those big bright red eyes became the light of an aisle- his path towards me. Tavion Lancelot Gazellian's silver-grayed hair gleamed with a mixture of red and brownish lights around him.

His every step was slow but confident. He didn't even try to glance at those Atteros at his sides. His igniting eyes were now blood red, straightly looking at me and lips with his usual wicked grin.

"I am a beast summoner. I can communicate with them. Tell me, why can't I tame a beautiful white werewolf?"

I only witnessed a few creatures that have the same ability. Some of them even have a specification. If King Dastan Lancelot Gazellian has his golden phoenix, Prince Rosh Alistair Le'Vamuievos with his pheromone to any animals (which he highly prefers beautiful and elegant animals), I never thought I'd experience witnessing another kind of summoner-someone who bravely tamed a beast from a foreign world.

Tavion Lancelot Gazellian didn't think twice to tame a beast-a beast that is neither beautiful nor elegant or even symbolic like a phoenix.

Ilang minuto sigurong natulala ang lahat kay Tavion at ang tanging naririnig namin ay ang muling pag-andar ng mahabang sasakyan at ang ingay ng malaking ulahipan na gumagapang sa tabi upang sundan ang kanyang amo.

Siguro'y napansin na ni Tavion ang pagkakagulat naming lahat, kaya ilang beses siyang napalingon sa paligid habang ang dalawang kamay niya'y nakapaywang.

"Everyone?"

Unang nakabawi ang babaeng siyang namumuno sa lahat. "Get back to your station!"

Agad naghiwa-hiwalay ang mga Attero at bumalik na nga sila sa kanilang mga posisyon, ang tanging natira'y ang babae, mabilis siyang yumuko sa harapa ni Tavion.

"Maraming salamat!"

Tavion simply waved his hand. "It's fine. This is part of my new job."

Dahil sa presensiya ng malaking ulahipan na nakasunod sa mahaba naming sasakyan, hindi na kami nagkaroon pa ng sunod na atake mula sa iba pang mga halimaw. Pumili na rin ako ng posisyon kung saan doon ako magbabantay ng posibleng atake, ngunit hindi rin nagtagal ang pag-iisa ko dahil tumabi na rin sa akin si Tavion.

He sat comfortably beside me as the train continued to move quickly. His silver-grayish hair, together with my thick white fur, was fluttering with the wind.

"We still have a long journey together, Iris."

"Of course. To travel ten worlds isn't easy," sagot ko sa aking isipan.

Siguro ay halos kalahating oras kaming tahimik at nakatitig lang sa kawalan bago ako muling nakarinig ng salita sa kanya.

"Do you want to hear a story?"

Mananatili pa sana akong nakatitig sa kadiliman- sa daang tinatahak ng kakaibang sasakayang pinuprotektahan namin, ngunit naagaw ang atensyon ko sa sinabi niya.

"Long ago, there's an ideal prince of an empire. He's the first prince and everyone's expecting him to be the next king."

Agad kong nakuha ang ikinukuwento niya sa akin. He's telling me his father's story! Everyone's already aware of this part of story, but what really happened after Prince Tiffon Gazellian vanished?

And to think that Tavion's a son of a nonmate. Does it mean that before Prince Tiffon had vanished... just like Danna and King Thaddeus...

"It's easy to predict what happened, Iris. Tiffon Gazellian met his mother first. He made a princess of an empire fall in love with him; he whispered all the sweet words, promises, and dreams that they would embrace together. But he never came back to her- to us."