Chapter 2: Arrows
When I returned to my room, Casper was already waiting inside. He was sitting on his favorite chair, legs crossed and a book in his hand. He didn't even look at me as he continued flipping the pages.
I wiped the remaining blood with my thumb at the side of my lips and licked it before I sat across my twin.
"How was it?"
"He tastes good, but I taste better."
Casper's brow arched but he continued reading his book. I rolled my eyes. "Aren't you going to share your experience, Casper?"
"I don't have anything to share."
I huffed. "Come one, you've been visiting the human world."
He signed. He leaned his back on the wooden chair, and slightly closed his book but with his fingers between the pages and looked into my eyes. "What is your plan?"
I prodded my lips. Sumandal na rin ako at tumingala sa kisame.
"We're still facing a huge problem, Casper. Claret is still in the process of saving Zen from the curse, we are just trying to recover from the recent war, and Dastan is trying to stabilize his throne. Isn't it selfish for me to claim my mate and have my happy ending? Wala man lang ako inambag sa kahariang ito."
"You know that no one's going to think of you like that."
"Gusto kong may patunayan, Casper."
"You told him that?"
"I provoked him a little . . ."
"Hmm?"
I laughed. "I also didn't expect him to be an obedient mate, Casper. Nagawa niyang taguan ang lolo niya nang napakahabang panahon. I don't think he'd entertain the idea that he'd stay here in Sartorias with me while I prove myself as a princess. Dapat ay may patunayan din siya."
Huminga muli ng malalim si Casper. "Do whatever you want."
Ngumisi ako sa kanya. "I know."
***
I never felt Kreios's presence again after my encounter with him inside Zen's room. Claret tried to open a conversation about her brother, but I purposely avoided the topic like a wounded woman.
I noticed how curious and worried Claret was. I could even see her effort to find a way to speak with me alone, and when she finally had an opportunity, I tried to suppress my smirk when Casper rescued me as if he could read my mind.
"Harper . . ."
Nag-aalangan pang lumapit sa akin si Claret. I smiled at her. I was holding a small plate filled with cookies, grapes and cheese. Handa na sanang hawakan ni Claret ang isa kong kamay habang ang mga mata niya ay punong-puno ng pag-aalala sa akin nang biglang humarang ang mukha ni Casper sa pagitan namin.
Casper playfully tilted his head so that he could block our view.
"Ah . . ." he said in his emotionless face.
I picked a grape on my small plate and put it in his mouth. Tumuwid ng pagkakatayo si Casper at ngumuya siya sa gitna namin ni Claret. He was not meeting our eyes. He was just munching like a weird emotionless vampire.
I playfully tilted my head and smiled at Claret. "I'll go ahead."
Wala nang nagawa si Claret kundi ngumiti sa akin. "O-okay . . ."
Tumango sa kanya si Casper kay Claret bago sumunod sa akin. I offered him another grape, but this time he bent a little to reach my little fingers. "Thank you."
