Taming the Darkness (Series 3)

CHAPTER TEN

"BILLIUS!" Tawag ni Zenaia sa lalaki nang hindi inaalis ang tingin sa marka ng walang-malay na babae. "Billius!"

Hindi nagtagal ay muling bumukas ang pintuan ng kotse.

"What? What's going on?"

"Look! Look at her neck!"

Agad itong lumapit at yumuko. Bahagyang napaatras sa kinauupuan si Zenaia dahil sa sobrang lapit ng mukha ng lalaki.

"What is it?"

"Here. She has the mark."

"What mark?" takang tanong ni Billius.

"Ito, oh! This girl has the sin's brand!"

Biglang nagtaas ng tingin si Billius. Napigil niya ang hininga. Sobrang lapit talaga nito.

"Hindi mo ba nakikita? Ito, o. Kulay green!"

Muling tumingin si Billius sa parteng itinuturo ni Zenaia. She suddenly felt confused.

Can't he see it?

"It's right here," muli niyang itinuro ang marka gamit ang daliri sa bandang ibaba ng tainga ng babae.

She gasped when her skin made contact with the mark and pulled her hand away, wincing in pain. Nanlalaki ang mga mata niya.

"What? Why? What's wrong?" Alalang tanong ni Billius.

"Napaso ako," sagot niya, hindi pa rin inaalis ang tingin sa marka. Hindi siya makapaniwala. Literal na napaso talaga siya.

He grabbed her forefinger that she was clutching and gaze at it. Medyo namumula ang daliri niya. He then looked back at the woman, and there he stopped, his eyes shifting to black.

Zenaia felt uneasy. She's still not used to seeing his eyes becoming like that.

"I can see it now. It's indeed the sin's brand."

"Hindi mo makita kanina?"

Muli siyang tiningnan ni Billius. Seryoso ang anyo nito. "No one can see it, unless the owner wants us to see it."

Nanlalaki ang mga mata ni Zenaia nang dahil doon. Unti-unti siyang napaatras at lumayo sa babae.

"Did you mean..."

"She's unconscious. Maybe she can't control it on her own."

Nakahinga siya nang maluwag. Ang akala niya ay sinadya nitong ipakita sa kaniya ang marka pero hindi kay Billius.

"Pero bakit ako napaso?"

"Maybe it's part of her defensive spell."

"Wow."

Defensive spell....

"Bumalik ka na sa upuan mo. We're going to my place."

"Hindi ba muna natin siya dadalhin sa ospital?" tanong niya habang bumabalik sa passenger's seat.

Billius followed after. He started the car.

"I already reported about what happened to the authorities. They will investigate the accident."

"But what about her."

He gazed into her eyes. "She'll have to stay with us."

Nagmaneho na ito papalayo roon.

"What do you think happened? Saka, normal ba na maaksidente ang isang katulad niya?"

"We'll have to find out. Hindi pa ako sigurado. But according to the prophecy, the seven deadly sins were reborn. At hindi ko sigurado kung bilang isang ordinaryong tao o isa sa mga non-humans na kagaya namin."