Map of the Blazing Hearth (Gazellian Series #8)

Chapter 24

Kung patay na ang babaeng tao, ano pa ang ginagawa rito ni Howl? Should we expect that he would still try to acquire that potion?

I know that he's wise, maybe right now he's already aware that we're still here because of our own reason.

Napahilamos na ako sa sarili ko. What should we do next? Nauwi sa wala ang una naming plano. Maybe a battalion of Attero's already waiting outside. Ilang beses na kaming nagkakatitigan ni Anna, at alam kong iisa rin ang iniisip namin.

Sinulyapan ko sina Tavion at Caleb, kapwa lang nakasandal ang mga iyon sa pader at tahimik din sumusulyap-sulyap sa amin ni Anna.

"She's his mate, right?" tanong ni Caleb kay Tavion.

"Of course, would he risk everything even his title for a fling?"

"Should we help him?" tanong muli ni Caleb.

"We can," Tavion glanced at Howl. 

"We can end his agony. He'll thank us," dumiretso na sa kanyang pagkakatayo si Caleb.

Nang tumayo na rin nang maayos si Tavion kasabay ni Caleb na nag-iinat na, mabilis na akong lumapit kay Tavion at itinulak siya pabalik sa pagsandal niya.

Hindi man nila tapusin ni Caleb ang usapan nila, alam ko ang ibig sabihin niyon. Most vampires have that way of ending someone's agony. Killing someone who has lost his/her mate.

Tumalim ang titig ko kay Tavion. "And what are you going to do?" tanong ko kahit alam ko na ang kasagutan.

"We will kill him. Tapos na ang paghihirap niya," Caleb casually said.

Nanlaki ang mga mata ni Anna. Of course, she's still new to this. Dahil taga Nemetio Spiran ako, hindi na ako bago sa ganitong paraan ng mga bampira.

"That's the easiest way to save him from pain," dagdag ni Tavion. Mas lalong dumiin ang titig ko sa kanya na sinagot niya naman ng ngisi. 

"Seriously?!" gulat na tanong ni Anna.

"Anna, anyone can kill me if this happens to me," sabi ni Caleb na nagpailing kay Anna.

"Me too," dagdag ni Tavion habang may mga seryosong mata sa akin. He tried to hold my hand but I moved it away.

"That's how vampire love works, Anna."

Marahas itinuro ni Anna si Howl. "But he is not a vampire! He is an Attero!"

"Don't you have any blood and heart oath? He probably made a promise or something to that woman?" sagot sa kanya ni Caleb.

"Then let him die on his own! Bakit kailangan ay kayo pang dalawa ang papatay?!" Anna looked stressed right now. Ito ang siyang pagkakaiba namin ni Anna, she could deal with argument like this. Habang ako, iniisip ko na lang na wala nang pag-asa sina Tavion at Caleb.

"Makabawi man lang. . ." mahinang sabi ni Tavion na mas nagpatalim sa titig ko sa kanya. Itinaas niya ang dalawa niyang kamay sa ere habang nakangisi sa akin. 

"Alright. I am sorry. Now what are we going to do? One of the reasons why we are here is because of the potion. To sum everything up, that crying guy manipulated us four to go into this dangerous mission. And when we were about to enter this place safely so we could leave safely as well, he sabotaged us. Aren't we supposed to do something about him after he finished crying?"

"Agreed!" dagdag ni Caleb na nakataas pa ang kamay.

Anna and I tried to stop Tavion and Caleb from approaching Howl, pero hindi rin sila nagpapigil.

Lalapit pa sana kami ni Anna nang marahas hinila nina Tavion at Caleb si Howl sa kanyang kinauupuan pero pinigilan na lang namin ang mga sarili namin. After all, they agreed na hindi naman nila papatayin si Howl.