Night of Waterfalls (Venom Series #2)

Chapter 35

Chapter 35: Date

"I love you! And it hurts that as time goes on, I am starting to realize that you've made this to yourself— that the love I felt from you was forced . . . it kills me that you look at me with those eyes filled with fear, you were trembling beneath my touch . . . and I can't do anything. I can't let go yet, love . . . please."

His green eyes mellowed as he looked at me and mentioned the word love.

I tried to open my mouth, but I closed it again. I took a step back and then Tobias looked away. I couldn't muster myself to utter a single word because every time that I tried to speak to him, every time that we were alone— it wasn't just the tension between us, the awkwardness, and even the invisible gap pushing between us, but the fear that I'd tell him something that I shouldn't have.

Hindi ko alam kung gaano na kalalim ang pinagsamahan namin ni Tobias at kung dapat ba akong maniwala sa lahat ng naririnig ko sa mga nilalang na nasa paligid ko, ngunit kung totoo ang sinasabi ni Rosh at ngayon ni Tobias, isang katanungan lang ang umiikot sa isip ko.

Bakit? Bakit pinili kong maging si Tobias ay kalimutan ko?

"T-two months, yes . . ."

Mariin siyang pumikit bago huminga nang malalim. Tumanaw siya sa palasyo na tila magagawa niyon tawagan ang kahit sino para palitan siya.

"I'll call Rosh to accompany you."

Nang tumalikod na si Tobias, hindi ko na napansin ang sarili ko nang humakbang na ako at hawakan ang kasuotan niya. "No . . ."

Tumingin siya roon sa kamay ko na nakahawak sa mahaba niyang kasuotan, yumuko ako at ibinaba ko ang aking kamay.

"I think you're more comfortable with him. You're afraid of me."

I gulped, tilted my head up, and looked straight at his face. I'd not deny that I happened to feel sacred about him, but it was more of an awkwardness between us. Paano ko pakikiharapan ang lalaking sinasabing mahal ako? That I was his wife, and I was a victim of a curse. Na nagmamahalan kami ngunit hindi ko maalala?

My first instinct was to protect and distance myself because I realized that someone wanted to hurt me which caused me to forget everything. Dapat ba akong agad magtiwala? At kung tama naman ang sinabi sa akin ni Rosh, at ngayon ni Tobias, hindi ba dapat akong higit na maging maingat? Because why would I choose to forget the love of my life?

"I am just trying to protect myself."

"F-from whom? Me—" muling umiling si Tobias. "I'll call Rosh."

Mas dumiin ang kamay ko sa kasuotan niya. "You are my husband, right? Are you comfortable that your sick wife is always with your brother?"

"If you feel safer with him, then yes."

"I want to look around," pagbabago ko ng usapan.

Now that the priestesses helped me to regain my strength again, maybe a little bit of walking outside the castle might help me to remember again. "Siguro naman ay marami akong maaalala sa labas ng palasyo. Maybe we spent more of our time together here?"

Buong akala ko ay isa iyong magandang ideya, ngunit nakita ko sa reaksyon ni Tobias na tila hindi iyon maganda. "We never had an experience outside the palace. Now I regretted it."

"Oh . . ."

Nagsimula na akong muling maglakad. Bumuntonghininga muli si Tobias, tumanaw saglit sa palasyo bago sumabay sa aking paglalakad.

Tobias kept our distance again. He clasped both of his hands behind his back as if he were restraining himself to touch me while he was watching me.

"Kung ganoon ay saan ako madalas naroon?"