Mnasthai (The Order #1)

Chapter Nineteen

This body should be mourned.

Iyong narinig kong sinabi ni Azrael. It doesn't take much to figure it out.

Matagal ko na itong naisip pero hindi ko masyadong pinagtuunan ng pansin. I already feel bad that I'm using someone else's body. Mas lalo lang akong magui-guilty kapag inisip ko na ninanakaw ko pa ang katawan ng taong wala na. She's already gone and no one is even mourning for her death because of me.

"I feel so guilty, Jakob," I confessed. "What if she can't get back because I'm in her body? What if it's my fault that she's..."

"Don't think that way," he gently said.

"What if she's really dead?" I whispered.

"Fabienne," he started. His soft voice felt like a warm sheet was wrapping over me. "We'll only frustrate ourselves if we worry about it when we clearly don't have the answers. Let's focus on finding the culprit and keeping you safe for now, okay?"

I nodded and forced a smile to assure him. "Okay."

Jakob walked me to my room before going to his own. Normally, I'd listen to the discussion and be a good student as a payment for staying in Kinsley's body but with all the endless questions buzzing inside my head, I can't even make myself pretend that I'm listening.

Ang dami kong gustong malaman. This time, it doesn't have to do with whoever tried to kill me. I want to know about Jakob's glowing eye. What is he? Because I know for sure that a mere mortal can't do that.

I want to find out more about the two entities that I heard. I wanted to know why I'm in Kinsley's body. Bakit hindi na lang ako ibalik sa dating katawan ko?

Lumipas ang mga oras na wala akong natutunan. I was halted from my mystical thoughts when I received a text message from Kinsley's friend. Sakto namang nag dismiss na ang professor namin sa harap.

Today 11:55AM

Pen:
Hey Kins, I'm here at the canteen. Sasabay ka mag lunch?

My mind quickly diverted to the murder case. I don't have a solid list of new suspects yet but I'm beginning to think that the killer might be someone who's close to Jasmeen or Kinsley.

The only solid clue I have so far is that the culprit is into instant camera and I can't ignore the fact that Pen owns one. Ever since I found out about the photos and the connection between Kinsley and Jasmeen's death, there's an uneasy feeling at the pit of my stomach whenever I'm around Pen. Lalo na nang makita ko ang instant camera niya matapos ko makita ang mga picture na itinago ni Kinsley sa laruan ni Nial.

Being around them is starting to give me the creeps but if one of them is the culprit then I have to act like everything's normal or it'd raise unwanted suspicions. Keep your friends close and your potential enemies closer and all.

At isa pa, wala rin naman akong makakasabay dahil ang sabi ni Jakob sa akin kanina ay may klase siya hanggang 1:30.

Madali kong nakita si Pen sa canteen. Nakaupo siya sa gitnang bahagi ng canteen. It doesn't bother her one bit that she's all alone. She's got earphones on and she was writing something on a notebook. If I'm right, that's her writing journal. Maqui was nowhere in sight. Hindi naman na ito bago dahil ayon sa kanya, his professor always dismisses their class on time.

Huminga muna ako nang malalim bago naglakad palapit. She was so wrapped in her own bubble that she didn't notice my arrival. Naalis lang ang atensyon niya sa ginagawa nang ilapag ko ang bag sa ibabaw ng lamesa.

Her eyebrows raised at the sight of me. She smiled and removed her earphones.

"You're here!" she happily stated.