Nefarious

Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Mirror

Sa ilang araw na pamimigay ko ng mga tinapay at kung anu-ano pang mga pagkain sa Legada ay hindi pa rin sapat. Mas lalong lumala ang sitwasyon.

"Gianna! Anong ginagawa mo?! Bakit mo kinakausap ang babaeng iyan?!"

Parehas kaming napalingon ni Gianna sa pinanggalingan ng boses. Laglag ang panga ng aking kaibigan. Sinubukan man nitong itago ang pan de unan ay hindi pa rin nakatakas sa mapangmatyag at mapanghusgang mga mata ng kaniyang ina.

"Ikaw talagang bata ka! Hindi ba't sinabi ko na sa'yong huwag na huwag ka nang sasama sa babaeng ito? Hindi ka talaga nagtatanda!"

Umiling si Gianna sa akin bago yumuko. Dinuro naman ako ng matanda nang makuha na ulit sa puder ang anak.

"Hoy! Ikaw! Nilalason mo ang utak ng anak ko kaya sama nang sama! Demonyo ka talaga!" sigaw nito.

Sa halip na sagutin ang ale ay pinili ko na lang manahimik. Mukhang wala itong uurungan dahil sa pumuputok na litid ng leeg. Minabuti kong huwag na lang sumagot para walang eskandalo at para kay Gianna na hindi man lang makaimik.

Umiling ito sa akin, nakabara ang takot sa mga mata na nagmistulang busal sa bibig.

"Hindi ka nakakatulong! Lumayas ka na lang!" sigaw ng matanda bagon hilahin si Gianna paalis.

Ilang oras pa sa aking pinagtatambayan ay minabuti ko nang umuwi. Hindi pa man lumulubog ang araw ay nagtungo na ako kaagad sa gubat. Parang hindi lamang ako ang naging pamilyar na sa lalakarang daan tuwing sinisisid ang kagubatan dahil para ito rin ay sanay na sa aking presensiya tuwing dapit-hapon o hatinggabi.

The forest was humming, the dark breeze caressing my face and the branches of the tall trees bending low as a greeting. My footsteps grazed the rotting soil, feeling the vibrations under the naked earth. I reached the forest in sundown. The green tree tops and playful hills disappeared on the purple, pink, and orange streaks hovering above the castle and beneath the mountain tops. The large estate bathed in the warm yet soothing afterglow of the sun setting, the haunted territory turning into the meadow of the gods in a split second.

As the sun went down, the white sky flipped into the real darkness. Wolves howled in the distance as the crimson orbs in the cave glowed.

"Magandang binibi! Naghihintay na ang meryenda mo!" bungad ni Alejandro.

"Pizza! Ang isang pagkaing wala sa listahan ng pangangailangan at hindi masustansiya ngunit gustong-gusto ng mga tao! Ang pizza!" dagdag pa niya.

"Really. It's just pizza." Tumango ako rito.

Excited na excited siyang magkwento tungkol sa kung anu-ano ba ang health benefits ng pizza na maaaring hindi alam ng mga nakakarami. Recently though, I taught Alejandro how to use the internet even though he needed to go to the highest tower just to get a signal. The first thing he found wasn't sss, thank the heavens, but a food blog. And now he wanted to cook the classic Italian dish.

What I noticed about the great hall as we walked were the underlying number of servants flooding the whole floor, now squeaky clean because of the many pair of hands scrubbing it rather harshly. There were house helps manning the walls, others brushing the heavy drapes, and some were even cleaning the floor-to-ceiling window from the outside. Even as we passed the flight of stairs, a bunch of maids were tidying the tapestries like it was a sacred obelisk.

"Why is everyone here? What's going on?" I asked Alejandro, my eyes landing on a particular tapestry.

"Naglilinis, magandang binibi. Ikaw ba ay hindi naglilinis ng bahay buwan-buwan?"

Napanguso ako at hindi na lang sumagot.

We were already nearing the tapestry hanging near the collection of shed Konstantine was so proud of. The intricate threads of golden brown and rich coffee now looked like a photograph from the early era. Stains of black patch inhibited the rectangular space making it look like it was framed in a sepia tone.

"Kamukha ni Mayor Benjamin." Tumagilid ang ulo ko. "Si Mayor Ben ba ito, Alejandro?"

Parehas kaming napahinto sa maluwang na pasilyo kung saan ang pulang carpet ay nilalatagan ang buong palapag. Mas mahaba pa yata sa buhok ni Rapunzel ang carpet ng buong kastilyo.

"Ah! Ang butihing alkalde ng Legada! Si Mayor Benjamino nga!"

There were seven men included in the tapestry, one of it was Konstantin and the other one was Mayor Ben. Sa kanilang likuran ay ang ilang ektaryang lupain, ang pamilyar na nakahigang higante ay tulog pa rin mula noon hanggang ngayon. Ang diperensiya lang ay wala pang masyadong nakatayong mga bahay at shop noon hindi katulad ngayon.

"Legada de la Reina," was what's written on the signage nearby the seven men.

Tailcoats, hats, and tailored slacks were their common denominator but even then, Konstantine stood out. His natural expression consisted of his slightly raised brow and the arrogant curve of his lips. The way his chest was slightly puffing when he looked so relaxed spoke like he demanded attention and was easily considered as the most important person in the room.

"It's not Benjamino, Alejandro. Just Benjamin." I corrected.

"Benjamino? Benjamin? Ah!" Pinitik ni Alejandro ang kaniyang mga daliri sabay duro sa larawang gawa sa sinulid.

He sure looked like Mayor Benjamin but I was having doubts as I looked closer.

"Ito ang kamahalang Konstantine Crinamorte kasama si Benjamin Salazar I, ang ama ng ama ni Benjamin Salazar III na siyang tumatayong alkalde ng Legada ngayon."

I wanted to laugh at Alejandro and tell him how absurd what he's talking about. That man couldn't be the Mayor Ben that helped me settle here in Legada at first but would now burn my house given the perfect opportunity. He simply wasn't because otherwise, the Konstantine who owned this castle and had practically lived inside here in all his life would be nothing but an ash. The time difference would melt his skeleton like butter. Konstantine was an easy dead man.

But he did say that he was one of the founders of Legada and even named the entire place.

"Celeste Ambrosia!" Alejandro's voiced boomed from the great library.

Like the usual times if Konstantine wasn't busy in his journals, he was usually standing by the window and looking outside through the little cracks the large drapes were able to give. Alejandro was out even before the master of the place could turn around and face me.

Konstantine stood by the large windows and flung the curtains open instead of greeting me. There were no harsh rays of the sun nor the blinding clear blue sky for only the dark horizon ruled the night. The courtyard down below looked like a haunted garden, the bed of roses and pine trees manning the walls where young, foolish lovers were supposed to meet halfway and confess their love through a ballad. Gargoyles puked waters instead of war angels bathing in the fountain.

Only then did Konstantine face me.

"My lady," he greeted with a light bow.

He rose to his full height again, easily hovering above me. The amusement in his eyes was not one to further humor because it's the deadly kind. Konstantine circled me like a predator, his cape creating ruffling noises.

"What is causing this pretty face to frown at me for quite some time now? Hmm?"

Kaagad kong diniretso ang mukha dahil hindi na namalayang kunot-noo pa rin nang pumasok.

I thought about the picture earlier and the little yet so large detail about him that supported what I had in mind. I looked away instead. "Nothing."

"That's strange," he muttered.

He stopped behind me, lingering for a moment there before finally appearing in front of me.

Bawat iwas ko ng tingin ay ang pagbaling ng kaniyang mukha dahil sa pagsunod sa akin. It was like a game. Konstantine, with all his patience, played. Tiningala ko ito at napakurap. He sighed.

"Will you please enlighten me, Celeste?"

Napanguso ako. Sumingkit ang mga mata nito.

"That's a no, then. Okay..." He groaned.

I stood silent for a couple of minutes with Konstantine seeming to enjoy himself as he watched me.

"I am beginning to worry about your adventures at day, Celeste. I heard what happened earlier at the town. And yes, I am worrying about the day more than the night for you. You seem to like strolling around my forest, yes?"

Dahan-dahan akong tumango. Sa kaunting reaksyon ko ay kumurba ang gilid ng kaniyang mga labi.

"You want to talk now? Or is it still a no?"

"Okay..." Napanguso ako.

"Okay," he repeated, smiling.

Konstantine walked ahead. I followed his precise strides while hearing its echoes jumping from walls to ceilings. He always had a steady stance. Firm yet smooth that's why he perfectly blends in the shadows. Always so noble like highborn but the grit in position was also unmistakable. He moved like a panther.

Like our usual nights, he pulled out a chair for himself and sat. Napataas ang aking kilay at nanatiling nakatayo. I almost didn't catch the glint in his eyes but it was too late when I noticed it. Lumalapit na ang kaniyang kamay, dumadampi sa aking bewang para dahan-dahan akong hilahin papalapit.

"I like this..." he whispered, his palms tracing my sides.

I tried to hide my face but he pulled me closer and closer. His hands were large but he was pulling me so gently that I was the one who was pulling him more. My eyelids felt heavy.

"I... like this... very much so..." he whispered again as I sat on his lap.

Pilit kong nilalayo ang mukha dahil nararamdaman ang kaniyang paghinga. Nang hindi nagtagumpay ay ginawa ko na lang ang natatanging solusyon na hindi naman gumagana. Binaon ko ang mukha sa kaniyang dibdib.

"And this too..." His nose sniffed my hair.

Mas lalo lang akong nagtago sa kaniyang mga tingin. Nanginig ang kaniyang dibdib sa bahagyang paghalakhak.

"And you... I like you very much, Celeste..." His voice was hoarse on my ear.

My head rested on his chest as I listened to his murmurs. It was not any other language I heard before but it was beautiful. His deep voice was adding to the weight of my head, my fingers coming up to play with the ends of his dark locks. I almost closed my eyes to his dark whispers but I caught the reflection of myself on a big window.

The moon was shining brightly against the sea of darkness. My reflection stared back at me, eyes asking in bewilderment as to why was she the only one trapped inside the glass.

"Konstantine?" I called.