A Happily Ever After

Chapter Seven

JESSA

I reached for the cold metal handle, twisted it, and opened the door. I take Navarro's wrist and drag him out of the corridor, closing the door behind him.

Wala akong ideya kung saang parte ba ang balcony na ito ng castle. Tanging madilim lamang na kakahuyan ang nasasakupan ng paningin ko sa ibaba, habang ang tanging nagbibigay ng liwanag ay ang kumikintab na buwan sa kalangitan. Malayo ring naririnig ang ingay at musika mula sa ballroom.

Hindi muna nagsalita si Navarro at tinignan lang ako. My heart thumps loudly against the walls of my chest while the wind howls coldly, rustling the trees.

"Ba't tayo andito?" Stefan finally asks.

"Privacy," I answer.

"Privacy from what?"

"Because we need to talk, okay? Ikaw ba talaga si Navarro? Bakit tayo nandito?"

"Okay okay, so first off, you need to calm down. Can you do that?" He first says. His hand hovers between us, his eyes coming down to my own hands which I didn't realise are shaking so hard. And there's a silent question that seems to speak from his gaze, a gentle seeking of a permission to hold me once again.

Kaya ko naman kumalma. Kaya ko na ito. Kaya ko na ito.

Pero lalo lamang tumindi ang nararamdaman ko, at doon ay hinawakan ako ng mainit na kamay ni Navarro at bahagya itong minasahe. "Oo ako si Stefan Navarro, at nasa loob ako ng katawan ni Allvais." His voice resonates deep into my bones. With the warmth of his hand on mine, my breath becomes steadier the more seconds pass by. He takes in a shaky breath. "At hindi ko alam ang mga nangyayari. Ang alam ko lang ay iyong ilaw sa libro mo."

"The light from the book!" I exclaim. "Nakita ko rin ang iba nating kagrupo na nilamon ng ilaw na iyon."

It seems like Navarro never realized that until now, for he pauses and his hand stops caressing my own. He looks at me with eyes shining with sudden anxiety. "Shit," bulalas niya bigla at napatingin nalang sa ibaba. "Shit. Oo nga."

"We have to find them," sabi ko at kumawala sa bisig niya. "Andito lang din sila, sa katawan ng ibang tao. Malamang hinahanap din nila tayo."

Umikot ako para buksan ulit ang pintuan at lumabas— nang biglang mahigipt na hinawakan ni Navarro ang isa kamay ko. Napalingon ako sa kanya.

"Teka teka lang, Rosales. Kumalma ka muna."

"Kalma? Navarro, wala akong rason para kumalma," sagot ko. "Nasa katawan tayo ng ibang tao, hindi natin alam kung saan tayo at hindi rin natin alam kung nasaan ang iba nating kasama! We need to get out of here!"

"Sige, nagegets naman kita. But you want to get out of here? How about your event? 'Yung pag-pili mo ng prinsipe?"

"What are you talking about?" I ask. "This is Princess Blaidrah's event. And I am not Blaidrah. I am Jessa. And you are not some sort of a royal! We don't belong here kaya aalis tayo rito!"

Kumuha muna si Navarro ng malalim na hininga bago sumagot. "Okay... so we'll escape? This is a castle, baka lang nakakalimutan mo." He says as if he's saying something that is hard to notice. "Guards are everywhere."

All of a sudden, an image flashes in my mind. I can see a narrow hallway made of bricks being lit up by a faint yellow glare from the ceiling. I can see the darkness from the far end of the hallway. I felt the warmth as though I was underneath the ground.

"I know a way," I said.

Navarro pauses and gives me a look. "What?"

"May alam ako," muli kong tugon. "A tunnel.. There are a series of tunnels...it's like a labyrinth, but beneath this castle. It was built for our escape route if there's an invader."