Death's Bride

11 ⊱ Illusion

Chapter Eleven
Illusion

Amari's P.O.V

I was struggling to retrieve myself as the unknown man wearing a white cape got closer to me. My heart beats as if it was chasing after somebody, and hell knows how badly I wanted to scream, scream his name so that he'll arrive to save me from this torture I was feeling.

"You.." He spoke in a heavy, but airy way like a whisper. Almost as if his mouth were just an inch away from my ear. "You really got the King wrapped around your fingers, don't you?" The chuckle after his words was nearly enough to make me wince.

I- I don't know who the fuck he is!  A tantrum combined with fear and frustration started inside my head instead. Ano bang kailangan nito sa akin? Sino ba sya? Kasama ba sya sa mga bisita? How come I didn't see him around the main hall?!

"Aren't you exhausted of ending up in the same way all the time?" Narinig ko ang mahinang pagbagsak ng isa sa kanyang mga tuhod malapit sa may aking uluhan. Ngunit kahit gano'n ay nahihirapan pa rin akong maaninag ang mukha nya dahil malabo na at namumuti ang aking paningin.

"Always in pain, tormented, and miserable.. when you did nothing?" Sinubukan kong pumiglas nang maramdaman ang isa sa mga daliri nya na dumadausdos sa aking pisngi.

Sino ba ang lalaking ito? Another tear slid off my cheek as I found it hard to open my eyes fully. What did I do? Ano ba ang kasalanan ko? What the hell does he want from me?!

Patuloy ang pamimigat ng aking mga mata, pero wala manlang akong magawa upang imulat ang mga ito, kahit pa aking gustuhin.

He tittered in a seemingly annoying way that made me flinch. "Although, don't worry, Amari. You're not alone."

He called me Amari? Kilala nya ako?

Iba ang dama na dinudulot ng kanyang napakalamig at napakabigat na presensya. At kahit nga'y 'di ko sya makita nang tuluyan ay ramdam na ramdam ko ang matiim at tila kutsilyong tingin nya sa akin.

"I felt that too," The hooded man uttered as his nails grazed my chin, piercing it until I felt my skin ache and turn red. I could tell it was scratched, and possibly about to bleed. Unti na lang kasi ay mapapangiwi na ako sa hapdi na dala ng kanyang mga kuko sa aking balat.

"It's just that I didn't have anyone to call for."

What does he mean?.. Bakit tila kilalang-kilala nya ako? Tila walang-katapusan ang mga tanong na lumalabas nalang sa aking isipan sa bawat pagsasalita ng lalaki. Hindi ko kasi maintindihan ang mga sinasabi nya sa akin, dahil ni apilyido nga nya ay wala akong kaalam-alam.

Sigurado rin ako na hindi ko pa sya nakikilala, namukaan, o kaya'y nakita noon. Since his voice, his aura, his posture, and everything about him felt new to me.

"You seem tired.. heavily.. exhaustedly tired," He emphasized. I got goosebumps after his hand caressed my hair. Daig pa ng lamig ng hangin at init ng tubig ang temperatura ng kamay nya. Sobrang lamig nito, aakalain mong gawa ang lalaking ito sa nyebe, na mas makakapagkamalan pa sya lalo dahil sa kanyang suot. "That venom must've made you nauseous. Too nauseous to even redeem yourself."

'Di ko naiwasang mapanunok nang maramdaman ang palad nya sa aking noo, at dahan-dahang bumababa hanggang sa masakop nito ang aking mga kilay.

"A scorpion's venom is known for it being poisonous, and a threat to the lives of insects," He paused, as well as his hands that aren't far from my struggling eyes. "Yet it isn't enough to kill a human being in an instant."