Chapter 6: Foraging

                                    

                                          
Chapter 6: Foraging
                          
"What happened? You look panic-stricken."
                          
Ito ang bungad ni Anabeth nang makabalik ako sa apothecary. Hindi ko alam kung dahil ba ito sa maputlang mukha ko. Binaba ko ang mga biniling gamit sa sahig ng kwarto ko at binigay sa kanya ang pastry na nakalagay sa paper bag.
                          
"Sorry, nadurog ko ata," sabi ko nang mapansin na hindi na buo ang mga tart sa loob.
                          
"Seryoso, ano bang nangyari? May nang-away ba sa'yo?"
                          
Umiling ako. Actually, it was the opposite of it. I witnessed a fight between Zackary and Alexander. But it seems like it was no ordinary fight. Parang matagal na silang magkakilala and would usually do such thing out of spite for each other.
                          
Umupo ako sa bed at bumuntonghininga. Madilim na sa labas at noong una nagaalala ako na maparusahan pagdating ko sa apothecary. But then, Anabeth reminded me there was no such thing. Every decision I make from now on would reflect only to me. That kind of freedom was something powerful and unnerving.
                          
"Do you know someone called Alexander?" I asked, hesitant. Hindi ko parin alam kung saan ang limitasyon ng nga pwede kong malaman sa lugar na ito. The limitations were the first thing that was being given to me before a name. Pero sa Van Zanth, nangangapa parin ako kung saan lulugar.
                          
Tumigil siya sa pagkain ng tart, eyes slightly widen. Humarap siya sa'kin habang pareho kaming nakaupo sa higaan, feet dangling off the bed. "Oh..." It was a first time to hear a single word response from Anabeth. Dapat ba hindi ko ito tinanong?
                          
"Sorry," sabi ko agad.
                          
Bigla niya akong pinalo sa likod. "Ano ka ba! Nagulat lang ako nang slight kasi sobrang close niyang si Alexander kay Sir Zackary noon. Sabi ni Uncle Sebastian, he even expected him to be the next beta to the point of training him."
                          
Anabeth's lower lip pulled up into a frown. "Kaya nga sayang eh," she muttered. "Some time a year ago, things changed. Alexander's family was imprisoned in Fabrice kasi nakipagsabwatan sila sa mga taga-labas for human trafficking. In our case, hybrids."
                          
Bumuntonghininga siya. "Ang weird, no? Some decades ago people treat us as monsters to the point of hunting us. Now they hunt us for our skills."
                          
Natigilan ako sa sinabi niya. Trafficking. The word was a whiplash to me, ang dahilan kung bakit ako nandito ngayon. I was one of those people pulled from my hometown and sold from person to person for my skill. Para kaming mga laruan na kapag pinagsawaan o may nakitang mas pakikinabangan, ibebenta kami sa iba... that was what happened to me until I reached the ownership of Madame.
                          
"Eleanor?" tanong ni Anabeth nang makitang nag-space out ako. Pilit akong ngumiti to let her know I was listening. "Anyways, after the incident, the two drifted apart and left their friendship behind. Kaya ngayon, walang kino-consider na next beta."
                          
"Would that be okay?"
                          
Anabeth shrugged, nibbling the corner of the pastry in her hand. "If an alpha couldn't find a next in rank he could trust, I don't think people would take it easy. I mean being a beta isn't about wealth and power but trust."
                          
Nanatili si Anabeth sa kwarto ko habang kumakain ng tart. Nagd-dinner na ang karamihan ng staff sa baba kaya ayaw niya munang lumabas. Dahilan niya, baka hindi siya matunawan.
                          
"Did something happened at your foraging?"
                          
She swung her feet off the bed, munching. "It was kinda okay since the weather was good and I love the overall activity. But Senior Violeta was so nagging." Nagliwanag bigla ang mukha niya. "Let's be partners tomorrow!"