Zaiyoz

Chapter 14

I didn’t notice or even expect that Bihlke would follow me behind the tree.

“Really, what’s that glowing thing?” she asked again.

I quickly turned around to put the black shirt on before I faced her again. I didn’t even notice the magical tattoo glow because my thoughts were reeling, and she saw it. “It was nothing. Maybe you just saw my badge. I wear it as a necklace.”

“Oh! Was it?” She looked thoughtful. I just hoped she hadn’t noticed the fake badge around my wrist.

“And why are you here? I’m supposed to have some privacy.”

“I wanted to see you change,” she replied, giggling.

She was bold, I gave her that. I just shook my head and began to walk back to my sleeping bag after putting my bloodstained shirt inside the bag.

I caught Bavid shaking his head at his twin sister while she just grinned naughtily. I sat down on my sleeping bag and faced her, pointing a finger at her when she was about to sit next to me.

“You. You keep your distance away from me.”

She pouted, which made me suddenly think her lips were kissable. I groaned inwardly. She was such a tease! I never met someone like her.

“You don’t even know my name, where I came from or what I do. I’m a thief, I do bad things, so stop coming near me!”

She sighed. It was a long one. Then she almost rolled her eyes, crossing her arms. “I already saw you half-naked, so you can’t tell me to just go away! You have to take responsibility for me.”

My jaw dropped. “What?” I couldn’t believe my ears. Did she really say those words to me?

I heard Bavid laugh, making me look in his direction, to my left and across the dancing fire. The insects chirped and the woods crackled as they were licked by the red-orange flames. I suddenly thought I was transported to another dimension.

Did Bavid really laugh?

Bihlke kneeled, facing me. We were just merely inches away from each other that I could very well scent her delicious smell of iris and blooming flowers. It was so good to sniff her scent but I just tried hard not to get closer to her while my hands tightly grabbed my sleeping bag. I shouldn’t be tempted even though I felt so good around her. Why should I? We barely knew each other for deities’ sakes!

“Why are you so mean and being antisocial?” She raised an eyebrow.

“I already told you my reasons. Didn’t my words register in your little brain?” I retorted.

Bavid cleared his throat but didn’t say anything. We just looked at him while he tried his best to be comfortable in his sleeping bag.

“And what about what I said, to keep your distance away from me?” I said, gently pushing her forehead away until she was forced to back away at least an arm’s length.

She pouted her beautiful lips as she crossed her legs, sitting and facing me again. She looked at me with curious eyes, like she wanted to read me but couldn’t.

I just gave her a frown, even though she looked so lovely right now. Her exposed skin glowed against the flames and her orange pixie hair looked fiery, making her look ethereal. Ah, she was indeed breathtaking!

“Where are you going by the way?” she asked, in a conversational tone.

I lay down instead of answering her, facing the fire that was just a meter away from me. I could hear her shift because of the leaves she was seating on. When I looked over my shoulder, she was already seated next to me, watching my face. Our eyes met and held.

“You may not trust me or my twin brother but we’re not bad people,” she began, with a serious tone again. There was nothing playful about it or her words. Let alone her eyes. “I can feel that you’re all alone and you’re running away from something. Believe me, it’s not good to be alone. You need someone. I promise you’ll have me and my brother around if you ever need us.”

“Why are you saying that for me?” Bavid chimed in with a huff. “Besides, we’re looking for someone, remember? We’re not going to stick by that stranger’s side!”

Bihlke took no notice of him. Her pretty eyes still lingered on my face, like she wanted to memorize each feature starting from my man bun going down to my not-so-wide forehead, my perfectly sculpted eyebrows, my silver eyes, my nose and lastly my pinkish lips. I could feel my throat suddenly going dry. That’s weird. I just drank water not too long ago.

The silence between us was only disturbed by unknown beasts that were munching on the carcasses of the fagoor pack. Some growled angrily, maybe because they competed for the same cadaver and didn’t want to share.

“We’re from Ar’modha, the town north of the empire’s palace,” she said.

I just nodded slightly. I knew that town but I’d never been there. And that meant she wasn’t too far away from where I originally lived.

“What about you?”

“Around there,” I said, not lying to her.

“Ah!” She looked happy enough to know that. “Hey, should I give you a name instead since you don’t want me to know it?”

I was afraid she might have heard of my name if I told her. And I didn’t want her or her brother to know who I really am. I supposed that would change things drastically if they learned my real identity. Something in me didn’t want that. I just wanted her to act as she is, just like now and not formal like others do when they faced the royal member of the empire.

I didn’t answer her.

“I should call you… um…” Her eyes looked up the starry skies. We could see the stars glitter as it was moonless. Her face looked dreamy; so was her smile. And that took my breath away. “Zeta,” she said slowly. Then she looked at me happily. “Zeta! That’s it! You want to know why?”

“I guess it doesn’t mean something good if it’s coming from you,” I answered nonchalantly.

She ignored what I said. “It means you’re different among other stereotype guys I’ve ever met. And you’ll be the last male I’ll be associated with, meaning that you’re now my man.”

Bavid coughed up upon hearing it while I was speechless. I could only stare at her excited face. She got up and took her sleeping bag that her brother put next to his. She brought it with her to fix it next to mine, making my mouth gape open.

“What are you doing?”

“Sleeping next to my future husband, of course!” she said.

I blinked fast when she lay down next to me, grinning happily. She pointed a finger to the skies, making my eyes follow the direction of it. “Look, the stars are so beautiful tonight, don’t you agree?”

I had no words for disagreement because it was true. We saw a passing comet, and I was even more baffled by her boldness when she suddenly sneaked her right hand inside my shirt. I was frozen like a popsicle. I couldn’t even move even if I wanted to.

Her warm palm rested on my bare smooth chest, with my heart beating fast underneath. I thought the air was driven out of my lungs in that very moment that my eyes slowly went to meet hers before she smiled at me widely and closed her eyes.

“They say if a girl wishes on a passing comet with her hand right on her future husband’s chest, all those wishes will come true.” Her voice was a mere whisper.

I was beyond perplexed! But I couldn’t help myself but just stare at her while she made her wishes. And that was plural. I wondered what she could wish, in plural, in just a matter of seconds while the comet was passing by speedily.

Her eyes were still closed even after five or ten minutes.

“She’s asleep finally,” Bavid murmured. He turned his back to the fire and obviously prepared to sleep now.

What? She’s asleep? Already? I could not believe what he just said.

I slowly breathed and looked at Bihlke’s resting face. I guess Bavid was right. And why didn’t he pull or drag his sister away from me, from a stranger? Why did he let her lie down and sleep next to me? I guess she was not the only one who’s weird here but also her twin brother. Now there was no question, they were indeed brother and sister.

And even if I wanted her to keep her distance away from me, I could not just push her away and disturb her sleep, could I? I was not that too mean when people are asleep.

As much as I wanted to take her hand off me, it wasn’t easy without disturbing her sleep. I could only sigh and let her hand rest on my chest. But sleep evaded me for a long time. I thought it was a couple hours that passed by and I just stared at her sleeping face. She was really beautiful. Her soft breathing was so good to hear. It was… peaceful. And I didn’t hear Karommu bringing any other voices in my ears at the moment. My wind seemed to respect this moment with her and it was really curious.

I listened to her breathing, mixed with the beasts snarling at each other and their chomping of the cadavers not far away from us. But indeed, Bavid’s potion worked as none of them attempted to cross our territory. I guess I was lucky to have these twins with me after all. Was this fate that I met them? Must I keep them with me, by my side then? Wouldn’t they be a hindrance to my personal errand given by my father, the emperor?

My eyes began to feel heavy that I closed them, not knowing the answers to my questions. But I guess it was the most peaceful night I ever had since I left the palace. It was really odd.