Blood Secrets

Divine Intervetion

The graveyard air tasted dull and bitter. She had always found it dreadful but it felt especially dreadful tonight. Isabela strode down the narrow path and by the time she reached the altar, Benilda, Krausus, and Corazon were already there, waiting for her. Do they know where she has been?

"Where have you been?" tanong ni Corazon sa kanya. Her voice was cool and unimpressed but she knows them enough that Isabela knew Corazon is as sharp as a new dagger. Kaya naman kailangan niyang maging maingat sa maaari niyang isagot. And she realized the only way is to tell them the truth. Well, half the truth.

"I've been to the Sylvaines," she said. Corazon's sharp eyes looked at her. Nagpapasalamat nalang siya at hindi niya naabutan nang buhay si Corazon.

Bago pa man ito makapagsalita, agad na siyang nagpaliwanag. "Penelope wanted the rest of the Sylvaine blood. The only way for me to get is to be there and convince them I am on their side."

Nakita niyang napangisi si Krausus sa sinabi niya.

"And did you have their blood?" tanong naman ni Benilda. "The coven of three are going to perform the ritual tomorrow at full moon."

Kinuha niya ang dalawang bote sa kanyang bulsa at ipinakita iyon sa tatlo. "I have them. Kinailangan ko silang paniwalain na tumutulong ako sa kanila. I told them I could counter the spell if I have their blood."

The lie was too convenient and just as she guessed, Corazon was eyeing her suspiciously. Damned old hag. Can't they just believe her for what she says?

"The Sylvaines are not that easy, girl. I have seen them and I have witnessed how cunning they are. Tell us what exactly did you do to get this blood."

"Can't you just accept that I am charming enough to convince them?"

Her three ancestors gave her a blank look. She sighed. "Alright. I linked my life to the girl. I will unlink myself before the ritual but they mistook it as my resolve that I am on their side. If the girl dies, I die too so they thought I would do everything in my power to stop her from dying. I found out that Lorcan cares for this girl too. So he convinced his siblings to get the blood."

There were other ancestors who are on her side ngunit hindi pa ito nagpapakita dahil sa tatlong ito na kaharap niya. She just prayed that the other ancestors will not breathe word to the three in front of her.

Napatingin siya sa gawi ni Corazon at nakita niyang kumbinsido ba ito sa kasinungalingan niya. Krausus was beaming and she couldnt read the expression on Benilda's face.

She knew she have to get out of there as fast as she could dahil alam niyang magtatanong pa ang mga ito. She is good at lying but she's afraid that the longer she stands there under their scrutinous eyes, her lies would be laid bare.

So she asked, "Do you know where I could find the coven of three?"

***

They were not easy to find. The coven of three was supposed to be present at the graveyard ngunit tila hindi niya maramdaman ang presensiya ng mga ito. It was when she was alone that she felt the air shift and in a moment, she saw Penelope's figure appearing right in front of her. Muntikan na siyang mapamura sa gulat. Behind her, Finn and Lauris appeared too.

"How--"

Hindi niya matapos ang nais niyang sabihin. She was wondering how they have concealed themselves so well that even Corazon and the others have not noticed their presence. But she realized it was a stupid question. The coven of three literally came from the oldest witch in history. A dark with at that. Concealing themselves well enough should be easy as cake. She couldn't help but admire their skills and hating them for it at the same time.

"You got the blood?" asked Penelope.

"Well, good evening to you too."

Binigyan naman siya ni Penelope ng masamang tingin. "I asked for blood, witchling. Where is it?"

Nanliit ang mga mata niya habang nakatingin sa babae. Another reason why she hates her is because of Penelope's habit of looking down on others. Isabela knows Penelope couldn't care less but she cares about respect. At hindi siya papayag na tatapak-tapakan lang siya nito just because they're stronger.

Isabela crossed her arms and she could have sworn she saw Penelope's nose flare.

"Your minions were supposed to help me. They were supposed to get the Sylvaine blood with me--"

"We were supposed to get it if you hadn't acted on your own, you wench--"

"That's the point. Whether you admit it or not, the Sylvaines scare you. What were you two doing? Planning how to get them to give you their blood?"

She could see Lauris and Finn looking like they were a few insults away from skinning her alive. But she knows they won't. If there is anything she is good at, it's taking leverage against her enemies.

"What are you trying to say?" tanong ni Penelope. Isabela could almost taste Penelope's thinning patience.

"I'm saying that you three need me to make this plan work. If not for me, wala kang dugong makukuha ngayong gabi. So tell yourself and your minions that I can make your plans hell and I will make sure you fail so bad you won't be able to plan another scheme again," matigas niyang sabi. Nakita naman niyang nanliliit ang mga mata ni Penelope habang nakatingin sa gawi niya. She didn't falter and she stared Penelope down.

"Unless we both agree on that, you will not be able to ask me to do something for you," she said. Penelope looked at her and the look in her eyes was inscrutable. Nakita naman niyang gumalaw ang babae at tuluyan siya nitong hinarap.

"Fine," Penelope said. "You will get what you ask. Now, where is the blood?" Inilahad ni Penelope and kamay.

Isabela smirked before she fished the two vials from her pocket containing Sebastian and Eleanor's blood. Isabela could have sworn she saw Penelope's eyes twinkling at the sight. However, it was gone as soon as it came. Nakita na iyon ni Isabela and she already had a full grasp of how badly Penelope wants the Sylvaine blood.

She never expected Nadia Melendez could be someone significant. The moment she saw that rune symbol, Othala—the symbol of the dark witch, she couldn't help but wonder how Nadia wasn't able to notice that kind of magic. Kung apat na lang silang natitirang kalahi ng dark witch, dapat ay kasing-lakas ni Nadia ang tatlong witch na kaharap niya. But Nadia doesn't seem to know what to do with that power and she doesn't think Nadia knows how to use it too.

Nadia is basically an untrained witch. Kaya ba hindi lumalabas ang kanyang abilidad dahil hindi pa niya ito tuluyang nagamit? Iyon ba ang dahilan?

"Give me the blood, Isabela," said Penelope, her voice dark.

She smirked and handed Penelope the two vials. Agad naman itong kinuha ng babae.

"The ritual starts tomorrow. Lauris and Finn already know what to do."

Kumunot ang noo niya sa sinabi nito. "What are they going to do? What am I going to do?"

This time, it was Penelope's turn to smirk. "For you, dear Isabela, you can just sit in the corner and watch."

Before she could even protest what she said, Penelope disappeared once again.

She wanted to curse them to the ground ngunit pinigilan niya ang kanyang sarili. Kailangan niyang gumawa ng paraan. If she is excluded from their plan---

She doesn't want to think of what was going to happen. She's not even sure what's worse: being clueless to what the coven of three is doing or being skinned alive by the Sylvaines. Hindi siya papayag na mapapahamak siya sa gulong ito. Kaya naman agad siyang umalis doon at nagpunta sa gubat kung saan nakalibing ang iba nilang ninuno.

It's time for some other divine intervention.