Matilda's POV

"Matilda," Thanatos rose from the bed and gently kissed my shoulder. "Come back to bed."

"I can't."

"Why?" His arm slowly crawled around my waist.

"I don't know..." Napahawak ako sa braso niya. "I keep hearing voices."

"And whose voices?" Ipinatong niya ang kanyang ulo sa balikat ko. "Tell me."

Nagpakawala ako ng malalim na hininga. "Hindi ko rin alam..."

Tinanggal ko ang braso niya mula sa pagkakapalipot sa'kin at tumayo. "I should go check on Kaye." Because something's telling me I have to.

Thanatos let out a defeated groan and fell back on the black sheets of his bed. He rolled over to the side, with his back against me. "Wake me up when my brother arrives."

Yumuko ako at kinuha ang nightgown na nasa paanan ko. Isinuot ko ito, habang inaalala ang bawat panaginip ko simula nang makabalik kami sa Underworld.

The voices were all too unfamiliar to me. Although I already have a hunch kung sino-sino ang mga ito.

Without making any noise, I made my way out of Thanatos' room and headed straight to her daughter's room, which was on the other end of the dimly lit hallway.

Dahan-dahan kong binuksan ang pinto at natagpuan si Kaye na mahimbing na natutulog.

Lumapit ako sa kanya, nang mapatigil ako dahil nakarinig ako ng tinig.

"Isabella Salvatori."

Umikot ako at tinignan ang babaeng nakatayo sa may pintuan. Suot niya ang uniform ng Academy at nakatapat sa kanyang dibdib ang isang makapal na libro.

"What are you still doing here? Kanina ka pa hinahanap ni Reign."

Slowly, I looked at the girl she was talking to. Saka ako napaatras.

"What in the Underworld-"

Natagpuan ko ang isa pang estudyanteng babae na nakaupo sa sahig habang inaayos ang maitim niyang doll house. She had long black hair, the darkest shade of black, and it was so long it reached behind her knees once she stood on her feet.

But it wasn't her hair that surprised me. It was the dark mist that surrounded her. The air around her was gloomy and cold... deadly cold, especially when she looked back at the other girl that called her.

And now that I could see her clearly, she was shockingly pale. The ends of her blunt bangs rested on her long eyelashes. Though despite the darkened expression on her face, she still looked beautiful. Hauntingly beautiful.

"Paige," sambit niya sa babaeng tumawag sa kanya. "Anong sabi ni Reign? Kailangan niya ba ako?"

"Uh?" Tila hindi natinag sa nakakakapanindig-balahibo niyang boses, napaangat ng isang kilay yung Paige. "Did you forget? We're training together today."

"Isabella..." Napayuko ako. "Salvatori..."

Wala sa sarili akong napangiti nang muling mapatingin sa kanya.

"Oh!" The black mist around her disappeared, along with the cold, when a warm smile formed on her lips. "Ngayon pala 'yon?" nananabik niyang tanong.

Natawa ako nang mahina.

She turns into a different person when she smiles. She's one that glares at you coldly, but smiles at you warmly.

"Okie, wait-" Her right arm began to glow. Light encircled her wrist and formed a long sharp blade on her hand, like a katana, that's made out of light. At the same time, shadows crawled on her left arm and formed another katana made out of darkness.

My mouth partially opened, as I stood in awe at her ability to draw both light and dark.

Inangat niya ang kanyang tingin at ngumisi nang malapad. "Kitakits sa field!" paalam niya, bago makiisa sa anino na nasa paanan niya at tuluyang naglaho.

Inilipat ko ang aking atensyon sa babaeng naiwan sa labas ng kwarto. She had ash brown hair and eyes. She looked stern, and her head was raised a bit too high.

The way she stands... screams of pride and wisdom. 

At hindi na ako nagdalawang-isip pa kung sino ang mga magulang niya.

Letting out a bored sigh, she held the book closer to her chest.

Instead of walking away, she looked around the room, studied every corner... before stopping her eyes at where I stood.

Palihim akong napasinghap nang magkasalubong ang aming tingin.

Pinaningkitan niya ako.

A few seconds passed and I realized that she couldn't see me. She could, however, sense my presence.

Muli na namang bumigat ang aking panga.

How?

I'm looking at her from another time. How could she possibly sense me?

Sa huli, kumibit-balikat siya at sinarado ang pinto bago umalis.

Bumagsak ako sa higaan ni Kaye na nagpipigil ng hininga. Napalunok ako, habang nakatulala sa pintuan.

Naramdaman kong may gumalaw sa aking likod.

"Matilda," inaantok na sambit ni Kaye. "Anong ginagawa mo dito?"

Nakatukod ang mga kamay sa magkabilang gilid, yumuko ako at napabuga ng hangin.

Umupo siya sa tabi ko. "Matilda?" nag-aalala niyang tugon. "Anong nangyari sa'yo?"

"Too powerful," I whispered. "They're too powerful."

"Sino?"

"They're existence, Kaye..." Nilingon ko siya, saka dahan-dahang bumaba ang aking tingin sa tiyan niya. "His existence... is going to be a threat to the gods."

Napayuko rin siya sa tiyan niya at napahawak dito.

"Mm." Ngumiti siya.

She took a deep breath and gently lowered herself on the bed. "Matilda, habang lumalaki siya sa tiyan ko, napapansin kong nanghihina ako."

I looked at her, terribly worried. "W-What?" 

"Pero hindi ako sigurado kung totoo ba itong nararamdaman ko..." She smiled weakly and closed her eyes. "Baka dala lang ito ng takot para sa kinabukasang nag-aabang sa kanya..."

"Kaye, it's normal to feel exhausted when you're pregnant-"

She slowly opened her eyes and rested her hand on the obvious bump on her stomach. "Kaya nga." She chuckled lightly. "Don't worry, I'm fine... I think."

"You think?"

She continued to stare at the ceiling. "I don't know. I might have to skip Kara and Dio's wedding."

"I'll tell them." Hinawakan ko ang kamay niya. "They'll understand."

For a few seconds, I held her hand, until she went back to sleep. Then, I leaned closer to the little demigod quietly resting inside her womb.

"Henri, darling," bulong ko rito. "Don't tire your mother too much, okay? She still wants to do a lot of things."

"You're already growing too fast..." tugon ko.

Which is true. It has only been three months since Kaye discovered she carried a child in her womb, meaning she's four months pregnant, but her bump looks like she's a month further.

"Don't get too excited to come out, little destiny." Napangiti ako. "The world is yet to prepare for you."

And the world... the world has a lot of preparing to do.

Tumayo ako at inayos ang kumot sa ibabaw ni Kaye. Binigyan ko siya ng isang namamaalam na sulyap bago tuluyang lumabas ng kanyang kwarto.

"I have a lot of preparing to do," I said to myself and reached the far end of the hallway. I took one of the spiral staircases of the castle and went down to where they store the potions and herbs.

Nakapameywang ako sa harap ng isang estante na puno ng ambrosia.

"Matilda!"

Halos mapatalon ako sa gulat nang marinig ang boses ni Pasithea.

"What the-" Hawak-hawak ang aking dibdib, hinarap ko siya. "What ever is a goddess doing here?"

She looked back at me, confused. "Did Thanatos not tell you we were coming to visit?"

Bumuntong-hininga ako nang nakapikit, upang mapatahan ang sarili ko. Nang magawa ko na ito ay muli ko siyang tinignan. "Ang alam ko lang si Hypnos ang bibisita, hindi ko inasahang sasama ka pala sa kanya."

"Oh." Ipinagdaop niya ang kanyang mga palad. "I'm here because I baked a few chocolate sweets for Kaye- and also..." Inilibot niya ang kanyang paningin. "What are you doing here?"

Lumiwanag ang aking mukha nang maalalang, isa nga pala siya sa mga Graces, at siya ang goddess of relaxation, meditation...

"Pasithea!"

Siya na naman ang nagulat sa biglaan kong pagsigaw.

"Kailangan mo 'kong tulungan!"

Nagkasalubong ang kanyang kilay. "Para saan?"

"Para kay Kaye." Bumalik ako sa tapat ng isa sa mga estante kung saan nakahanay ang napakaraming mga bote at garapon.

"Why?" usisa niya. "What happened to her?"

"She needs medicine," sagot ko. "She's been feeling tired lately-"

"Heavens!" Tinulak ako ng goddess at pinalitan ako sa kinatatayuan ko. "Why didn't you say so?!"