NOWF Special Chapter 3: Wine after the Storm

To read this chapter, kindly read NOWF Chapter 51

ZEN LANCELOT'S POV

After the raging storm, we finally had this peaceful night filled with drinks and casual conversation. I had been sharing tables with Rosh, Blair, and Seth through our endless journeys together, and having Tobias here now—who usually drinks wine with Dastan—was still new to me as an addition to our circle. I always thought he had his own, despite the fact that he was also part of the prophecy tied to the mirror.

I was even expecting him to spend more time with Kezalli, but it seemed like he was still deeply thinking about the hospitality of this kingdom.

I played with the ice cube in my wine glass before I gently sipped from it, my eyes on Tobias—he was like my brother, Dastan—sometimes it was difficult for him to understand. If I were him, there would be no formality like this—I'd never let my mate out of my sight.

I sighed, leaned slowly at my backrest, and looked at the ceiling. I shouldn't be thinking about it right now. Now that Kezalli's trying to recover herself, I knew that it wasn't just Tobias, but Rosh, Seth, and Blair felt relieved.

We were all aware that if Kezalli happened to cross the mirror and stay in the human world, it would take years for her to return, and that means . . .

I looked around—at these idiots sitting around the table, who I knew would suffer helplessly if that happened. That meant all of them would have to wait for years. I couldn't imagine the pain; it was unbearable.

Kanina pa silang nag-uusap sa pangunguna nina Seth at Rosh, hinayaan ko lang silang magpalitan ng mga salita habang lipad ang isipan ko.

"But I really admire Tobias. He is the calmest vampire I've ever seen in this world." Seth was shaking his head as if he couldn't believe that one of us had that quality.

Itinaas niya ang kanyang baso kaya ganoon din kami bago kami sabay-sabay na uminom ng alak. Nanatili akong tahimik habang patuloy si Seth sa paggawa ng usapan. I just played with the wine glass as I stared at the hearth, the fire flicking on it, and how my eyes felt as if I had been hypnotized by it for a moment.

"I am not sure if any of us can do the same, Tobias," dagdag ni Seth.

Napalingon na ako sa kanya at nagpasyang sumabat sa usapan.

"I don't think I can do it. Let her go? I can't just offer her the mirror if I have the means to hold her and not stop her from running away. I will chain her on our bed, and she can curse me. Just like Lily said, I can be the worst deaf in this world. I can endure all her words, but I will never let her go."

Tobias chuckled, "That's very you, Zen. Actually, I tried it . . ."

Napatitig ako sa kanya at hindi inaasahan na maririnig iyon sa kanya. Ilang beses na napakurap si Seth at natigil sa pag-inom ng alak si Blair na tila hindi rin makapaniwala.

"Hindi mo kinaya. You are always the softhearted one, Tobias," dagdag ni Rosh.

"Even if she's about to kill you? To be honest, that attack could have killed you. I saw it. Every one of us saw it." Kumakamot na sa kanyang ulo si Seth.

Sabay kaming tumango ni Blair na sumang-ayon sa sinabi ni Seth.

Rosh huffed, "Come on. Anyone from us can receive a stab—even our current king was stabbed—and thereafter, he forgot that he had been stabbed."

Tobias chuckled. I noticed how one of his hands landed on his stomach, kasabay ng wala sa sarili kong paghawak sa aking balikat na tila naging sariwa ang saksak ni Claret doon. Kapwa kami nagkatinginan ni Tobias at mabilis na nag-iwas ng tingin sa isa't isa.

Rosh stared at us with his eyebrows knitted. "I was talking about Dastan . . ."

Sabay na nasamid sina Seth at Blair na pilit itinatago ang ngisi.

"Shut up, Rosh," I said before I took a sip again.

"How about you? What are you going to do? Will you let her go, or chain her while she's hating you?" tanong ni Tobias kina Rosh, Seth, at Blair.

Nawala ang ngisi nina Rosh, Seth, at muling uminom ng alak si Blair.

"I don't know if I am as patient and kind as Tobias. I might be a good leader for everyone, but I am a slave to my mate, and I can be her demon. So no. I've been patient for years waiting for her, and then what? Does she want to go and leave me? Avalon has the deepest underground caves in this world. I will lock her. Pareho na kaming mabaliw."

Kapwa kami napangiwi sa taas-noong sinabi ni Seth.

"That's the most irrational plan I heard from you, Seth," sagot ni Tobias.

He grinned. "I am not perfect."

Lahat ng atensiyon namin ay nagtungo kay Rosh. "How about you?"

"I am a Le'Vamueivos, I will let her go. But I'll follow even if I burn."

Napamasahe sa kanyang noo si Tobias. "Seth will choose madness. Rosh will choose death."

"As if you were not—" Tobias stopped Rosh and looked at Blair. "How about you?"

"I don't know how to handle emotions. I don't know how to please anyone. If she wants to leave me, I'll just accept it, but I might cry because thinking about it right now tightens my chest."

Natigilan kaming lahat sa sinabi ni Blair.

"Huh? Wala kang gagawin? Iiyak ka lang?"

"I will look at her as she runs away. At least the love of my life did not even try to stab me, b-but—"

This time, sabay-sabay na kaming napatayong lahat at mabilis na kaming lumapit kay Blair na tila biglang kinakapos ng paghinga. Rosh quickly opened the window, Seth assisted Blair on his seat, and Tobias called healers.

"Fuck." Napamasahe na ako sa aking noo.

If Seth chose madness and Rosh chose death, Blair would be different if his woman ran away from him. Because Death would choose Blair.

"We're really helpless, right?" nanghihinang sabi ko. Napahawak na ako sa lamesa habang nakahawak pa rin ang kamay ko sa aking noo.

Rosh leaned against the wall, arms crossed across his stomach, Tobias sighed and smiled a little, Seth chuckled, and Blair leaned more on his chair while wiping his sweat.

We laughed together. "Yes."