Kara's POV

"Sa susunod ipapasok na natin yung kusina sa bahay." naiinis na sabi ni Ria.

Cesia and I exchanged looks. Pareho kaming nagpipigil ng ngiti. The girls were all ranting about the boys cooking outside.

Meanwhile, Cesia and I would interfere and constantly praise the boys for their efforts.

I mean they deserve it. All the foods were tasty.

"Where are you going?" tanong ko kay Dio. He was bringing a basket full of clothes.

"May laundry room ba dito? The boys and I didn't bring much clothes so we're going to take turns washing them." he shrugged.

Tinuro ko sa kanya kung nasaan ang hinahanap niya. The laundry room was just beside the comfort room.

"Thanks babe!" he gave me a wink before heading off to do the laundry.

"HOY ANONG BABE?!"

I closed my eyes as I heard Thea's voice behind me. Nilingon ko sila na napahinto ata sa hagdan nang marinig ang sinabi ni Dio.

"IIIIHHH!! BAABBEE!!" Paulit-ulit na tumili si Art.

"Guys.. wag na nating tuksuhin si Kara." Cesia spoke with a gentle tone.

Nagulat ako nang bigla akong hinatak ni Cesia saka pinaupo. With all of them surrounding me, I know there'd be no escape.

"So ano ba talaga yung pinag-usapan niyo sa trance?" tanong niya.

I gave them a poker face.

Are they serious right now?

"Kara!" Ria gripped my arm. She finally let go of me when I gave a sigh of defeat.

"It's unimportant. We just changed a couple of words. He admitted he may have let Eris take a toll on him. But.. we're fine now. Okay?" I assured them.

We didn't really have that much of an argument. After I asked him to talk to me, he said he was sorry and admitted everything. Ako naman, I listened to him the whole time because I wanted to understand him.

Needless to say, madali kaming nagkabati.

"ganun ba.." tumatango-tango si Art.

"OKAY!" tumayo si Ria. "That's enough. Maghanda na tayo. We'll be going to the temple of Zeus Basileus later!"

Pabalik na ako sa kwarto nang mahagilap ng mga mata ko ang isang bagay na nasa sahig. I looked at it closely and figured out it was a pair of jeans.

Dio must have dropped this.

On my way to the laundry room, I noticed the tip of the jeans were wet and slightly muddy. Hindi ito gaanong napapansin because of the dark color.

"Dio.."

Nilingon ako ni Dio na nakatayo sa harap ng washing machine.

"Who owns this?" itinaas ko ang jeans.

"Oh. I think that's Trev's. Suot niya yan kahapon. Don't you remember?" sagot niya matapos kinuha ang jeans mula sa kamay ko.

Okay. Now I remember him wearing it.

But I don't remember the ground being muddy and wet yesterday.

Unless he went somewhere else.

Sumingkit ang aking mga mata while coming up with reasons as to why he would sneak out while everyone was asleep.

Tsk.

What plan are you on... son of Zeus.

•••

"Waaahh! Ang ganda! Sayang wala tayong camera!!" Tumatakbo si Art sa temple.

There's not much left in this temple. Pero nararamdaman ko pa rin ang pagiging ancient ng lugar na'to. I can feel the atmosphere is completely different here.

We took our lunch at one of the cafes on the streets. Time was moving fast at namalayan ko nalang na nasa medieval castle na kami.

"Kara. You're making me jealous again."

Bumalik ang aking diwa nang marinig ang seryosong boses ni Dio na nakatayo na pala sa harap ko.

"All this time you were staring at him. What's up with that?" kumunot ang kanyang noo.

I took a glance at Trev before looking at Dio.

"Nothing. It's just weird to me that he chose this particular place in Greece." sagot ko.

"Well yeah. It's new to me too." nagkibit-balikat siya. "You think he's up for another purpose here?"

I pursed my lips before I can say anything else. Gusto kong sabihin sa kanya ang hinihinala namin but I can't.

I just smiled at him. "You don't have to be jealous. He's not my type. You are."

The sun was setting down and we were on our way back from our trip around Livadeia.

I was starting to feel uncomfortable then.

Something's wrong.

I clenched my fists when I felt my eyes turn to gold unintentionally. My athena instincts are trying to kick in.

"Kara?" lumapit si Cesia sa'kin.

I tried to stable my breathing but I ended up with quick breaths. Humihingal ako. "I'm okay.. I just need rest."

After dinner, we all went to our rooms to sleep as earlier than usual like what I expected. Halatang napagod rin sila sa buong araw na nilibot namin ang Livadeia.

I was already drifting to sleep when I heard the rain from outside...

Rain.

Why is it raining?

I found myself looking at the house. I was on a top of a tree or something. Hindi ko alam kung bakit ako napunta dito.

Or wait.

I rotated my head to almost 360°.

Oh. Tama nga ang kutob ko.

I'm an owl.

"Trev? Bakit? Sa'n ba kasi tayo pupunta?" nakita ko si Cesia na nasa labas ng bahay.

"I wanna show you something." ani Trev.

Sumingkit ang aking mga mata while looking at the two demigods standing just outside the door.

"H-ha? Eh paano kung malalaman nilang wala tayo? Hahanapin tayo nun.." halatang nagdadalawang-isip si Cesia na sumama.

"Trust me. You're going to be safe." Trev offered his hand.

For a few seconds, Cesia was not sure what to do but in the end, tinanggap niya rin ang kamay ni Trev.

Nagsimula na silang maglakad.

Deep inside, I was smiling. Magkahawak kasi ang mga kamay nila. Their fingers intertwined with one another like how it should be.

Sinundan ko lamang sila.

"Sabihin mo na son of Zeus. Gusto mo lang akong makasama." panunukso ni Cesia.

"Maybe..." sagot niya.

I was listening to them while flying above them. They passed by the street. Binati nga sila ng isa sa mga cafe owners na nakakita sa kanila.

Suddenly... they followed the river.

It was getting darker and from my perspective, they were walking closer and closer to the cave we once went for our first mission.

"T-teka.. Trev.. bakit tayo nandito?" tanong ni Cesia.

He immediately climbed and went inside the cave leaving Cesia clueless.

Now I think I know where he went yesterday kaya natagpuan kong putikan ang jeans niya.

"Here." inabot ni Trev ang kanyang kamay.

"Trev naman-" Cesia grabbed his hand as he helped her get inside the cave as well.

No.

This is wrong.

"KARA!"

Nagising ako sa boses ni Ria na sumisigaw. Binuksan ko ang aking mga mata at nakita silang lahat.

"What happened?" umupo ako.

"Nawawala si Cesia... at si Trev." nag-aalalang tugon ni Thea.

I knew it.

What I saw was not a dream nor a vision.

It was one of my abilities unintentionally activating.

"I know where they are."