19: Initiation Day 3

That afternoon ay muli na namang nagpaalam si Emy kay Franco na hindi sasabay. To her surprise ay hindi na ito nangulit pa sa kanya gaya ng dati. At pinagsabihan pa siya nito na wag masyadong pahirapan si Lucy sa pagtuturo sa kanya.

Of course, hindi nakaligtas sa tenga niya ang balitang sabay na kumain sa labas sila Lucy at Franco.

She could have teased him more kung hindi lang siya nagmamadali.

May dalawang araw na lang siya para madagdagan ang green liquid na ginagawa. Hindi kasi siya makaalis ng weekend dahil nagpupumilit na sumama si Franco sa kanya. Kahit pa nga sabihin niya na kanila Lucy siya pupunta. Palibhasa kasi wala siyang pasok kapag weekend.

Payapa siyang nakaupo sa loob ng carriage kasama sila Grace at Anika nang sabihin sa kanya nung isang tauhan ni Calix na may sumusunod sa kanila.

She discreetly looked behind them at nakita niya ang carriage ni Lucy na sumusunod sa kanila.

She smiled by herself. It's about time na rin to have Lucy work for her. Inutusan niya sila na magmadali pero siguraduhin na nakasunod pa rin ang carriage ng dalaga sa kanila. They immediately followed her orders.

Mabilis lang din ay nakarating na sila sa kinaroroonan ng cabin. It was surrounded by trees kaya kung hindi mo alam ang daan ay maaari kang maligaw.

"We have visitors. Treat the guards of the owner of the carriage properly but don't kill or hurt them so much. As for Lucy, bring her to me."

Naglakad na siya papunta sa may cabin. Pero hindi agad siya pumasok sa loob non. Instead, she sat on the stairsteps at saka doon naghintay kay Lucy.

***

Lucy was suddenly disoriented ng makita niya kung saan tumigil ang carriage ni Emy.

Akala ba niya ay sa bayan sila nagkikita? Why were they in the middle of the woods now?

She decided to enter the forest. Kasunod niya ang kanyang mga guards.

Suddenly, people wearing black overalls surrounded them.

"I am looking for Emy." She said kahit pa kinakabahan siya.

"Follow me." Sabi nung isa.

Agad naman siyang sumunod. Her guards compressed now around her, covering her from these people.

Naisip niya na malamang may mga guards din na nakapaligid sa lugar na ito. After all, Emy was dating the Fifth Prince. That calmed her down.

Mukha ding ineexpect ni Emy na darating siya. The guards could have attacked them but instead, they were guiding her towards a cabin.

Soon, she saw Emy na nakaupo sa may hagdanan ng cabin.

"Hi, Lucy. I am glad you find me and are not lost."

Napakunot ang noo niya. Emy was acting weird now.

"Take care of the people na sumunod sa kanya. Leave none of them alive.” Utos ng dalaga sa mga tauhan niya. Lucy thought it was weird hearing Emy commanding people like this but she just kept that to herself.

"Emy, where is the Fifth Prince?" Lucy asked.

"The Fifth Prince?"

"Hindi ba siya yung minimeet mo ng palihim araw araw? I saw you two talking earlier."

Napailing na lang si Emy. So she had seen that.

"Fifth Prince is not here. I am not dating him. In fact, I am not dating anyone at all."

"Then..."

"I have lied to you, Lucy."

Natigilan ang dalaga doon. Hindi niya alam kung anong iisipin. The Emy right now gave her goosebumps. She was so cold unlike her usual refreshing self. Even her eyes sent shivers to her kapag napapatingin ito sa kanya.

Bigla namang may dalawang babae ang dumating. May mga dala silang bagay at agad silang lumapit kay Emy.

"Miss, we bring your supplies for today."

"Bring it inside."

"Stop!" Lucy suddenly yelled at napatingin sa kanya ang lahat ng naroroon. But her eyes were focused on that two girls na dumating. Emy smirked.

"Lia and Veronica..." Hindi makapaniwalang sabi ni Lucy. Of course, she knew them. She had seen them always with Samantha noong nabubuhay pa ang dalaga.

"Young Lady Lucy..." Pagkilala naman sa kaniya ng dalawa. They were surprised na nandoon ang dalaga. Agad silang napatingin sa Miss nila na nakangiti.

"I am glad you still remember each other." Sabi ni Emy saka tumayo. "Grace, Anika, assist Lucy inside the cabin."

But of course, hindi naman agad basta basta papayag ang mga guards ni Lucy na mapahamak ang dalaga. They could feel that there was a danger in this place.

They immediately pulled out their swords. But Emy's people were also quick. They surrounded Lucy's people 2 to 1.

"If I were you, I would have my people keep their swords. You don't want to get bloody in here, right? And surely, alam mo naman siguro that your people don't stand a chance against mine."

Pinaningkitan ni Lucy si Emy. Nasasayahan ata ang dalaga sa pagiging bossy sa kanya? But surprisingly, she was calm despite the situation. Something was telling her that Emy was not her enemy.

"Keep your swords."

"Pero, young lady..."

"Are you being disobedient now?"

Napailing na lang ang mga tauhan niya saka itinago ang mga espada nila. Ganun din naman ang ginawa ng mga tauhan ni Emy.

"Good. Come inside." Saka siya nauna na sa loob ng cabin. Sumunod agad sila Lia at Veronica. Sila Grace at Anika naman ay tumabi sa kanya.

Come to think of it. Even these two were familiar to her. They were the maidservants of Shereen. So the four of them were serving Emy together?

The inside of the cabin was totally different than it should be.

There was a big table sa gitna ng cabin kung saan nakapatong ang mga gamit na nakikita lamang ni Lucy sa chemistry laboratory.

"What is this, Emy?"

"This is my secret laboratory."

"You've lied to your cousin because of this?" Lucy chuckled. "I think you don't have to do that, Emy. It's not like you are creating explosives in here."

Emy tilted her head. Humor was dancing in her eyes habang nakatingin kay Lucy.

Biglang nagbago ang expression ni Lucy.

"Aren’t you?"

She did not wait for Emy to answer.

"No, you can't. Kahit pa subukan mo, you can't possibly succeed in doing it."

Emy walked towards the table.

"I aim to burn alive half of the Black Council. It's so unfortunate that those seven members died first and couldn’t hold out until my grand plan. Kung hindi lang sana nila ako hinarangan, I wouldn't have used the poisoned blade on them." Then she looked Lucy. "I just wanted the White Mask, you know."

Halos panghinaan ng tuhod si Lucy when she heard that.

It was her? Emy killed those seven members? What was the meaning of this?

And she even knew about the White Mask. Was she able to get it?

As if reading her mind, inilabas ni Emy yung White Mask saka ibinato sa kanya. She caught it.

"This... this is indeed the White Mask. How did you---"

"How is not important. Ang mahalaga ay alam mo na ngayon that I am capable."

Natahimik si Lucy. Para bang natuyuan ang kanyang bibig.

Then she remembered that she was a member of the Black Council.

"Are you going to kill me now?"

Emy laughed. "Why would I? I know everything, Lucy."

When she said everything, hindi mapigilan ni Lucy na isipin na alam niya talaga ang lahat lahat ng nangyari at nangyayari ngayon.

"Then what do you want from me?"

Emy shrugged.

"I don't know too. You already know my plan. I am going to annihilate the Black Council and cut the other half of Diana's wings. That woman has a huge debt to me. And I am not going to stop until she paid her debt to me completely."

Lucy was shocked by the darkness in Emy's face. It didn’t match her angelic face at all. But she could tell the intent in Emy's words. In fact, it wasn't just her. Even the four maidservants of Emy were also surprised.

"You see, she killed important people in my life. She killed them by an explosion. My plan right now is just a returning favor for her. And I am not gonna stop there yet. I will make sure that she will pay greatly for doing so."

Mahabang oras ang namayani sa kanila. Lucy was in deep thoughts.

She also had important people died in Diana's hands. She remained quiet for a long time dahil akala niya, nag-iisa lang siya. But she was dying inside in agony knowing that she was living comfortably habang naaagnas na sa ilalim ng lupa sila Samantha.

"I'll join you."

"Are you sure?"

"I need Diana's retribution too. That explosion also took my friends’ life." Hindi na napigilan pa ni Lucy ang emosyon niya. Her tears started to flow down her face.

"Isa pa, kahit man lang sa ganitong paraan makabawi ako kay Samantha. It was my fault that she got killed by Diana. If I didn't encourage her to join the Black Council, she would not have died."

This time, si Emy naman ang nasopresa. The pain in Lucy's face was real. Even her tears. Hindi niya akalain na ganito siya kahalaga para sa dalaga.

Somehow, her expression softened.

"I expected that you do, Lucy."

The lady didn't answer. She quietly wiped her tears.

"I know your situation in Black Council and the more I grill Diana, the more she will notice you. You will be an eyesore for her at malamang sa malamang ay may gawin siya against you."

"I know. Pero hindi pa ba niya ginagawa yun ngayon?" Lucy asked sarcastically. "That pretend Queen is limiting me by having me followed."

"That's why I ask my people to get rid those who are following you."

Lucy was shocked again but then slowly, she smiled.

"You are really seemed aware about everything."

"I am."

Lucy breathed deeply. She didn't know if this was a wise decision but she was willing to do anything in the name of revenge.

"I need you in this plan, Lucy. Are you in or not?”

***