Chapter 22: Meeting

My adrenaline rush would have kicked in for that quick moment, but the realization that someone else was inside that cave aside from us with this quite unbearable situation, didn't allow me to move freely, but stared back at that couple who had just the same expression as us.

I didn't even notice the minutes that had passed between this awkward silence. If I could just turn back time, and change the situation and this annoying position, I already did.

But my ability as an Earth Mage does not have any time manipulation that would help me at this moment. All I have to do is to accept this damn embarrassment and face these creatures who happened to be eager to save each other's lives with the same method.

"Iris!"

Caleb immediately pulled away from me, and the girl at the entrance of the cave quickly pushed the man he was about to kiss. I shook my head, casually stood up, and lightly patted my dress to remove the dirt away. The man beside the girl that Caleb called Iris took the situation as calmly as was I.

I never expected this situation. I knew that there might be a possibility that we would be able to cross paths, but not this, when all of us were ready to warm each other up with this method.

"Caleb. . ."

"Hi, everyone," the man with the similar gray-haired casually waved his hand like we were colleagues before and today's the time that we had time to meet each other again.

I've been indifferent to tough situations, and I know how I could quickly gather myself not to make myself look like a fool. But right now, with these creatures in front of me, I couldn't even utter a single word.

I don't have any idea about the other gray-haired man, but the moment I heard the name Iris from Caleb's lips, I don't know how would I be able to hide the expression on my face. When I met Caleb, he's been mentioning the name of the girl, and it even hurt me like hell, without even seeing her face.

But right now that I could clearly see her face? With that exotic beauty, power and charisma, I collected myself not to move and look down at my appearance. I hate the fact that I am mentally comparing us.

Can I stop myself from doing it if the man who has my heart has been mentioning the name of the woman who's standing in front of me, telling me that he's meant for her?

I thought all my insecurities would fade after all those assurances, but the moment I saw her. I couldn't think of anything clear.

Hindi mawala ang paninitig namin ng babae sa isa't isa, at nasisiguro ko na katulad ko ay napakarami na rin ang umiikot sa isip niya. Of course, does she have any idea that her supposed mate, her other half is already with someone?

And what's with this situation with another gray-haired man?

Nanatiling namayani ang katahimikan sa pagitan naming apat. Wala nang magkaroon ng lakas ng loob magsalita. I tried to glance at Caleb, but his eyes were switching from Iris to the other gray haired man.

Ang tanging naririnig ko na lamang ay ang patak ng tubig mula sa itaas ng kuweba na mabagal na pumapatak sa ibaba.

"Hmm. . . excuse me? But are we staring too much already?"

Caleb almost jumped on his position. I cleared my throat and Iris averted his eyes on me.

"So, care for introductions?" panimula ng lalaking katabi ni Iris.

"No need," matabang na sabi ni Caleb.

"C-caleb. . ."

"Iris, did he do something on—" the other gray-haired man cut him off.

"Excuse me, Gazellian?"

"You took the bait," Caleb's voice suddenly changed. It was his serious tone that I heard a few times.

"And you tried to play with her heart just to make that bait, Gazellian?" sagot sa kanya ng lalaki.

"Stop calling me that, Tavion. You're also a Gazellian," madiing sagot ni Caleb.

I raised my brow. So, is this a family reunion? Kaya ba hindi na ako nagulat sa presensiya ng lalaki? He's quite got some similarities with Caleb, not just the presence but also the color of their hair and the way they stood.

It's not much a surprise to hear that they're blood relatives.

"But she didn't take it, right?"

Iris crossed her arms and rolled her eyes. "Assholes."

"And that's it? Aren't you going to slap him for making you conflicted?" I interrupted them. As a woman, if I were in Iris' place, I'd never allow Caleb to have that kind of response. You can't just fool a woman's heart just for the sake of his god knows what plans and oath from his father.

"Of course, it's not like that," Iris quickly answered.

My mouth immediately hung open when Iris suddenly disappeared in front of us, and in a quick moment, I found her face to face with Caleb, and just like the lightning brought by the skilled mages of Fevia Attero, her hand flew in front of Caleb's face, hard.

"Oh," Tavion sounded like he was the one who got the slap.

But it didn't end with just a single slap, because I heard it four times, with the same intensity. Kung kanina ay parang nasasaktan pa si Tavion, ngayon ay hindi na niya mapigilan ang kanyang pagtawa.

He thought that the floor and those slaps were just meant for Caleb, but the moment that Iris had finished her session with Caleb, she immediately returned in front of Tavion, and her hand flew the same force as what she had given with Caleb.

I blinked a lot of times as I heard the painful slap of her hand on his face. "And that's for pushing him to do that fucking trick! Why did you allow it to happen that long? Why did you allow him to play with my heart—"

"I'm sorry," Tavion and Caleb answered in chorus.

I stood silently in my position as I watched Iris punish the two Gazellians with their unexplainable way of dealing with us. And that's the time that I never had anything but eagerness to watch as if witnessing how Iris dealt with them makes me happier.

Kung tatanungin pa nga ako, mas gugustuhin ko na higit pa roon ang gawin niya. Playing with a woman's heart is unforgivable, no matter what their reason were.

Nang sandaling lumingon sa akin si Caleb habang hawak ang kanyang pisngi na ilang beses sinampal ni Iris, pinataasan ko lang siya ng kilay.

His lips prodded. I gave him a shrug.

He was about to open his mouth, probably to utter some words or even an explanation, but I purposely averted my eyes away from him. I am more than willing to give Iris her floor to give these two men their lessons.

"Bahala ka sa buhay mo, Caleb."

Nang matapos ko nang marinig ang sunud-sunod na sampal ni Iris kay Tavion, saka niya na ako lubusang binigyan ng pansin.

She met my eyes, before she took a deep sigh. I don't know if this sounds funny, but the moment she had that slap session with Caleb and Tavion, I suddenly felt at ease. Siguro dahil hindi sa ganitong paraan ang inaasahan kong kumprontasyon sa pagitan naming tatlo? O tamang sabihin apat?

"Initially, it's not just me and Caleb who have the tangled relationship. This man," he pointed Tavion. "He needs something from you. He's actually looking for you."

"W-what?"

Si Caleb na kanina pang halos magmaakawa sa akin na tiningnan siya ay mabilis nakagalaw at iniharang ang sarili sa akin.

"Seriously, Tavion? What the hell is wrong with you? First, you can't recognize your mate, then now? Ano ang kailangan mo kay Anna?"

Doon ko na lang higit na binigyan ng atensyon si Tavion, kanina'y tanging na kay Iris lang ang interes ko.

Ano nga ang kailangan niya sa akin?

"He actually risked everything just to be here. I think you need to tell her," agad nawala ang paningin ko kay Tavion at muli iyong bumalik kay Iris.

How can she act so calm and collected when mentioning Tavion's name linked with another woman without even faltering? This woman is really cool.

I couldn't deny the fact that I felt a sudden insecurites when I first I saw her. Hindi ko rin napigilan ang sarili ko na ikumpara ang sarili sa kanya. Buong buhay ko ay puro takot at pag-atras ang ginawa ko dahil sa kakulangan ng abilidad ko, marami akong bagay na kailangan higit na patatagin.

But the moment I saw this woman, yes, she was a bit abducted a while ago, but unlike me, she quickly recovered and gathered herself. She leads everything.

"Alright," Tavion cleared his throat.

"First, allow me to formally introduce myself, I am Tavion Lancelot Gazellian, hindi na siguro nakakagulat sa inyo, not just because of my presence but also my features. I am the son of King Tiffon Gazellian who suddenly vanished from Nemetio Spiran, not from his mate, but from the woman he first loved. I don't like to use my name as a Gazellian, but introducing myself with that name attached would end the long conversation. I am a prince of my mother's empire, and I am currently part of the battle of the throne. A trustworthy fortune teller in our empire read the path of my life. . ."

Habang tumatagal ang paliwanag ni Tavion, pansin ko ang unti-unting pagyanig ng lupa. Ang paglalabasan ng ugat sa noo ni Caleb, ang kanyang mga pangil, ang paghaba ng kuko niya sa kanyang mga kamay at pagniningas ng kanyang mga mata.

"To make it short, a certain Callista, an Earth Mage is needed in my empire. Particularly to my side. Her power, ability, and probably some bloodline connection with the previous royalties made it more solid."

"I don't understand. . ." napailing ako habang naririnig ang mga sinasabi ni Tavion.

I had my dreams, some visions, and even scenes from the pasts that proved my deep connection with Caleb. Isama pa ang lampara na iniwan sa akin ng kanyang ama na si Thaddeus.

But to hear this from Tavion? Another gray-haired Gazellian? Isn't this too much of a coincidence?

Higit iniharang ni Caleb ang kanyang braso sa akin. At biglang naging kalaban ang tingin niya sa dalawang nilalang na nasa harap namin.

"Can we just talk about this calmly, Caleb?"

"How can I calm if you're blatantly telling my mate that you need her like you're making a—" Iris cut his off.

"Proposal, right?"

Umawang ang bibig ni Caleb sa narinig mula kay Iris. "Iris, if this is how you get back at me, I swear. . . just tell me something that you want me to do. You can punish me or ask me something, but this. . . Anna is mine."

"Tavion needs a queen."

Ngayon naman ay si Tavion ang parang muntik nang mawalan nang panimbang sa narinig sa babaeng katabi niya.

"B-baby, can you quit that? You're making me feel like you can easily give me away—"

"Why not?"

Tuluyan na ngang nawalan nang panimbang si Tavion, nawala sa pagkakatuwid ang isa niyang paa, ngunit agad rin siyang nakahawak sa pader ng kuweba upang alalayan ang kanyang sarili.

Iris met my eyes.

We didn't have any mind connection or anything better that the mate link, but maybe we could call it woman's instinct. Dahil sa saglit na pagtatama lamang ng aming mga mata ay agad ko nang naintindihan ang nais niyang gawin namin.

"I promised Caleb that I'll give him back to his map. I am also done with him. I already got my mana from his body."

Marahas napalingon si Caleb sa akin at ilang beses siyang napailing at nagtangkang hawakan ako ngunit iniilag ko ang kamay ko mula sa kanya.

"Iris. . ." halos nagmamakaawang boses ni Tavion.

"Anna. . ." umirap lang ako kay Caleb.

Nauna na akong lumapit kay Iris at inilahad ko ang kamay ko sa kanya. "I've heard a lot of you from Caleb."

Inabot niya sa akin ang kanyang kamay. Marahan naming pinisil ang isa't isa.

"I hope he's not talking badly of me."

"Oh, no, he's always praising you in front of me. He even told me that you and him have kissed. Ilang beses niyang ipinamukha sa akin na may babaeng para sa kanya pero walang tigil ang paglandi at akit niya sa akin."

"My, he's an asshole." I nodded.

"I am Iris Evangeline Daverionne. A white werewolf."

Tipid akong ngumiti. "I am Anna Merlize Callista, a mage. I manipulate the element of earth."

Habang nanatiling magkahawak ang mga kamay namin sabay kaming lumingon sa dalawang Gazellian na tulala sa aming dalawa.

"Are we lucky or not?" tanong ni Iris.

I grimaced. "I don't know. What do you think?"

"You like the body?" asked Iris.

"Of course, he's heaven."

If in a different situation, maybe Caleb and Tavion would be grinning from ear to ear while listening to praises from women, but today's not the day of appreciation when everything seems to be sarcastic.

"He might be heaven as well," she glanced at Tavion.

"But they're bunches of idiots," I added.

We laughed together. "They're handsome with nice bodies. Mapapagtiyagaan na siguro."