"At last, the little girl is here," the oldest Babaylan greets me.

Her name is Bituin, and she invokes respect from the other Babaylans. I respect her too. So much that after my tasks, I help with her simple chores. Her son, Laki, comes from time to time, but he's too busy to support her around the clock, especially when he gets injured during that second challenge with Migo and Jade.

"Little girl, help me with this," she orders.

Bituin hands me a jar. Upon closer inspection, I realize it contains lavender. I take a bowl, a strainer, and a muslin cloth. I sit on one of the desks, place the strainer on the mouth of the bowl, and pour the contents of the jar into it. I take another bowl, lay a piece of muslin cloth, and transfer the contents to it.

"Is your son going to visit?" I ask.

"Not today, but tomorrow he's scheduled for a final checkup for all the wounds he incurred during the second challenge. Have you already thanked that girl and boy for me?" she asks.

"Yes," I lie. Since the time Migo and Jade saved Laki, the two had always been in Bituin's mind.

"Have you also invited the two to see me? Even once?"

"Yes, but right now they are busy," I lie again.

"Understandable," Bituin says. "The third challenge is close."

It's about to get dark when I'm finally done with Bituin's orders. I'm tired, but I know I still need to meet Aian. The four of them had it easier. Other than their hard challenges, they spend all day training in their respective barracks. Still, no luck on how to return home.

Compared to me, I always risk my life to taste-test those monsters. I just hope that the monster on the third challenge is not poisonous. I suffer the same risk as them, but I need to work harder. Life is unfair, even here. Thankfully, I am allowed to help Bituin. In that way, I can indulge in my hobby to minimize stress in living in this old world. Other than that, those four can easily live and assimilate here. While all I do is go around in circles and never find contentment.

I just hope that I won't stay here forever and that death won't be the one thing that will separate us from this place. Yes, I've never been the champion of hope, but I missed my home and my family. At least, even without love, home is where I can truly be me. I don't need to wear my fake self there.

I pass through the rooms of the Mainlanders which are usually quiet. I hear that the Rajah will choose one woman among these. I wonder what they do all day when they are not trying to get the Rajah's attention?

The other Cleaners mentioned that these women's beauty is the standard. They are from the Mainland so they can easily beautify themselves. I'm not sure how true it is anyway since I have never laid eyes on any of them. But maybe, Hiraya's inhabitants have a different way to perceive beauty. How I wish I would be assigned to where they are spending most of their days here in Hiraya.

Unfortunately, I am always assigned to the task of cleaning the room when they are at a party. Or change the sheets when it was required. Or run around between rooms delivering things. The closest encounter I had with a Mainland woman is behind a door. I heard their voices. It's soft and gentle, almost lazy in the way they pronounce their words. If ever I am to converse with any of them, I would easily lose my patience. Then again, given a chance, I will act and show them that it's an honor to serve them.

Once I pass the guest rooms, I stretch. It's a long day and it's not even nearly done yet. But at least, I learned more about herbs from Bituin.

I see Rosa a few meters from me and when I approach her, she says. "Someone's here to see you." She opens the door and ushers me to enter it. I did. Rosa closes the door and the only light in the room is the one that comes through the window.

"You're Cielo."

I whirl around at the deep voice, only to face the Rajah who is sitting at the foot of the bed. I open my mouth but no sound comes out. Rajah Sinagtala notices my predicament and takes a step towards me.

"I need to talk to ask you something and I need an honest answer."

"What is it?" I manage to croak.

"Before I saw your group on the beach, where were you?"

I swallow in fright. "We were studying, somewhere outside this island."

"What's the name of the place?"

He walks closer to me and when I answer, "I don't know," I choke on my own words. "I really don't know. Please..." I find myself begging.

He stops before me and I feel so small. "I apologize for startling you," he says.

And I realize that I am frozen at the spot, save for the movement of my lips. His presence is too much, suffocating. One wrong word and I feel like he will murder me on the spot. He's all charming smile but behind everything that's good and pleasing to the eyes, lies his dormant anger. His emotions are all ragged and edgy. He seems to be a person who had done awful things and regretted it after. This is a man you don't manipulate and play around with. Was he always like this? Or just at certain times?

"Do I scare you?" he asks when I did not respond. Gone is his smile and now, I am fearing for my life. "Good. Now, tell me, who are the newcomers that slay that shark and crab?"

Jade and Migo. My mind screams but I can't tell him. I can't endanger their lives! They're not my friends but if they face this man's wrath, it is tantamount to their death. I don't care what kind of mischief they did to incur his anger but certainly, it would never equate to their deaths.

I shake my head, playing the ignorant is better.

Rajah smirks at me. "You must understand that I don't like liars." I pale. "If you fear for their lives, don't, I won't hurt them. Besides, she is mine."

He won't hurt them physically but there's more than one way to hurt a person and this man seems well-versed on it.

I grab my skirt and make a fist. "Migo and Jade," I whisper.

I look up at him and I see a flicker of softness in his features. Does that mean that they are not in trouble?

Suddenly, the Rajah smiles and pats my head. "Now, that's a good girl."

The Rajah takes a few steps away from me and says, "Compose yourself. Rosa is outside and I don't want her to worry when she sees you."

When he leaves the room, I'm finally able to breathe again. I just hope that the glimmer of softness I saw is enough to spare their life. Nevertheless, they must know. Both Jade and Migo need to be warned!

I stand up and reach for the door. When I twist it, it's locked. I try to slam myself on it but to no avail. A growing fear bubbles up from my chest and I realize that they are not going to allow me to give the others a warning.

'She is mine.'

The Rajah's words reverberate in my brain. Then I remember the hickeys on Jade's neck. The way the Rajah looked at her that night at the feast. My breathing hitches. Migo is not the one! It's Rajah Sinagtala!

Then why is he asking for their name if he already knew her? Then, I gasp at the realization. It's Migo's name that he wanted to know! Like me, he might have thought something is going on between those two!

I stare at the door. I approach it and bang at it. "Please, Rosa, if you are there, let me go."

I need to warn the others! Jade is being blind! She will endanger Migo's life while she's playing lovers with a cold, calculating man that hides behind the facade of a perfect, passionate man!

Is it gratitude that causes that blindness? Is it his power? Or has it evolved into something more after almost two months that we are on this island?

"Rosa, please let me go."