I put pressure on the cloth over my neck. It is more painful than I thought. The wound is no longer bleeding but the searing pain is still there, clear and lounging, even after minutes have already passed. I recall how the knife looks. It seems normal but the instant it touches my flesh, an electric discharge comes out.

Cielo comes in and says, "Stay put, I will take care of the wound."

She goes straight to a drawer and takes a couple of clothes and containers of unfamiliar things. She seems adept despite not being a full-fledged Babaylan yet.

Cielo starts to mix the medication beside me. We are alone in the room and I can't help but wonder how Migo is coping with the situation. He's brilliant but is always awkward and can't read people and the atmosphere in a room. I'm sure the situation has distorted his sense of safety on the island.

Abruptly the door opens. Cielo jumps on the sound and almost spill everything. Then I feel strong arms gather me in.

"I'm sorry."

It's Sinag. I turn towards him. He cups my face and studies my face. I grin at him, hoping that it can console him. "Did I act right? Do I look scared of you?" I ask.

"You look submissive, for once," he answers. "And angry," he adds.

His fingers trail down my cheeks down my neck. The other is lightly grazing at the bruises on my shoulders and arms as if he's willing them to heal. I pull back from his touch and look behind him. Isagani is beside the closed door. He's studying me, us. Then my eyes shift towards Cielo. She's fumbling around the containers, taking care not to look at us.

I suddenly gasp. Sinag licks the side of my neck, the part where he makes the Nayan mark, then he put kisses along it. "Wait, you really should not do that here," I say, conscious that Isagani and Cielo are in the same room.

Yet, he did not stop. Before long, I feel like a prisoner in his touch. My hand shoots up wildly into the back of his head and the other reaches up to his shoulder for support. I am dizzy and lightheaded. I moan. I am not even sure how long it lasts when suddenly, he stops, a mischievous smile playing on his lips. "I make you feel good, huh?"

I hit him, embarrassed. I notice Isagani flinched. He's about to approach us, only to be stopped by Sinag's laughter. He touches his forehead to mine and says, "I'm sorry for everything."

"You don't have to," I respond and give him a swift kiss. I should be the one apologizing for what I am about to do.

He stares at me for a while and finally let go. "Hell, I can't wait for this ceremony to end so I can have you alone again."

I hold his hand, feeling his warmth for a little while longer. I want this moment to last because once the ceremony ends, I will never see him again.

"I'll see you tonight," he says. It's not a question. He's not even waiting for my confirmation. He smiles at me, kisses the back of my hand, and let go. Then, he turns to leave.

I didn't answer because I know that I won't spend my night with him. I feel myself tear up. Will it be the last words I will hear from him? Wracked by both guilt and grief, on impulse, I call out to him and say, "Sinag, I love you."

He pauses by the door, runs back to me, and gives me a long, lingering kiss. I am breathless when he let me go and for the first time; I am grateful for the chair I'm sitting on. I feel weak, helpless and I want time to stop so that I can stay in his arms forever.

"Stop making it harder for me to let you go," he says. He's as breathless as I am. He notices my tears and he wipes them with his thumb.

I manage to smile at him, even if all I want is to pull him closer, to prolong our time together. "I make you feel good, huh?" I reply.

"Cheeky girl," he says. "Now, stop stirring me so much. I need to get this feast done and bid these guests farewell." He lingers for a bit longer and whispers, "You don't have to be afraid. You're safe by my side."

"Yes, my dear Rajah," I answer.

When he leaves this time, I did not call him. I just watch him close the door and when he's out of sight, I slump back on the chair. I cover my face and burst into tears, hoping that all my fears and doubts would be washed away.

Cielo approaches me. "Is it still painful?" she asks. She sounds worried. Who would not get worried? I am trembling as I weep. She continues to massage my back until I'm able to calm myself.

"Thank you," I say, wiping the remnants of my tears. "But no, I am not hurting anymore."

"Why are you crying then? Is it because of the Rajah? Are you afraid of him? Do you want to escape him?"

I am afraid of what the Rajah will do after this. I hope that I am not as important to him as he wants me to believe. Instead, I say, "That man who bruised me is scary."

Cielo nods. "Yes, Boqin looks cruel," she agrees.

Then she cleans my wound and places a strange-looking paste over it. It's cold and refreshing and the throbbing pain slowly fades. "I'm learning a lot as a Babaylan, thanks to you," she says.

"How was it?" I ask, relieved that I requested it from Sinag. Having a Babaylan with them while they are escaping Hiraya will be an advantage.

"I have little to no task as a Cleaner now. I spent most of my time studying. They also said that once the guests leave, I can fully concentrate on becoming a Babaylan."

"At least, I don't have to worry."

"Worry?"

I pause and take a deep sigh. I look around the room. It looks safe to talk. My attention returns to Cielo. "The farewell ceremony. They would give one of the inhabitants as some kind of payment, or tribute, to be a slave in Fuhua—that's the name of the mainland."

Understanding passes her features. I continue, "I will be that tribute but you have to promise me that you will ensure that everyone will take the proper precaution to escape this island when I'm gone."

Cielo did not respond, as expected.

"I'm sure Migo will be in awful shape."

I don't even want to imagine the anguish I would cause him.

"And Aian will blame himself." Especially the way I left him at that ship.

I hold Cielo's hand tightly and say, "I know that we never became friends. But just for this one time, I am asking you to help them take a step forward. There are a lot of things to prepare if you are to escape this island. Aian knows the details."

Finally, Cielo finds her voice and asks, "Escape? How about the Rajah, does he know?"

I clench my teeth. "He does not know," I admit.

Cielo glares at me. She looks panicked by it. "You can't be expecting someone to handle his anger when he realizes that?!"

"That's exactly the reason why I can't tell him now."

"Oh my god," she exclaims. She's shaking her head in fear but I grip her hands. She stares back at me, "You can't expect me to be around him when he's at the peak of his wrath!"

"I do not expect you to. Just be there for Migo, Aian, and Renz."

"Did you not see how mad he is after that branding event. Jade! He smashed that man's head into the ground!"

"He did?" I ask but somehow I can picture his anger.

"He almost killed that man!" Cielo exclaims.

"That man, Boqin, he's gonna survive, I suppose?"

"You're crazy," she says, shaking her head in disbelief.

"I always get that," I answer.

We stare at each other. Cielo takes a deep breath, walks towards the chair, and sits heavily on it.

"Let me think for a moment," she says.

That instant, the door opens and both Migo and Renz walk into the room. They are preoccupied with what happened to me that they both overlooked Cielo's predicament, the fraud in my smile, and most importantly, Aian's absence.