The Seamstress and the Spy

“Ayusin mo ang tayo mo, Rank 15. Hindi sabsaban ang West Wing para maglakad ka na parang taga-slums, duh.”

Dominique’s voice cut through the hallway, sharp and annoying. Kakatapos lang namin kumain ng dinner—isang meal na para sa iba ay luho, pero para sa akin ay lasang abo. The steak was perfectly seared, the wine was vintage, and the service was impeccable. Typical Thorne standards. Nakita ko kung paano mamangha ang ibang mga Proteges, lalo na si Lulu na halos ayaw hawakan ang silver cutlery sa takot na magasgas ito.

Pero ako? I ate in silence. Hindi ako nabilib sa ginto at porselana dahil dati naming lamesa ito. Bawat subo ko ay paalala lang na ang kinakain ko ngayon ay ninakaw mula sa dugo ng aking ama.

“Dominique, can you just shut up for once?” I replied, my voice calm but laced with a boredom that clearly irritated her. “Kakatapos lang nating kumain. Hindi ba pwedeng hayaan mo munang matunawan ang insecurity mo bago mo ako kausapin?”

“Insecurity? Ako?” Dominique laughed, a high-pitched, mocking sound. “I am Rank 1. You are a nobody Julian found in the mud. Ang dumi mo pa rin tingnan kahit anong ligo ang gawin nila sa’yo. And now, we’re going to Vera. Do you even know who Vera is? She doesn’t dress peasants.”

I didn’t bother answering. I knew exactly sino si Vera. She was the most sought-after seamstress in Vespera. She didn’t just sew clothes; she engineered armor for the elite. Pumasok kami sa The Atelier, a hidden room in the East Wing that smelled of expensive silk, lavender, and old sewing machines. Ang paligid ay puno ng mga mannequins na nakasuot ng mga half-finished gowns na kumikinang sa ilalim ng warm lights.

Sa gitna ng silid, nakatayo ang isang matandang babae na may suot na thimble sa kanyang daliri. Her eyes were sharp, scanning us like a hawk.

“Dominique, stand on the pedestal,” utos ni Vera nang hindi man lang tumitingin sa amin. “And you… the new one. Come closer.”

Huminga ako nang malalim at lumapit. Vera reached for her measuring tape. The moment the cold, yellow tape touched my shoulder, the world around me began to blur. Ang kalyo sa mga daliri ni Vera at ang gasgas na tunog ng paghila niya sa measuring tape ay tila naging isang time machine. Bigla, ang amoy ng lavender sa Atelier ay napalitan ng amoy ng sariwang rosas—ang paboritong bulaklak ni Mama.

Sampung taon na ang nakalipas. I was sixteen, preparing for my debut. Ang kwarto ko noon ay puno ng mga tahi-tahing sutla at mga perlas na nakakalat sa sahig. My mother was kneeling behind me, her mouth full of pins, carefully pinning pearls onto the bodice of my gown. Ang bawat tusok niya ay puno ng pagmamahal. “Margo, my jade,” bulong niya habang inaayos ang laylayan. “This dress is your armor. Sa gabing ito, ipakikita natin sa Vespera na ang mga Valderama ay hindi matitibag.”

Hinalikan niya ang balikat ko, eksakto sa pwesto kung saan dumadaan ang measuring tape ni Vera ngayon. It was a week before the sabotage. Isang linggo bago naging abo ang armor na iyon, at bago naging mitsa ng kamatayan ni Mama ang mga perlas na pinaghirapan niyang itahi.

“Huwag kang malikot,” saway ni Vera, dahilan para bumalik ako sa realidad.

Naramdaman ko ang paghigpit ng hawak niya sa bewang ko. Nanatili akong tuwid, ang mukha ko ay walang emosyon kahit na ang bawat haplos ng tape measure ay tila sinusugatan ang alaala ko.

“Dominique, you’re done. Go wait outside with the others,” utos ni Vera habang sinusulat ang mga sukat ko sa isang lumang notebook.

“Why do I have to wait? She’s just a Rank 15,” reklamo ni Dominique, padabog na bumaba sa pedestal. “Huwag mo siyang masyadong pagandahin, Vera. Sayang lang ang tela. Mud will always be mud.”

Hinarap ko si Dominique, isang malamig na ngiti ang sumilay sa labi ko. “Mud is where the most beautiful lotus grows, Dominique. Unlike plastic, it actually has substance. Why don’t you go check if your Rank 1 badge is still shiny? Baka kasi bukas, kupas na ‘yan.”

Dominique turned red, her fists clenching, pero lumabas din siya nang pabagsak ang pinto. Naiwan kaming dalawa ni Vera. The silence was heavy. Lumapit siya sa akin para sukatin ang haba ng aking leeg nang bigla siyang huminto. Dahan-dahan niyang hinawi ang buhok ko sa likod ng aking kanang tenga. Nakita ko sa salamin ang paglaki ng kanyang mga mata. Doon, sa ilalim ng aking hairline, ay ang maliit at hugis-pusong birthmark.

“This mark…” bulong ni Vera, ang kanyang boses ay nanginginig. “I’ve only seen this once before. I made the dress for Mrs. Valderama’s funeral. I remember the daughter… the little girl who cried over the casket. You… you have her eyes. You have her mark.”

Hindi ako kumurap. “I think you’re mistaken, Vera. Maraming tao ang may birthmark. At ang mga Valderama? Patay na silang lahat. I’m Eris.”

“Eris,” pag-uulit niya, tila hindi naniniwala. “Kung sino ka man, mag-ingat ka rito. This house eats girls like you for breakfast. Ang unipormeng gagawin ko para sa’yo… gagawin ko itong matibay. You’ll need it.”

Binitawan niya ang measuring tape at may binunot na isang itim na envelope mula sa ilalim ng kanyang lamesa. “I heard the guards talking earlier. Senator Silas is coming here tonight. He’s meeting Madame V and Julian in the East Wing library. They’re finalizing the transfer of some… ‘old assets’ from the Valderama estate.”

Ang salitang “Silas” ay tila isang sampal sa mukha ko. My grip on my skirt tightened so hard I could hear the fabric groan. Silas. Ang taong pumirma sa death warrant ni Papa.

“He’s here?” I asked, my voice dangerously calm.

“He’s already in the East Wing,” Vera replied. “And if I were you, Rank 15, I wouldn’t go near that library. Silas likes young, pretty things. At ang mga gaya mo? Ginagawa niyang dekorasyon bago itapon.”

Lumabas ako ng Atelier nang hindi tumitingin sa likod. Nang makarating kami sa dormitoryo, hinintay ko ang pagdilim ng mga ilaw. Eksaktong 10:00 PM—the Curfew of Shadows. Dahan-dahan akong bumangon at kinuha ang itim na leggings at hoodie na itinago ko sa ilalim ng kutson. I crawled through the narrow, dusty ventilation duct na konektado sa East Wing.

Nakarating ako sa isang awang sa kisame na nakatapat mismo sa pasilyo ng library. Doon ko siya nakita. Senator Silas. He looked exactly the same—mataba, mamahalin ang suit, at may suot na singsing na pag-aari ni Papa. He was laughing, clinking a glass of scotch with Julian Thorne.

“The Valderama ports are finally under my name, Julian,” Silas chuckled. “Your father would be proud. It took ten years, but we finally erased every trace of that family. Except for the boy, of course.”

Napatigil ako sa paghinga. The boy. Leo.

“Leo is under control, Senator,” Julian replied, his voice cold. “He’s in the facility. He stays alive as long as he’s useful.”

“Good. Because if that boy ever speaks…” Silas made a throat-slashing gesture.

Ang kamay ko ay nanginginig sa galit. Leo is alive. My brother is alive and being held like a lab rat. “Is the new asset ready?” tanong ni Silas. “Madame V told me about a girl Julian found. Eris, right? Bring her to my gala next week. I want to see if the hype is real.”

Dahan-dahan akong umurong pabalik sa duct. Sapat na ang narinig ko. My heart was a graveyard, but today, a new grave was dug—and it had Senator Silas’s name on it. Nakabalik ako sa West Wing nang hindi nahuhuli, hingal na hingal at puno ng dumi ng duct.

Kinuha ko ang punit na tela ng robe ni Mama mula sa ilalim ng unan ko.

“Vera was right, Mama,” bulong ko sa dilim. “This dress is my armor. But this time, it’s not for a dance.”

Senator Silas wants me at his gala? Fine. He’ll get more than what he bargained for. I will become the Top Protege. I will become the Mistress they can’t control. And when I’m standing next to Silas at that gala, the last thing he’ll see is the Jade of Valderama—shining, lethal, and finally back for blood.

I thought about Julian. His voice when he mentioned Leo… was it protection or was it a threat? Hindi ko na alam. Pero isang bagay ang sigurado: Ang Sanctum ay hindi lang isang eskwelahan. It’s a slaughterhouse.

And next week, I’m the one holding the cleaver.

Binuksan ko ang aking notebook at isinulat ang isang bagong pangalan sa ilalim ng listahan ko.

1. Captain Rios (The Handcuffs) 2. Madame V (The Brains) 3. Senator Silas (The Signature)

Target Number Three is scheduled for next week, I wrote.

I closed my eyes, the image of Silas wearing my father’s ring burning in my mind. Rank 15? I won’t stay here for long. To get to Silas, I need to be the best. I need to be the girl Julian can’t say no to.

I will become the Top Protege. I will become the Mistress they can’t control.

And when I’m standing next to Silas at that gala, the last thing he’ll see is the Jade of Valderama—shining, lethal, and finally back for blood.