How the Mighty Fall (The Sinner #1)

SIN 11

Kairos

Naestatwa si Vivendel sa ilalim ko.

"Fuck!" Nilabas ko na rin ang aking baril nang makitang ganoon na ang ginagawa ni Vashka. Ang masaya at magaang ekspresyon naman sa mukha ni Atlas ay napalitan ng pagseseryoso habang inaasinta ang hindi pa namin makilalang kalaban.

Kanina ay marami rami ang nakapasok dito sa courthouse, ngayon ay nababawasan ang bilang nila. That's when I knew that my men are already here being led by Gideon.

Vivendel stopped breathing under me. A rush of panic when through me. I looked down to check on her, because I trust my brothers to protect us while I'm not looking.

My chest tightened but loosened immediately when my eyes landed on her and she's still conscious. I surveyed her and found no injury.

Gideon entered the courthouse.

"Poet, we'll both stand up and then you'll go with Gideon," I instructed her. Her eyes are open, she's not blinking and she's not breathing.

My brows joined.

"Viel," her nickname sounded foreign on my tongue.

She remained motionless. Doon ko napagtanto... she's panicking. Either she's not used to these situations or this triggered something.

With the knowledge that something might have happened to her before, it awakened something feral in me. Unconsciously, I growled.

My wife froze even more under me.

I looked behind me.

"She's panicking. Gideon, call the underboss and their captains. Stop the invaders from coming in here while I calm her down. The soldiers should scatter around the area."

Gideon wasted no time. Atlas left with him. Vashka did not.

"I recognize them, Kairos," ani Vashka. "They-"

"Later, Vashka." I cannot listen to whatever word he says.

Viel curled herself into a ball as if that would protect her.

"Viel," I tried to get her attention. "Eyes on me."

It's as if she didn't here anything at all. I tried to move her but she became heavy due to the stiffness of her body.

"Poet," I murmured. "This is Kairos. I won't let anything happen to you. The men are outside, fighting the invaders. And no one can hurt you here because they have to get through me first before they can get you."

Nothing. She's not responding.

I murmured more soothing and words of assurance in her ears until I felt her stiffness easing a bit. Not enough but it's progress.

When she moved, she looked at me. But intense fear painted her dark hazel eyes. She looked so vulnerable. Far from the defiant woman who fought me at every turn.

"Mama," she whispered. Her voice was small as if she regressed in age. "Scared."

I nodded. "Do you recognize me, Poet?"

Her breaths got rapid. Then she shook her head and started crying. I don't know whether it was a response to my question or if she's telling me she can't speak.

"It's okay, Poet. Just breathe with me. That's all that matters. You matter more than anything right now." I breathed at the pace that I want her to so she'd copy me.

She mimicked what I was showing her.

"Can't breathe," she said, sounding pressured because she can't keep up.