Strings and Chains (The Frey, #1)

29. We are in Mess

STRINGS AND CHAINS

CHAPTER 29

Mas humigpit ang pagkakahawak ni Cael sa leeg ko at hindi na ako makahinga. He even lifted me using just his right hand. I couldn't breathe. I was gasping for air. I'm really going to die. Nakatingin na lamang ako sa kisame at hindi ko na alam ang nangyayari sa paligid ko. I felt my body flew on the wall. Sobrang lakas nang pagkakabagsak ko roon pati na rin sa lapag. Hawak-hawak ko ang leeg kong ang sakit pa rin dahil sa mahigpit na pagkasakal ni Cael dito.

I heard loud bickering. They are all shouting. I heard another thump. They are killing each other and they will tear out this place.

"You will not touch her again!"

"You're always a dumb piece of shit. You do nothing but trouble."

"Stop it. Both of you."

Tumaas ang tingin ko sa tatlo. Cael and Raiden are ready to kill each other. Alexander calmly stands between them. Tumingin sa akin si Alexander.

"You're coming with us," wika nito. Tumingin naman s'ya kay Raiden.

"Calm down. We're not going to kill her," pagsi-siguro nito. Huminga ng malalim si Raiden saka siya naglakad patungo sa akin. Inalalayan niya akong tumayo at tiningnan akong mabuti.

"Are you hurt?" tanong niya. Agad akong umiling kahit na sobrang sakit sa buong katawan nang nangyari sa 'kin. I don't want to give another reason para makipagsuntukan o makipagpatayan siya sa kapatid niya. I don't even know who's stronger between them. I know Rai is strong, but Cael... Something is definitely wrong with that man. He's someone who you should not mess up with.

Tiningnan ako ni Cael. He just looked at me but no he was not really directly looking at me. He's looking at something else, something inside me. He can see it.

"Days. You only have days," wika nito saka ito tumingin kay Raiden. "Give us the orb."

"I don't have the orb!" galit na galit na sigaw ni Raiden sa dalawa. He doesn't have the orb dahil hawak pa rin ito ng Liverton.

"Where is it?" tanong niya.

"Liverton," sagot ko without thinking that much. If we can't get the orb, these two definitely can. At kapag nakuha na nila 'yon, doon na ako mapapanatag. Liverton will never ever give the orb to anyone. All of these are too much complicated. This is not just an ordinary rivalry between creatures. There is more than this. Raiden was right. This is a long time war na hindi dapat kami nakisali. Yet here we are, damay sa gulong hindi naman namin kayang tapusin basta-basta.

Cael didn't say anything. Tumingin siya kay Alexander. Nagtanguan ang dalawa. Sa isang iglap ay wala na si Cael dito sa sala. Ang tanging natitira ay ako, si Raiden, at Alexander.

"Saan siya pupunta?" Nagtataka kong tanong.

"Tatapusin ang dapat matagal nang tinapos ni Raiden," sagot ni Alexander saka ito tumingin sa kapatid niya. Umiwas ng tingin si Raiden.

"Once Cael gets back, you are coming with us. You will answer to master and she will decide what to do with you. You committed a mistake once; I hope this is not another stupid mistake. Hindi mo gustong galitin si Lauren, Raiden."

Hindi umiimik si Raiden. Tumingin lamang siya sa akin. I bit my lip at hinawakan ang kamay niya. I want to say that everything is going to be okay. I want to remain positive. Pero ginugulo ng mga salitang binitiwan ni Cael ang isipan ko. Napalunok ako ulit. I'm starting to remember what happened down there, when I was in hell, and what Lilith did to me. Huminga ako ng malalim.