Page 40 of Light in Your Eyes (Romero Brothers #1)

Kellan

After I finish my morning jog, I walk back to the house, thinking about my schedule today with Layla. I have to train her again. I know that we have to do it every day until she can master her defense. It may not fully prevent her from danger, but it's the least I can give her.

As I'm getting closer to the house, I stop in my tracks. There's something wrong with the air I breathe. It's bitter, and it smells like smoke.

The wind blows harsher, making it even more obvious. My mind is immediately on alert.

There's a fire, and judging from the direction of the wind, it's coming from the house.

My heart beats like a drum in my chest as I speed up my pace. I'm now running, my breath short and fast because of the sudden panic building up inside me.

"There's a fire on the third floor," someone shouts.

Before I can reach inside the house, I'm already blocked by people surrounding the side of the mansion. Their gasps and murmurs let me know that they are trying to figure out what's happening.

"Shit. Isn't that Kellan's room?" a guy asks, and my heart almost stops.

"I saw it," a girl yells. "I saw them on the balcony. He was trying to choke her."

"Are you sure about that?" someone else asks in disbelief.

"What the fuck is happening?" I snap.

The noises around me turn quiet in an instant. The air is thick with fear.

"Kellan," another guy stutters, as though he can't believe that I have reached here.

"Answer me," I boom, my whole body shaking.

The way I'm panting hard is not even healthy. I can't breathe. It's like the air in my lungs is being sucked forcefully.

I don't know what I will do if something bad indeed happened to Layla. And judging from what I just heard, it wasn't just bad. It's enough to make me want to destroy the entire world.

"Kellan," someone starts, sounding extremely nervous. "It's your room — " He can't even finish his sentence.

I'm still panting like I'm about to collapse. I'm sure that they all can hear my ragged breathing. I don't even ask him to keep talking because I can't even utter a single word now with how rapidly I'm breathing.

"It's on fire," someone else finishes the sentence.

"Layla." My voice is shaking uncontrollably, I almost choke. "Where is she?"

No one can answer me. I can only hear silence, and it's like a knife slicing my heart very slowly .

"Where the hell is she?" I roar.

My hands, down to the tips of my fingers, are trembling in fear.

Just now, I did hear that someone broke into my room and planned to choke her to death.

I can guess who it is, and I will kill him with my bare hands.

I grit my teeth, storming toward the house, but then someone catches me, blocking me from the entrance.

"Kellan." It's Stas. He pushes my body back with his bulky one, gripping my upper arms. "You can't go in there."

I push him back, feeling like I can explode. "Get off me."

"Goddammit," Stas speaks through clenched teeth, struggling to hold me back. "Everyone, come over here right now," he shouts to the surrounding people. "Help me hold him back. Protect him."

"Get the fuck off," I lash out as more people hold me back. They grab my arms and lock my waist.

Protect me?

Here I am, being protected as their king, but I can't do anything to protect her.

"Get off me, you fucking people," I holler with rage evident in my tone. "I'm going to kill you all if you don't let me go inside."

"And Jaxon will punish us all if we let you," Stas snaps, causing me to freeze. "Your brother wouldn't want you to go inside, Kellan. What are you going to do there? I'm so fucking sorry that I have to say this to you, but — "

He takes a deep breath, bracing to say the next words that are going to hurt me.

"You have no sight. You can't just expect yourself to save her from the fire. Are you just going to force your way blindly through the fire and let us risk both of you dying?"

I feel the tears in my eyes even before Stas finishes his sentence.

Goddammit , I know it.

I fucking know that I'm fucking blind.

But I have to save her.

The ugly truth has just been thrown at me. Even when I don't mind dying, even when I indeed die in the process, what if I still can't save her?

My body goes rigid because of the pain consuming me.

Stas sighs, and I can hear Zoe's cries somewhere in the background.

Stas grabs my shoulder to assure me. "You are our king, Kellan. It is our job to help you fulfill what you need. Stay here. I'm going to look for her, and I promise you, I will do my best to save her."

Before I can respond, I hear his footsteps running toward the house. And just like that, he's gone to save Layla.

My teeth are chattering because of the mixture of fear, anger, and sadness stirring inside me. The people are still holding me back, but I'm no longer struggling to get away. I can only stare ahead with hope that Layla will come back to me.

I unknowingly let my tear fall, followed by another, and another.

People shout around me, trying to find a way to put the fire out. Some people have already called for help to extinguish the fire. The others are talking loudly, with urgency in their tones .

It's chaos around me, but it's nothing compared to the turmoil in my heart.

I'm standing here, unable to do anything. I can only freeze on the spot.

Waiting.

Waiting.

And still, waiting.

The sound of the fire burning fills the air, and I don't think that I'll ever forget it for the rest of my life.

This is another nightmare.

I'm being left in the dark again.

With no sight.

No choices.

No chances.

No hope for me to protect the person dear to me.

I can only accept whatever pain that will engulf me.

On the day that Layla Hayes might be dying, I can only blindly search for a miracle.