The terrace gasped as one.
Chris froze in that suspended moment between impact and reaction, one very clear, very incredulous thought cut through him with startling calm.
'Is someone actually stupid enough to try to hurt me?'
'When Dax had killed for less? When Dax had killed for me?'
The world snapped back into motion violently.
Guards were already moving, chairs were shoved back as bodies closed in, and the illusion of decorative security was shredding itself without apology. Someone was slammed to the stone floor behind Chris with a sound that cracked through the terrace like a dropped plate.
"Down."
The word carried absolute authority.
Chris felt Rowan's presence at his back before he saw him, a hand hovering just shy of contact, ready but restrained, trusting Chris to remain upright unless told otherwise.
"I'm… fine," Chris said automatically, breath still uneven. He lifted one hand, palm out, halting the rush toward him before it could swallow the space. "I'm fine."
