Guardians: Protectors of Light

Chapter 47

This next scene of Trent with Valery touched me, I had to get an image of it for this chapter

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Trent awakens with a start, panting. He didn't remember choosing to close his eyes. He blinks until the world adjusts in his vision. The first thing he sees is Valery, her face twisted in a nightmare she can't wake up from. She hasn't moved an inch from the previous night.

"Val?" Trent murmurs, sitting up. Nothing.

New day, fresh hope, he reminds himself. It shouldn't be too much longer before help gets here.

Trent sits up as Angela walks in with a tray of food.

"How are you feeling?" Angela asks, placing the tray on his lap.

"I've had better mornings." He answers honestly.

"I think we all have," Angela comments, following his gaze to Valery. "Her mind is... not here. I can't find anything. I wish I had something more cheerful to say... though I guess that's never been my strong suit."

"At least she's breathing..." Trent sighs as he turns towards his food tray. "I need you to make sure everyone is rested and ready today. I want this place checked out and see if we can find anything we can use. We need to figure out where these creatures are coming from. The longer we have this city under our control, the more we can hinder those blasted Devils if they manage to take it back."

Angela sighs, putting a hand on her hip. "I'll get everyone ready to move out. You just eat and relax. That leg of yours isn't ready to hold your weight, and someone needs to keep an eye on her in case she wakes up."

At first, he opens his mouth to protest. Taking another look at Valery, Trent's grip on his fork tightens. "Just be careful and stay alert," Trent says.

"Oh please... I'm the queen of alert. Just try not to disappear while we're getting things done," Angela responds with a grin before heading out of the room.

Turning to his food, he slowly begins to eat as his mind turns toward plans of action. We have about five hours until backup arrives. We need to be able to find something to keep the Devil's Own at bay.

Valery groans, her eyebrow twitching.

"Val?" Trent whispers, shoving his tray aside. He ignores it as it clutters to the ground, hot porridge splattering across the floor. "Val?"

He turns towards her, swinging his legs painfully around to the side of the bed. She whimpers again, this time louder, more terrified. Another eyebrow twitches. "Val, you're ok." He scrambles out of bed, throwing the blankets out of his way. He hits the floor hard, his leg unwilling to hold him. "Val..." He struggles to lean on his good knee, grasping her hand. Looking at her face, he murmurs, "You're ok. You're not alone anymore. You're not alone." With his open hand, he reaches up and strokes her face.

She stirs again.

"Shh, I'm here." He braces his palm against the bed, refusing to let go of her other hand. As he pushes up against the mattress, and raises, he pivots, letting himself fall into bed beside her. "I'm here. You're okay..."

In his arms, his heart beating against her, she relaxes. 'That's right. You're okay," he whispers, laying a gentle kiss on her forehead. She whines, but her body remains motionless. It's as if she's a painting of herself. Incapable of moving, but living. "Shh, Val. You're okay! You're safe. I don't know what's going on in your head right now, but we'll fix this! You're okay, baby girl. I got you. And no one is going to take you away from me again, you hear me?"