(BL) Hunting The Field Guide novel Chapter 442

Chapter 442: The seventh day after everyone arrived on the front lines

It was the morning after Kellen got back from the gym that Kellen found Rhys sitting at the island, staring at a cup of tea with a blank look on his face. When Kellen came into the apartment, Rhys looked up before he gave him a smile. It wasn’t his normal one, and Kellen knew that something wasn’t quite right.

"Hey. What happened?" Kellen asked, moving towards Rhys and placing his hand on his shoulder. Rhys sighed, placing his hands over his face as he let out a deep sigh.

"I didn’t want to tell you last night because you went out for dinner with your parents, but...they’re dead. All of the people we captured. They had hidden poison on them and Hill...Well, let’s just leave it at that." Rhys said. Kellen felt his gut twist.

That wasn’t good. If he said it like that, that told him that some of them hadn’t died that way. Kellen pulled out the stool next to him and sat down, taking Rhys’ hand in his own and giving it a comforting squeeze.

"Are you worried about those who are still on the front lines?" Kellen asked. Rhys sighed, nodded, and turned to meet his gaze.

"Hill and Green were there when it happened." Rhys told him and Kellen found himself nodding. Yeah, that was something to be worried about. Kellen didn’t take Taylor as a weak person, but seeing that? Probably wasn’t a good thing to see. Even if she was a healer, some things weren’t...okay.

"I wouldn’t count Taylor as weak." Kellen said and Rhys laughed.

"I’m not worried about her. I know Green has a steel rod for a spine. I’m worried about Hill because she’s already feeling like she let not just me down, but everyone else by not being able to keep them alive. If this was their plan, even if we had checked them, there was only so much we could do. We’ll just need to look over the bodies and see where they hid the poison so that we are prepared for next time." Rhys said, his jaw tense, his eyes dark. Kellen nodded.

"I agree. That’s all we can do. We’ll have to discuss that with Hill." Kellen said and Rhys sighed, nodding. "How are the plans with everything else?" Kellen asked and Rhys made a face.

"That’s the other thing. We have seen some strange movements in the forest as well. If we sent a few cars away from the front lines now, there is a chance that they could be targeted. Even those that are arriving by ground are in danger. We’re trying to make sure that everyone is safe, but fuck. I’m kicking myself for not seeing this." Rhys said, shaking his head. "I wish I had been able to see this, the same way that you had. Even just a little bit. I hate that I can’t just-use my powers as I like." Rhys complained and Kellen felt his guts churn.

"It’s okay Rhys. We’ll get through this. Everyone will be fine." Kellen told him, comforting him, even as his own sense of warning as screaming in his guts. Rhys glanced at him, a small self deprecating smile on his face.

"Thanks for comforting me Kellen. I think this is stressful for you too. When is the funeral?" Rhys asked and Kellen let out a soft sigh.

"Today. Dad’s getting set up. It’s why we went out for dinner last night. Mom has to...do something for the funeral but wouldn’t tell me what, and Dad looked a little pissed. Maybe Aunt Dina asked her for something that Dad doesn’t agree with? Probably aligns with her powers, and the less I know, the less trouble I can get in if it’s something illegal." Kellen said and Rhys chuckled.

"Must be nice to turn invisible whenever you want." He murmured and Kellen paused. This was the first time that Kellen had ever heard Rhys be truly envious of another person’s powers, and it was...alarming, but also made Rhys human.

Kellen leaned over, wrapping his arm around his boyfriend and sighing.

"You’re perfect the way that you are, Rhys. I’ve never thought you ever needed to change who you are, and honestly you wouldn’t be Rhys if you didn’t have your powers. It’s not always what it’s cracked up to be. I remember the awkward phase when Gwen was just getting her powers where she couldn’t be visible and also didn’t know how to make her clothes invisible either." Kellen snorted. "There are always downsides to everything, alright? It’s probably for the best that you can’t see the futures of those you are the closest to. It would drive you insane." Kellen told him and Rhys leaned into Kellen’s arms.

"I know you’re right, but that doesn’t make me feel less like a piece of shit. If I had just seen this, I could have warned the others. People wouldn’t even have to consider being in the bunkers." Rhys murmured and Kellen got it. It was a lot of responsibility, and others were probably having the same thoughts that Rhys was having.

The blame. The guilt. The anger.

"They are big boys and girls, Rhys. Most of them are hardened, and while we can’t bring the Field Guides home, they have Brent, Hill, Taylor, Sergei and the others there. They aren’t alone, and I know Gwen. She’s a responsible girl, and she’ll help out as much as she can." Kellen told him, his heart racing in his chest. "How long till an attack happens?" Kellen asked and Rhys sighed.

"From our predictions? Probably a day at most, 8 hours at the earliest. We’re tracking the ripple, but I just...something still doesn’t feel right, Kellen." Rhys told him and Kellen gulped.