(BL) Hunting The Field Guide novel Chapter 462

462 /462

Chapter 462: Promise bound

The climb up the Guild Tower only got harder from that point on. Stopping into the research department, they were already in tears as if they knew. Maeve had a rather grave expression on her face before handing over some tools as well as a few vials for him to gather samples with.

So that he would make sure to come out to give them to her.

It was a rather emotional ordeal, but it kept getting worse.

At the A Class gym, the Espers there looked ill that they were sending in a Guide, no matter who, into the new gate. It didn’t matter that Kellen had years of experience under his belt, he was still a Guide, and Their Guide. He belonged to the Saturn Guild, to the Captain specifically, and that was distressing to them.

They clearly wanted to coddle him, take care of him, make sure that he was okay.

A few of them were even giving Rhys an accusing look, like how could he let Kellen go into the gate? Rhys just took the accusations as they came, having a few conversations with some of the more aggressive Espers off to the side.

Kellen comforted the others, unsure if he was doing any of this right.

Then, Rhys had then stop in to visit Kellen’s parents.

Kellen’s hands were already sweating as soon as they stepped into the elevator and Rhys pressed his parents’ floor. He needed to do this. He knew he did. He didn’t consider yesterday as a proper goodbye. Hell, he didn’t even want to say goodbye. There wasn’t going to be a goodbye.

Rhys took his hand in the elevator, not glancing at Kellen, but just being there as support. Kellen knew he noticed how warm and sweaty his hand got, but the man didn’t release it. Especially as the elevator door opened and Kellen had to step out.

Kellen’s heart raced in his chest as Rhys took the lead, forcing them towards the door he’d entered willingly the day before.

It opened before they even got there.

It was Kellen’s Dad.

Kellen’s heart hurt looking at him. His normally bright grey eyes were dull, dead. His hair was unkept, and he was wearing one of his mother’s larger, fluffier sweaters with a blanket wrapped around his shoulders. It took Kellen a moment to realise that it was a blanket that used to be in Gwen’s room when she lived at home, before she moved into the Guild tower when she was accepted into the Guild.

Before their lives were in danger in general. Before everything that they had known as normal had started crumbling.

He was wearing slippers on his feet, his face pale and gaunt. His gaze looked at Rhys as he stopped, and then slid to their hands, then up to Kellen’s face. Then, he turned, letting them enter.

Kellen scanned the room, and noticed that Charlie was gone as were the Espers that were supposed to be keeping an eye on him and his Mom. They weren’t in the kitchen, like they had been before, and Rene wasn’t here either.

His Mom was though, and she was sitting at a chair at the island, looking like she had aged more since yesterday. His Dad only waited until the door was closed behind them before he spoke.

"You’re going in?" He asked softly and Kellen’s mouth suddenly felt dry. Like cotton. Like every bit of liquid had been absorbed and he opened and closed his mouth without answering. Rhys had to speak for him.

"No one else volunteered." Rhys clarified. "He didn’t put his name down as the first choice." Rhys sounded...almost proud of that? That only made Kellen feel worse. Like he was proud that he had been able to ask that much of Kellen.

Fuck. What was he doing?

"Right." His Dad said, emotionless. He turned to look at Kellen with his dead, grey eyes and Kellen felt a shiver run down his spine. If he didn’t come back out of the gate...he didn’t think his parents would survive long after.

The E.A.G. would get their wish.

Kellen felt the blood drain from his face at that realisation.

"When are you going?" His Mom spoke up, sounding tired. Like everything was finally catching up with her.

"Tonight. When night falls. I’m waiting...on a new suit." Kellen was able to get the words out. It involved him clearing his throat a few times, but it was his own words, not Rhys speaking for him. His Mom sighed heavily.