Chapter 64: A shy admittance and a protective Aunt

Brent could hear Captain Dina shouting at him, asking if he was alright but Brent was stuck in his head. Everything was snapping into place.

Why Rhys had let Kellen go in alone.

Why Kellen had gone in alone in the first place.

Oh fuck. Oh shit.

Brent’s legs had given out, meaning Captain Dina had to catch him. She quickly had picked up Brent like he was a paper weight and carried him over to the couch, placing him down delicately like the tall, burly man that he was was a little bird. She was brushing the hair out of his eyes, scanning his pale face to make sure that he was okay.

Brent’s gaze sharpened suddenly, a deep breath filling his chest before he turned to look at her.

“How are Henry and Ellie?” He asked, his voice raspy and watched as Dina’s face shifted before it completely crumbled. Brent’s chest felt numb as he felt the S Class lose herself, holding onto him tightly.

There was no way he was going to be able to resist the urge to guide her, so he didn’t. He just did, holding onto the woman who he had met at the scene of a crime. Brent shook, his body shivering. He knew that they were already down people in the Guild, but hearing that? What Captain Dina had told him?

Brent knew with almost complete certainty who had been sucked into the gate. Not everyone, of course, nothing was set in stone, but if Gwen had been sucked in?

“Dear lord, it was only Saturn Guild people.” Brent whispered, horrified. That would have made the situation worse. Brent felt his throat tighten and close, emotion filling him. He should have been there. He should be there right now! Kellen should not be doing this alone, and fuck!

He should be there with his best friend as he went into a strange gate. That was Brent’s fucking specialty! Kellen dealt with standard, stable gates!

“I should be there with him.” Brent whispered past the knot in his throat. “He shouldn’t be doing this alone.” Brent felt like a broken record. He knew that thinking this way wasn’t helpful. He knew that being stuck like this wasn’t going to change the truth, but he wasn’t Kellen. He wasn’t able to just think something, figure it out and move past it. He was Brent. He got stuck on these kinds of thoughts.

“It’s no use to think about what should have happened.” The person who spoke didn’t say it was malice. His voice was soft, gentle, and Brent knew immediately that the man was a Healer. His glowing green eyes gave him a hint, but so did his demeanour. There was always something about Healers that made others relax. Taylor had the same effect when she wasn’t around Kellen. She wasn’t in her work mode as much when her best friend was around. Especially if he was the one injured.

This man had a calming smile, mousy brown hair cut in a straight line just under his ears. Basically, a bob, and he wore a doctor’s jacket over his uniform. It was eerie how the Healers all seemed to have the same uniform. He wondered if they spoke to each other about it.

“I can’t help it. I’m just…so fucking mad that I’m here.” Brent muttered, and Captain Dina pulled away, sniffing, and stared at Brent.

“What do you mean by that?” She asked, her voice hardening. It was almost the same tone she had used to speak to those who had tried to arrest Brent only a few hours prior. Brent thought that it was now or never.

He had no reason to keep the truth from him, and honestly? He wanted others to know what had happened to him. Why he was here, and what kind of fucking games his brother was playing.

“I was kidnapped from the front lines by my brother because of my grandfather’s will.” Brent said and Captain Dina looked like a damn storm cloud. It was only at that moment that Brent realised she had a smattering of freckles across her cheeks since they were in stark contrast to the rage in her eyes.

“You were what?” She growled, her powers surging and Brent was glad that she was still holding onto him so that he could guide her more.

“Yeah. I was in the middle of the monster attack, separate from my people because there weren’t enough seasoned Guides out there and I can hold my own quite well. I’m a tank of a Field Guide. I was just about to go check on my people when Colby showed up and stole me.” Brent told them.

“That fucker can teleport?” It was the purple haired woman who spoke and Brent nodded. She looked furious, her eyes going an eerie grey tone that indicated that she was a Wind Esper.

“Didn’t you know that?” Brent asked, and Esper Parker clicked his tongue.

“Never confirmed, Guide Brent. You’re sure?” Brent knew he wasn’t questioning him because he didn’t trust him, but because this was a very serious situation. There were not a lot of teleporters out there, and if his brother had his hands on one…

Brent let out a dry laugh. He didn’t want to believe it either, but Colby was a teleporter. Brent knew better than most.

“You won’t be able to convince him to leave my brother’s side, so don’t even think of trying to take him away from him. He would gladly lick my brother’s feet clean if he was given the option.” Brent hesitated before he sighed and just spilled the beans. It didn’t really matter. Kellen would know the truth soon anyways. He was going to come out of that gate. “Colby was the one who took my arm, and left me with these scars. Under orders from my brother.” Brent said.

The tension in the room skyrocketed.

Brent swallowed, the power thick in the air. Even as an A Class, this was a bit much. Brent didn’t rush them, however, he just focused on guiding the on edge Captain in front of him.

“Stop guiding me.” She growled, and Brent gave her a cheeky smile that only a Guide could get away with in this situation.

“Absolutely not. I can’t stop myself from guiding you no more than the Healer behind me can’t help but scan me with his powers. It’s not going to happen, and honestly, you’re lucky I’m not manhandling you into an actual guiding session right now.” Brent said and felt the icy feeling of the powers around him reach a tipping point before falling over the edge.

The tension in the room dropped dramatically as Captain Dina tossed her head back and laughed. She laughed and laughed and laughed before she reached out for Brent and pulled him into a hug.

“If I had any doubt that you knew my nephew, it’s gone now. That is exactly something Kellen would say, but without the smile. Fuck. Alright. So, you’re from a family of monsters and they apparently want you dead. What do you want to do, Guide Brent?” She asked and Brent felt his chest warm. What he wanted to do?

“Um, first, can you stop calling me Guide Brent? Just Brent is fine. It feels…weird. No one calls me that besides my students, and then it is Guide Jameson. None of you are my students, and I know it’s a respect thing, but all of you are older than I am.” Brent told them and Captain Dina laughed.

“Then you aren’t allowed to call us that either. I’ll expect Aunt Dina from you, young man.” She warned and Brent blinked, before a slow smile touched his lips.

“I-of course. I can call you that.” He said eagerly, and the woman who had been harsh, abrasive, and watchful softened further. Brent wondered if part of it was because he had been guiding her, or if that was just who she was when she wasn’t on edge.

“Brent, take a break.” The Healer told him carefully, and Brent was no fool. He extracted his hand from the Captain, knowing he was probably at his limit. She gave a hearty laugh.

“You’ll listen to a Healer you don’t even know?” She asked, giving him a smirk and Brent glanced at said Healer who was scanning his body.

“Well, historically, most Healers can be trusted, even as a Guide. I also do not want to experience any problems while I am here. I can just take a ten minute break and then guide you some more.” Brent said with a shrug, then gave her a thumbs up. “I’m like a little energizer bunny. I have tons of guiding energy. My pool is massive, and I’ve been taught by the best how to use it to its fullest.” Brent bragged easily.

“God you’re cute.” Someone said, and Brent glanced over to the man sitting next to Esper Parker. He was a darker man, with dark brown eyes, white, shiny teeth and locs. His smile curled up and made something warm stir in Brent’s stomach as he smiled at him. Brent felt his face flush at the comment.

“Thank you, I think. I don’t normally appreciate being called cute, but I’ll allow it this time.” Brent told him, and that had all of the Espers in the room laughing. Aunt Dina reached out, ruffing his damp hair.

“You certainly are a Field Guide. Another Guide of your level would be a blushing mess from Xavier’s comment. Good for you, Brent. A strong backbone will get you very far here.” Brent wasn’t used to having an older person of any age treat him like this besides Kellen’s parents. It was rather strange, but he wasn’t opposed.

“Uh, well, sorry Xavier. I fear that I am probably spoken for? I also feel like you’re spoken for as well.” Brent muttered, his face going pink. Aunt Dina blinked several times before she grabbed both of Brent’s cheeks, smooshing his face together as she pulled him closer.

“What? You have a partner? How are you guiding me right now if that’s the case? And what do you mean you think you are spoken for? No Esper worth their salt would let a Guide go with such wishy washy feelings!” She was right, and Brent felt his face warm more.

“Uh, well, don’t get mad at them. We were supposed to talk about it more after the monster attack.” Brent said, his chest squeezing as Aunt Dina looked suddenly incredibly disappointed. Brent couldn’t blame her. He was…disappointed as well. He had wanted to brag to Kellen about it, but it wasn’t like he could tell the man over the orb they were using to communicate.

Sergei owned the orb. He was probably listening in.

He hadn’t wanted him to overhear everything. He especially hadn’t wanted his people to overhear everything and report back to their Captain. That was even worse.

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