Descending Darkness(73)

“You can’t think like that. Liam’s her protector. He’ll find a way to get to her,” Natalie says. I glance towards Natalie and see her watching Liam. When she feels my eyes on her, she looks towards me and then turns away. She and Liam have been acting weird around each other. In fact, she’s acting similar to how I did with Ryanne before I knew she was my soulmate.

“He has to find her. Because he’s her protector, he has a heightened awareness of her. That’s how he can feel it when she’s hurting. Being separated from her for too long will cause some serious side effects for him. He needs to find her,” Bragden explains while leaning back against the armrest, looking over at his brother.

“What kind of side effects?” Natalie asks. I can see the worry in her expression. It is clear to Bragden as well.

“He would eventually go crazy…and could cause harm to himself if he can’t find her…or if she’s in pain and there’s nothing he can do...Look, being a protector is a very serious job, and I know that he feels really bad because he’s already had a difficult time doing it. The need to protect her basically overrides everything, especially when she’s in pain. During sparring, I’ve seen him fighting with himself because he wants to come over and defend her.”

“Is that why he’s always grimacing when we spar?” she asks him.

“Yeah, because Ryanne was having a difficult time and the protector inside him wanted to come and help her, but he knows that she needs to do that alone. Now, he’s having,” Bragden trails off as he seems to suddenly become aware of who he is speaking to. “Nevermind.”

“Having what?” Natalie and Emma both ask. Bragden looks over toward me. I know that he is talking about Liam’s feelings toward Natalie.

“Nothing. He’s just not had it easy.”

“Are you a protector too?” Emma asks him.

Bragden reaches up and pulls the necklace from under his shirt. It is similar to Liam’s pendant but on a much smaller chain. “Yeah, I just haven’t found someone to protect yet.”

“How do you know when you find the person you’re supposed to protect?” Natalie asks curiously. She is still holding onto my arm, keeping me calm, but her attention is completely on Bragden.

“The pendant will choose who it thinks is worthy of protection. Liam said that it’s just a feeling you get. That when it finally happens, I’ll know.”

“That sounds kind of romantic,” Emma says.

“It can be, but not always. In their case it’s not. Liam feels a connection with Ryanne, but Ryanne is destined to be with Colton. However, she feels the connection too. They’re very close, and I know you’ve all witnessed it,” he says. They are extremely close. It’s obvious to everyone. Ryanne looks at Liam like a brother. She also has a need to protect him and does actually love him. I used to be jealous of how she acted with Liam, but I’ve gotten to know Liam better, and I know how he sees her.

“Does everyone get a protector?” Emma asks.

“No. Only those that need them, and right now, Ryanne needs one.”



*****

I’ve been at this for way too long. Why am I still here? I’ve already experienced the vision, and it played out like I saw. I just went against nine guys and barely got a scratch on me. I’m in the dark right now, both literally and figuratively. The forest seems almost dead around me. The trees and other foliage are thriving, but it is silent. There are no animals—no birds chirping, no owls hooting, no small rodents scurrying across the dead leaves on the forest floor. I can’t hear anything besides my quiet footsteps. The moonlight above casts eerie shadows through the darkness, and the light breeze ruffles the leaves on the trees creating a quiet whisper through the forest.

There has to be something more. Something that I’m missing, but what is it? I continue my steady pace through the forest, trying my hardest to keep quiet and avoid any low-lying branches or uprooted roots. I’m not doing very well.

Will I ever be able to go back? Will Valdus keep me here forever? If someone dies in the dream world, does that mean that their body will die in the real world? There’s so much that I don’t know. I wish that Liam was here with me. He’d know what to do and how to get me back.

I stumble over a tree root and tumble to the ground. The end of a branch rakes across my cheek. Throwing my hands in front of me, I try to catch myself as I fall. This maneuver only manages to scratch the palms of my hands more. As I push myself up, two arms wrap around my waist pull me up the rest of the way.