In the Midst of the Light~ The Guild Leader Chronicles Book Four (COMPLETE)

Chapter Seventeen

In the Midst of the Light

Seventeen

Lexie

The amount of shame coming through my link with Valerio is crippling me. I could close our link, but then he would be left alone in his misery, and I don't want that for him. Even though he doesn't want me around him right now while he deals with Braelyn and The Warlock's attack on the wolves, it still kills me not to be by his side to help him cope. Sophie is trying to distract me, but Valerio's feelings make anything she does seem insignificant. Every five minutes or so though, Valerio will contact me through our link, just making sure I'm okay.

Sophie is one of the few in the family who doesn't have magic, but she's still a werewolf. When Sophie was six, roughly a year before I was born, she took the cure for vampirism Aunt Esmerelda created. Ever since I was old enough to comprehend what was happening around me, I've seen Sophie training. She's an amazing fighter, thanks to her father's lessons.

I know that out of all the cousins, Valerio is closest to Sophie. She's his best friend, so it made sense to me why he asked her to keep an eye on me.

Personally, I don't know Sophie very well since Aunt Nikiya, Uncle Luke and Gavin are almost always traveling. This is the longest the four of them have stayed home in years. The most I know about her is that she's always on her phone. In the last ten years or so, I think Sophie and I have shared six words, and those were in passing.

I want to ask her what I should do to help Valerio, but every time I open my mouth, nothing comes out. I don't know how to talk to her.

"Lexie!" I hear Brianna shout from inside the back gate. As I turn my head to look at her, she continues shouting, "We're about halfway done with moving the tents, and Dubois would like to talk with you and Valerio when you have time."

I bite on my cheek and nod my head at her. Valerio? I reach out to him hesitantly. With how tormented his thoughts are when he's checking in on me, I'm afraid if something else were to happen he'll completely break down. Valerio hasn't let me out of his sight since I came back to life, and for him to not want me to see how he's dealing with everything tells me he's right on that edge.

Yes? He responds immediately, his single word filled with guilt.

I close my eyes at how he sounds. I just wish he wouldn't blame himself for Braelyn's choice. I understand why he does, but he couldn't have known this is what she would do.