Page 110 of Rescuing Sophia

Violet nodded. “That’s what I thought. I never got close enough to confirm, but?—”

“It’s a good lead,” Sam said. “Anything else you can remember?”

As Violet delves into more details, the weight of recent revelations presses down on me, making the air in the conference room feel thick and heavy. I glance at Sophia, noticing the fatigue etched on her face. She keeps glancing toward the door.

I make an executive decision.

I push off from the wall, cross to where she sits, and crouch beside her chair. “Hey. You okay?”

“I—I need some air.” Sophia shakes her head, her eyes squeezed shut.

“Why don’t we take a break? I’m sure you want to check on Luke.” I help her to her feet. “I’ll take you to him.”

Relief flashes across her face. She nods, pushing back from the table.

“Thank you.”

We excuse ourselves quietly, slipping out of the room as the debriefing continues. Luke is curled up in a small cot in a neighboring room, and a Guardian agent sits nearby, watching over him. The agent nods to us and quietly excuses herself, giving us privacy.

Sophia kneels beside the cot, gently stroking Luke’s hair. The boy stirs, his eyes fluttering open.

“Mommy?” he mumbles sleepily.

“I’m here, sweetie,” Sophia whispers, gathering him into her arms. “Everything’s okay.”

Watching them, I’m struck by a memory of our descent down the cliffs of Malfor’s estate—the way Luke clung to me, how we distracted ourselves by talking about superheroes as we navigated the treacherous path—it feels like a lifetime ago.

A complex blend of emotions swirls in my chest. Relief that they’re safe, lingering hurt from the deception, and a growing warmth as I observe the love between mother and son.

“Hey, buddy,” I say, crouching to Luke’s level. “How are you holding up?”

“When are we gonna play superheroes again?” Luke’s face brightens.

“Maybe later, champ. Right now, the grown-ups need to talk about some important stuff. But how about a high five for being such a brave kid?”

Luke grins and enthusiastically slaps his small hand against mine. The simple gesture warms my chest. He’s a cute kid.

Sophia watches our interaction, a mix of gratitude andsomething deeper in her eyes. “Luke, why don’t you thank Blake for helping us.”

Luke regards me solemnly for a moment before a shy smile spreads across his face. “Thank you for helping us, Mr. Blake.”

“Just Blake is fine,” I say, my heart melting a little at the boy’s politeness. “And you’re very welcome. I’m glad you and your mom are safe now.”

“Hey there.” Rigel knocks on the door. “Sorry to barge in, but they have a few more questions for Sophia.”

I stand, offering a hand to help Sophia up. She hugs Luke tight.

“Sweetie, I have to go for a bit. Will you be okay waiting for me here?”

Luke’s lower lip trembles slightly, and I surprise myself by speaking up. “I can stay with him if that’s okay. We could find something fun to do while you finish up.”

Relief washes over Sophia’s face. “Would you? That would be wonderful.”

I crouch to Luke’s level as Rigel leads Sophia to the conference room. “So, buddy, what do you like to do for fun?”

Luke’s face brightens. “I like to draw. And play with Legos. Do you have any Legos?”

I chuckle, surprised by his enthusiasm. “I’m not sure, but let’s go on a treasure hunt. Maybe we can build our own Guardian HQ out of whatever we find.”

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