Chapter 282: Slowly Building Trust

XENOIS "Riley and Lake have been forced into situations where they had to develop these skills," I explained gently, kneeling beside Ollie's chair.   "That's not something to be jealous of, buddy. That's trauma. That's survival. You get to be a normal kid because we can protect you. They didn't have that choice."   "But I want to be useful," Ollie insisted, tears spilling over now. "I don't want to just hide while everyone else fights. I want to help protect people too."   Riley was watching this exchange with that unnerving focus, his expression difficult to read. Then he spoke, his voice softer than I'd heard it.   "You are helping," he said to Ollie. "You're helping by being normal. By reminding everyone what they're fighting for. Warriors don't fight to protect weapons or tools. They fight to protect kids like you----kids who laugh and play and get to have actual childhoods. You're more important than you realize."   The wisdom in those words, coming from a five--year--old's mouth,