Chapter 25
Grace
I woke up piled on top of Cas, who was doing his best to help me roll off of him and stand. We were in a pure white hallway, illuminated from all sides, with no visible light fixtures. I gasped in pain, still lying on the floor next to him, trying to figure out where the pain was coming from. Castiel stood above me and I could see that his hair was disheveled and his trench coat was slightly off kilter. He extended his hand, offering his help. The crazed look in his blue eyes was gone, so I lifted my arm from the floor and took his hand. Cringing in pain, I stood slowly, holding my ribs.
"Are you alright?" he asked quietly, holding my arm to steady me.
I grimaced. "I think one of my ribs is broken," I answered, trying but failing to stand to my full height. "It's probably the same one I broke when I was twenty, and again in The Pit. It's just weak, now." Cas extended his palm towards my forehead, but I shrugged him off. "It's okay, I got it," I murmured, turning away from him. Other pains were checking in and I closed my eyes to concentrate momentarily on repair. "Where are we?" I asked, trying to distract myself.
"Sam banished us," he answered, almost embarrassed. "I lost control. Serendipity made a wise choice, keeping us separated from one of The Stones."
"What are 'The Stones'? Something tells me that you're not referring to Mick Jagger."
"Who is Mick Jagger?"
I shook my head, finally able to extend myself into my full height. "Never mind," I said, glancing around. "Focus, Cas. What are 'The Stones'?"
He sighed and began walking down the hall. I jogged to keep up. "There are seven," he began, straightening his trench coat and running a hand through his hair. "They are what provides Heaven with the material of which all Weapons of Heaven are made."
"Holy shit," I whispered, retying my hair into a braid as we walked. "Why are they on Earth?"
"They're not supposed to be," he answered, glancing at me. He avoided eye contact as we walked and I knew he was struggling to find the words to ask for my forgiveness. "They're supposed to be in the Weapons Hold, but obviously, at least one has been taken. They can only be used by chosen angels or mortals."
"What does that mean?"
"It means that there is a traitor among us," he answered, stopping without warning in the middle of the long hall. "Grace, I apologize for putting you and your unborn child in danger."
I shook my head. "Don't worry about, Cas. Honestly, I did it to myself, too. I lost control."
"Did you? Or did Lailah?" He stared at me, his blue eyes penetrating their way into my subconscious. Now, thinking about it, I couldn't tell the difference. Lailah had kept up her end of the bargain and stayed quiet while using me as a vessel, but the desire that I had to take The Stone…it felt like my own.
"I don't know," I finally answered. "I think it was both of us, but I think Sam banished her, and I happened to be attached. Dean is going to flip."
"We'll get you back as soon as the spell releases us from Heaven."
I glanced around, realizing that we were walking through the halls of Heaven as we spoke. "That's what a banishment does? Sends you back into Heaven?"
He nodded. "Yes," he began, glancing back at me as he walked. "Usually, the spell will hold us here for the next three days or so."
"Three days?" I shook my head. "Can we contact anyone to tell them we're okay? If we're not careful, Dean will be bursting through these halls to drag me back. There's got to be a way to keep him calm while we're held."
Cas shook his head. "No, that's what makes a banishment charm work so well. Your sister knows what happened. Can't she just keep Dean at bay?"
I tilted my head. "No one can keep Dean at bay, except me." I shook my head and looked around. "Come on, Cas, think. There's got to be a way that I can leave. I'm half human. Laws of Heaven shouldn't apply completely to me."
"You carry an angel and are currently creating one. I am afraid you are trapped here right along with me, for the time being," he said, beginning his brisk walk once more.
I closed my eyes and followed behind him, realizing that I was in nothing but a white tank top and a pair of Dean's boxers. I was even barefoot. The good news is that I hadn't thrown up in over four hours. I had a feeling that things would be getting out of hand in a hurry unless I could find a way to talk to Dean or Serra.