Chapter Twenty:

Benny, Sam, and Castiel traveled as quickly as they could towards the castle, although the wheelbarrow certainly did slow them down. They stopped only once, in the early afternoon, to eat the food that Charlie had packed. Much to Cas's embarrassment, Benny had to help him eat, since he still didn't have use of his limbs.

When they made it to the outer courtyard walls, they ditched the wheelbarrow at the edge of the forest and snuck up the stairs to gain a better vantage point. It was not an easy feat, and Sam worried the whole time that they would run into guards along the way. Luckily, they met no one and were able to take in the scene below.

"Ah, so that's why we didn't see anyone," said Benny, gazing out over the castle grounds. The courtyard was flooded with guards, far more than any of them had expected.

Sam set Castiel down, propping him upright against the wall so he could get a better look. "There must be fifty or sixty men, by the look of it."

"How many can you each take?" asked Cas.

"Five maybe," said Sam.

"Ten if they're humans," said Benny. "Won't be so good if there are any angels."

Castiel's fingers tapped contemplative against his thigh.

"Hey, you just moved your fingers," said Sam with some excitement.

Cas scowled. "Unless I can tap them to death, it's not much use. We need something impressive, something that will scare most of them away without a fight. Do we have any other assets on us?"

Benny rifled through Cas's bag. "Borax…hey, is this a holocaust cloak?" he asked, pulling the fabric from the bag.

Castiel was surprised. "Where did that come from?"

"Rowena gave it to me," said Sam. "She said it fit me so nicely, I should just keep it. Figured I'd stow it with your stuff."

Castiel thought for a moment. "Alright, I have a plan. But we'll have to go back down and get the wheelbarrow."

Kevin was supposed to be cleaning The Pit – and he was – but his mind was far from the task at hand.

The grace in his pocket was warming him through the fabric of his clothes, and he could think of little else. He wondered if Sam and Benny had made it to Rowena's, and if she had been able to do anything for the dead man. If so, surely Castiel would be aiming for vengeance towards Prince Chuck. Perhaps Azazel too, since the Count had tortured him.

And if that was the plan, then surely restoring Castiel's grace could tip the scales in his favor?

The door of The Pit opened, interrupting Kevin's thoughts. Count Azazel strode in, surveying Kevin with yellow eyes.

"Where's the wheelbarrow?" asked The Count. "I didn't see it outside."

"Huh. That's strange. It should be there," said Kevin, praying his poker face kept up.

The Count approached him. "I didn't see it at the funeral pyre site, either."

Kevin felt the walls closing in on him. If The Count had been to the usual pyre site, no doubt he would have noticed a lack of evidence of a recent fire. He cursed himself for not thinking of faking one. He had begun to take for granted how much The Count kept an eye on him.

Kevin swallowed. "Perhaps someone stole it."

Without warning, The Count raised the back of his hand and struck Kevin hard across the face. The young man staggered backwards against the wall. Before he had any chance to defend himself, The Count had him by the throat.

"Do not lie to me, Kevin. You did not burn The Man in Black as I asked. Where is his body?"

Kevin hated himself, but dammit, he wanted to live. He was not born a fighter. He was not born brave. "Two men came and took the body away. They threatened to kill me. I'm sorry."

The Count did not loosen his grip. "What did they look like?"

"A…a giant. And a vampire."

Azazel snorted like a wild boar. Kevin closed his eyes, waiting for further punishment, but it did not come. The Count removed his hand and let him slump against the wall. "Was that so difficult, Kevin?" he asked.

The condescension infuriated Kevin, more than being struck. Even more than being forced to be a servant to cruelty. The Count was so damn smug, and Kevin's hatred was so deep that he was sure it would burn him up from the inside.

But Kevin forced a pitiful look onto his face. "No, sir. Sorry, sir," he said, though he was not sorry at all. He was fed up. He may not have been a fighter, but he could still bring about Azazel's end. He would just have to wait until the ace in his pocket could be played. He would need help, but he would make it happen.

Count Azazel nodded, as if reproaching a small child. "Good," he said. Then he gently pressed Kevin's rapidly-bruising cheek. Kevin had to repress a shiver at the touch of those awful fingers. "I trust you will need no further reminders."

Then The Count left again, certain as he always was that fear would keep Kevin in his place.

But he had never been more wrong.

Kevin Tran had had enough.

When a knock came to their door for the second time in as many days, Rowena knew it couldn't be a coincidence. Something must have happened to Castiel, Benny, and Sam, and now they needed more magic. She sighed. That was the problem with being generous. People always needed more, and it was exhausting. Even though she liked the trio, she was going to have to cut them off after this. Healthy boundaries are important, after all.

But when she opened the door, she found a face she did not recognize. He was young and slight of build and had a sizable bruise on his left cheek. "Who the hell are you?" she asked.

"Kevin Tran," he said brusquely. "I'm looking for Sam and Benny. There's something I need to give them."

Charlie appeared at the door by Rowena's side. "What's going on, Ro?"

"I'm just finding out, but Kevin Tran here says he needs to get something to Samuel and Benny."

"Oh. Well they took off hours ago. Sorry about that."

Kevin rubbed his eyes tiredly. He had made his way to the witch, but his journey was not over. Of course not. "Did you…the third man they were with, is he…?"

"Castiel is alive. I sorted him out, and now they're all off to storm the castle. What could you possibly need to give them, if you don't mind me asking?"

"I need to take his grace to him."

Rowena and Charlie both stared at him in shock. "You have Castiel's grace?"

Kevin pulled the vial out from his pocket and showed it to Rowena. The witch took it from him. Just like Kevin, she too could feel the raw power she held in her hands. She thought about what the boys were facing, and how much of a difference something like this could make.

Rowena looked Kevin over. His face was bruised, but his eyes were determined. She could tell that he intended to get the grace to Castiel or die trying.

She could help him. She could get them into the castle and protect him on his mission. Together they would be much more likely to get the grace to the fallen angel. It would be dangerous. It could even be suicide.

Prince Chuck, Rowena knew, was not a good man. Not just because he'd fired her, though there was that. He was a killer. He was a warmonger. He was a pompous idiot. He was bad for both the Kingdom of Heaven and Hell.

The witch looked at Charlie. Though things were complicated and undefined between them, Rowena could admit she had a soft spot for her. The woman who always believed in her. The woman that was always convincing her to do the decent thing.

"Rowena, what's wrong?" asked Charlie. "You've got a strange look on your face."

Rowena sighed. Never say never, said Castiel. Damn him, and Charlie too. "I think," she said, "that we have to go be heroes."