And I Shall Burn

Chapter 3

George frowned,"I think I will stay for a little while, in case she awakens..." he suggested. Charlotte sighed and nodded before leaving the room. George pulled a chair up to the bed and watched Lacey while she slept, her chest rising and falling in a shakey manner. "So the closest thing to an Angel...or at least one freely moving on earth, is lying in the bed before me...How very interesting..." he murmured quietly to himself. He sat there for several hours, watching Lacey until she finally stirred. Her eyes fluttered a bit and she groaned. "Ahh, Good Evening..." greeted George with a friendly smile and curious glint to his eyes. Lacey turned slightly on her side and then glowered at the man before her.

"I know you!" Lacey cried out, her eyes wide with sudden terror. George looked confused. "Get away from me!" Lacey was throwing a fit, backing up quickly as she ignored the painful stabs into her stomach and shoulder. Finally she could back up no more and tumbled off the bed. "Oh Angels get him away! GET HIM AWAY!" Lacey cried out loudly. George stood, slowly approaching the cowering Lacey. Confusion covered his face.

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Lacey continued to cower for a few moments, but as her vision cleared from the sleep induced cloudiness, she stopped. "Oh.." She frowned, "I-I'm sorry...I mistook you..." She whispered in a shameful voice. George laughed softly and brushed the incident off and leaned down to help Lacey to her feet. "I...I think it was your hair..."

"I assure you it is fine, Miss Lacey...Now let us get you back to bed..." he said in a kind voice. He aided Lacey into slipping under the covers and then sat on the edge of the bed. "How are you feeling?" he questioned as he smoothed the covers down around her.

"I feel better than before...Who are you, sir?" she asked with a curious glint in her eyes. She still felt like she knew him from somewhere. Originally she thought he was Izrael, and it frightened her to think that he would come back for her. Was he truly the horrible monster from her dream, or was it possible that he wasn't the Goblin Lord? The boy before her could be related to him, they had closely matching features in the angles of their face and that dark hair.

"My name is George...I'm sorry to frighten you...I remained her in case you woke up and needed any help..." He explained carefully, slowly standing up from the bed. He had a strange, mysterious aura about him, and it made Lacey uncomfortable. "But seeing as you are okay...I will leave you to your rest..." He smiled, nodded his head and then turned and left. It was a relief to finally be alone and Lacey sighed. It seemed a lot of her nightmare had come true, the downworlders and shadow hunters were the same. She couldn't explain why she would have such a strange nightmare, and then have all the information be true. Was it a vision of sorts?

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Lacey spent the rest of the day in bed, not because she couldn't get up and move around, but because she wasn't ready to face the world outside the bedroom door. She knew too much, and she didn't want to know any of it. But as dinner quickly approached she slipped from the bed sheets and dressed in a simple purple dress. Her memory was still fresh with the layout of the Institute, so she didn't have to worry about getting lost. Quietly she left her room and moved down the hallway, heading towards the dining hall where she was sure everyone would be gathered. Several moments later she discovered she was correct, as most of the Institutes occupants were gathered and awaiting their evening meal. They all seemed surprised to find her up and about, and Charles even rose to his feet to greet her. She shook her head and assured him that she was fine and didn't need any help.

"I feel fine...fully healed...Thank you for your help..." Lacey said softly as she stopped in front of the table. Will was watching her with a bemused expression and Jem just seemed a little overwhelmed. George was sitting farthest from where she stood and he seemed to have something else entirely on his mind when he gazed over at her. A sudden twitch in her back made Lacey groan softly, "We have visitors..." she mumbled. Everyone looked at her funny and shook their heads as if to argue. At least until her wings burst out from behind her and two bright lights formed in the room. Seraph and Lasiel stood behind Lacey, their presence giving off a warm glow. Lacey sighed and rolled her eyes before turning and looking at Seraph, her chin held high. "Hello..."

Seraph smiled and reached out to press her hand to Lacey's cheek. "Are you behaving?" she asked softly, "Oh of course you are...you would not want to be punished again..." She laughed breathlessly and then turned her attention to the shadow hunters sitting at the dining table. She wrapped her hands around Lacey and pulled her against her chest in an embrace. "Thank you, shadow hunters for helping our child return to health...She is a very troubling girl..."

"Lady Seraph-" Lacey interrupted, causing a tightening from Seraph's hands. But the Angel couldn't argue, Lacey had used her proper title 'Lady Seraph,' which was something the rebel child never did.

"Yes, Laceyinda?" she purred.

"I am confused. I had a terrifying nightmare the other day...and I dreamt of all of these people. And of a monstrous being named Izrael...and somehow parts of it are coming true..." Lacey explained quietly. Seraph looked both irritated and pleased and Lacey wasn't sure how she was supposed to react to that.

"I cannot say for sure what this means for you, young Lacey...But I know it is some form of warning for your safety...Take what you experienced in this dream and learn from it. Some of it might truly happen, and if you can stop it from occurring for real, then do it..." She said simply. "I have come here to speak to all of you..." She turned her attention back to the table, still holding Lacey against her. "Warrior Will, Jem...we met on the street...You know of what we are...The rest of you...We are your creators...the Angel's that your laws revolve around...This child..." She turned Lacey so she was facing the table, "Is also an Angel- but a special form of one...She has great significance in what is to come. War..." Seraph stopped speaking for a moment and sighed sadly. "The Goblin Lord, Izrael is going to wage a terrible war against both the Shadow Hunters and all those that stand with them. He will try to take Lacey from you, but she is your greatest weapon and you must not let him have her..."

Charlotte sat with a look of utter shock on her face, and Lacey momentarily feared she was going through shock, but then the woman sparked to life again. "Lady Seraph...We found this page about Lacey...Is it truth?" she questioned, only to get a silent nod from Seraph. "We will protect her with our lives then..."

Lacey tried to wiggle away from Seraph and then stronger Angel sighed and pushed her towards Lasiel, who held her firmly in place. "Child, you will go through more transformations in the next few days...but they shouldn't interrupt your life...you will have the ability to call weapons as we do...so be careful with your emotions- otherwise you may call one at a most...inappropriate time..." She laughed softly, as did Lasiel, which was strange because Lasiel NEVER laughed, or even smiled. The inside joke was lost on the rest of them however. "We will be in touch very little, but be careful. Should you need us...truly need us we will know and we will come to aid you..."

Lasiel pushed Lacey away from her and then both her and Seraph disappeared.

"Why must they always hold me so forcefully..." Lacey grumbled as she rubbed her arms. Her wings disappeared in a bright light and she was happy to feel that her dress wasn't destroyed because of them. "Well..." she looked around at everyone staring at her and sighed, shaking her head and crossing her arms, "I told you you had guests..." Will just laughed.