Chapter 11

"Luce?" Daniel said softly.
He had just landed on the island of Vanuatu and was carrying her bridal style as he walked towards the cabin. He briefly looked around to check no outcasts had followed them. "Luce we're here" he said quietly so she wouldn't be startled.
Slowly Luce mumbled and opened her eyes and looked around. "Mmmm" she mumbled, before closing her eyes and drifting off again.

Daniel reached the cabin and knocked on the door using his foot. Roland quickly answered. "Finally!" Roland boomed.
"Shhhh!" Daniel said urgently "She's asleep" Daniel quickly looked down, to see Luce still sleeping soundly.
"Oops, sorry man" Roland stepped aside so he could come in.

He walked inside and lay her across one of the couches in the cabin. Placing a pillow beneath her head and pulling a blanket over her, she looked peaceful. Daniel really had hoped she didn't have to be brought into this fight against Lucifer, but it looked like there was no choice in the matter.

"How was the flight?" Roland asked. He was sitting at the big wooden table sipping coffee with Cam and Molly, who were both watching as Daniel moved towards the kitchen to make himself a cup.

"Good" Daniel said simply. "Don't think she liked flying though".
"She doesn't like flying?"Molly almost laughed.
"Shut up Molly" Cam snapped.
Both Daniel and Roland stared at him. Before Daniel could get another word out, Gabbe and Arriane burst through the door carrying some bags.

"Who knew the girl owned so much! Only brought the essentials" Arriane said as she dropped all the bags on the floor.
Gabbe looked around before looking at Daniel. "Errr...Daniel...where is she?"
"Couch" Molly responded for him.
"Leave her to sleep till the morning, she'll need her rest for the next few days" Daniels eyes stared at Luce. All he wanted to do was lie next to her on the couch, wrap his arms around her and protect her from everything which was soon to happen.

All the angels were sitting round the table. Gabbe had made each of them coffee to keep them alert for any possible trouble, not that they often felt tired or fatigued, always best to be safe though. "So, did she figure out where angels by herself?" Roland asked Cam.
"Actually...I had no choice but reveal my wings in front of her". Cam knew it was a risky action, but he didn't have a choice, he had to protect her from the outcasts.

"WHAT?" Daniel almost shouted. "You could have killed her!" He quickly turned down the volume of his voice, as to not wake Luce, but he was annoyed. Cam knew how fragile Luce could be in some lifetimes.
"Shut up Grigori. Something's changed this time. She can see the announcers. And she found the book of the fallen" Cam leant down and pulled the book from his backpack and placed it on the table. "She was half way to figuring it out, I just...gave her a nudge".
"Still Cam, you could have gave the kid a heart attack" Arriane glared at Cam.

"Well it didn't so you all should shut up! Anyway, what's the plan from now?" Cam was trying to change the subject, he didn't like being ganged upon.
"Molly's been doing some research before you guys got here. She got the full story on what and why it's happening" Roland turned to Molly who was taking gulps of her drink.

"Yeah. It's a pretty simple story though. You know the outcasts desperately want their positions back near the throne?". All the angels nodded in agreement, wondering where this was going. "Well, recently they've turned on the throne. Years of grovelling and sucking up getting nowhere, they've given up..." Molly took a deep breath "So now they've made a deal with Lucifer. We all know he wants Luce..."
"Mmmm" Daniel growled.

"So he's arranged for the outcasts to capture her and take her to him. There, I'm guessing, she'll be either made to agree to rule with him, or be killed...aka sacrificed" Molly looked down at the table and fidgeted with her hands. "Basically the whole 'If I can't have her no one can' situation. I'm guessing as the days till the outcasts deadline continues, they'll get more desperate to get their hands on Luce. When the 7 days are up, they don't have an option to join with either Lucifer or the throne, they'll forever be outcasts".

The angels sat stunned for a moment. All of them wondering what to do to protect Luce.
"So what shall we do? We have 7 days, 6 starting tomorrow, to stop Lucifer coming to visit her himself" Cam said out loud.
"We'll need to tell Luce about it all" Roland looked at the others.
"We'll tell her in the morning, for now let her rest" Daniel said softly.

"She'll have to be kept on the move. Stopping in an area for a long amount of time, just makes her an easier target" Gabbe suggested.
Cam began laughing, but a nasty laugh filled with venom. "So you expect us to run away?". He hated running, he'd always been one to stand up.
"No" Gabbe narrowed her eyes in Cam's direction. "I expect US to fight, I expect LUCE to run"
"You know she won't like that idea. She's always been stubborn" Daniel said thoughtfully.
"I know. But we'll be with her at all times, so hopefully she'll feel like she's fighting with us" Gabbe glanced at Luce to make sure she was still fast asleep.

"Then you know what that means, Lucifer will come after her on the last day" Molly said.
Gabbe sighed "I know, but maybe we can get the throne to help somehow. They were always keen on Luce." Gabbe stood up from the table "And if they won't help, we'll have to speak to Lucifer himself". Gabbe walked over to the bags which held Luce's things and rummaged through. Bringing out her phone she handed it to Arriane who's eyes widened while looking at it.
"You know its rude to look through peoples stuff" Cam said while leaning back on his chair balancing it on just 2 legs.
"You won't be saying that when you see what I found" Gabbe took the phone back and handed it to Cam who quickly slammed all legs back on the floor and almost gasped.

"What? What is it?" Daniel and Roland simultaneously.
"You'll never guess who she's friends with" Gabbe's smile grew. "Sarah and Ben"
Daniels mouth dropped open "You mean the archangels?"
"Yup, guessing they just wanted to check after her in this lifetime" Gabbe's smile widened. "So that's where we're heading for first. Wherever they are, we might be able to get their help"
"So where are they?" Arriane asked.
"I think a good place to start is Luce's old hometown. Near Arizona. We'll leave in the morning".