The Watchers

Chapter 30

Chapter 30

Zach

It's been a week now and we are no closer to finding Lily. Everyone has been working overtime trying to figure out where she could have gone. I'm trying to convince myself that she is safe and just staying somewhere but deep down my body is telling me that she isn't.

Gabriel has been angry because he is disappointed in how everything has been handled. He's also still upset with me about the fight we had. Why he didn't just take my wings and declare me fallen for defying him I will never know. We fought for about thirty minutes and then he just stopped and left the room as if nothing had ever happened.

The guys haven't really been talkative and have been avoiding me when they are here. I guess because I haven't really been in the greatest mood with Lily gone. Claire has honestly scared me. At first she was angry because she blamed me for her leaving, now she is just sad and sits in her room. A couple of nights I thought I heard her crying but she won't let anyone in to check on her.

Suddenly the door bursts open and Liam enters out of breath. "We may have found a way! Jeremiah was in town asking questions and a witch told him that she can help with finding Lily. She gave him this stone. She said all that we have to do is find someone close to her and have them call out to her in the dream world. They may be able to reach her." He says as he sets a pretty iridescent stone down on the desk.

The stone was beautiful. I reached out and picked it up. It was very light even though it looked heavy. The light reflected off the stone creating beautiful purple and blue colors. I rolled it around in my hand admiring it and thinking about how it might be our last shot at finding Lily.

"So champ, maybe you need to go take a nap or something. We need to contact her asap!" Liam exclaims.

"This stone is going to help me connect with her in the dream world?" I ask.

"Yeah, she said it had to be someone close to Lily and they could call to her in the dream world. The old crone said that Lily doesn't even have to be asleep to talk to her. It's the stone of torpidity." He explains.

I hurriedly take the stone with me to my room. I just need to get to sleep. You would think that would be easy considering I haven't slept in days. For some reason sleep has been avoiding me.

It takes awhile but I finally doze off with Lily on my mind. Once darkness overtakes me I see a dark, damp room. It looks like I'm in a cave. This has got to be wrong. I should never have trusted anything a witch said. Some are good but Azael has most of them under his thumb. Suddenly I hear a wimper and my name whispered. I quickly turn to the direction the noise is coming from and see a dirty and scared looking Lily sitting at a table with swollen eyes.

I rush to her to grab her but quickly realize I can't because I'm in a dream world. "Lily are you okay? Where are you?"

"Oh Zach, I wish it was you. You have always been my guardian angel. I must really be hallucinating now. There's so much I would say to you if you were here. I love you. Just know that you are one of the things that has kept me going this long.. I won't give in." She says and closes her eyes and puts her head on the table.

"Lily! It's really me. Where are you?" I desperately say as I reach for again. Suddenly I am thrown out of the dream world and I awake with a startle in my bed.

Azael must have her. She looked so broken. I need to get the guys and go get her. I quickly run downstairs calling for everyone to come to the library.

"This better be good. I was talking with Michael about some trouble we are having back home." Gabriel grumpily warns me.

"I used the torpidity stone and saw Lily. She's being held somewhere and doesn't look good. I'm sure Azael has her. It looked like she's tied up in Ann underground room or cave. We need to find where his camp is and find him quickly. I'm not sure how much longer she will last." I hurriedly exclaim.

"We have no way of knowing where she is. Plus if he has her captured and kills her for not joining him then that's perfect. We no longer have anything to worry about. It solves our little problem without us having to do anything." Gabriel says haughtily.

Out of nowhere a lamp flies across the room and smashes Gabriel in the face. "What did you just say Mr.High and Mighty?" Claire screams.

Liam rushes to restrain her but I motion for him to leave her be.

"You think you are so perfect and untouchable. I have news for you. That's my friend and I'm going for her with or without your help. Lily is the sweetest person. She would give anything for the people around her. She's the type of person who sees others pain and does anything to make it better. Whether she knows it or not she has been my guardian angel all these years. She never asked to be born and in fact she thinks she is some type of monster because of you. I won't lose her like this. She is the only light in my life left and if she is gone I might as well be too." When Claire finishes talking she is out of breath and I feel for her. She just poured her heart out and Gabriel is staring at her like she's some foreign creature.

Gabriel turns to me and shockingly says, "Alright, if we are doing this let's wait until dark. You said that it looks like she's being held underground so I think I know where she is. Azael has two camps but only one with underground corridors. It's an hour east of here so lets make preparations and we leave at sunset."

Claire looks stunned for a second but then jumps into action. "Great! I've got my knives and this sword that was Calvin's but it's kind of heavy. I'm sure the knives will do. So where do I shank an angel to stop him"

"No. No. No!" Gabriel booms. "You are not coming. The last thing I need is to have to worry about my back with you there. For all I know you could stab me just for fun."

"Why Mr. Grumpy pants I would never do anything to hurt pretty little you." She says while wagging her eye brows at him.

"He's right Claire we need you to stay here. We can't have any distractions. Our mission needs to be quick so that we can get in and out. If anything were to happen to you Lily would never forgive any of us." I tell her.

Claire pouts and leaves the room. I guess it's safe to say that she is back to her normal self. We all quickly huddle together to look at the map and work out our strategy. All of sudden I feel a calm come over me. I know I'm going to get her back and she will be safe again. Even if I have to die trying.