Hell's Throne (The Devil's Assistant Series - 5 ) - Unedited

Chapter 4

Despite the anxiety I had been carrying around with me, the trip into the city had definitely been needed. It had given me a chance to spend time with my son without the threat of humans coming to harm us and without some otherworldly foe trying to bring about the next apocalypse.

With Danny dawdling at my sides, and my arms laden with shopping bags, the two of us slowly wound our way back to the castle. He giggled and twirled up the path before me. In his hand a he held a long plastic stick with a piece of bright blue fabric tethered to the end. As he span around, pure joy on his face, the fabric chasing through the air behind him.

We rounded the last bend, the castle firmly in our sights when rapid footfalls clomped up behind us, getting closer and closer as the seconds passed. Spinning, I placed my body between Danny and the interloper. My heart thudded in my chest but I felt strangely calm. My sword was only a thought away and I could already feel it lingering just beneath the surface just waiting to be called.

Closer and closer the steps came, steady in their pace as they thundered towards us. Even with my arms full of bags I was prepared to pounce. My entire body was coiled tight and I had to force myself to breathe.

I blinked as the man rounded the bend and closed the distance between us fast, his body moving so fast I thought for a moment he wasn't going to stop in time. Castiel's trademark coat flapped behind him almost like a cape, his arms and legs working as fast as they could.

He skidded to halt with a few feet to spare, his face flushed and his eyes running up and down the length of me then Danny. I glanced down as Danny stepped forwards, wrapping his arms around my hand and resting the side of his face upon my leg as he stared up at Castiel.

"Savannah," Castiel breathed out, his entire body sagging as he blew out a breath. "I've been searching for you everywhere."

"What? Cass, is everything okay?" I asked, watching as the fallen angel drew a hand across his brow, swiping away the perspiration which had formed on his skin.

"Everything is fine. Lucius just asked me to watch over you. With Terran and his minions in the city he felt it best you had a bit of extra protection."

I frowned at the man. "Now you don't expect me to believe that is the entire truth, do you?"

Without waiting for a response, I thrust my shopping bags into his chest so that Castiel was forced to grab hold of them before they dropped to the floor. That problem solved, I lifted Danny up into my arms and started walking towards the castle. As predicted, Castiel hastily caught up and then matched my urgent stride. Although I could feel my son's curious gaze staring up at me, I focused my sights upon the man at my side.

"Now tell me what is going on? Lucius was keeping things from me earlier and you're going to tell me exactly what is happening." I ordered. For a moment I wasn't sure it would even work. I had no power over him. I wasn't his leader.

Castiel sighed loudly. "We have alarms around Tartarus to warn us if someone tries to escape their punishment early. And earlier today an alarm went off."

"But surely that's not the first time it has happened? I know I would try to escape at every opportunity I could."

"Yes, we get escape attempts on occasion. Not that they ever get far. But this was different. The alarm sounded in a part of Tartarus that is reserved for the worst of the worst. Even Victor Lyle, cockroach that he is, would not qualify for a spot there. It is for the monsters, the ones with absolutely no hope of penance and reform."

"And you let Lucius go there alone." I growled at the angel, anger fuelling me onwards as I beat a hasty path to the castle. "I should have pushed him. I should have forced him to tell me what was happening."