The Dark Hour

--------Astrid--------

I sighed and looked at the map and made a circle where we were heading. This doesn't make since, why do they want Cas and Layla? I looked over and Skyla rolled over and faced me.

"Sorry was the light bothering you?"

"A little, can't you do that in the morning," She said tiredly. "It's almost midnight."

"I guess, I just have a lot of stuff running through my mind."

"Like what?"

"Everything I guess, I don't quite understand Ryan's dad. Last time we ran into him to get Lalna. Ryan said that his dad asked him to join the gang." I said putting the map up.

"Why? I thought Ryan hated him, why would he even bother asking?"

"For father son bonding I guess. Ryan does hate his dad. I mean his dad did sell him and his mom to slavery."

"Yeah his father is a horrible person," She yawned. I nodded, I shut the light out and walked out on the balcony. The cold air blew and sent cold chills down my back. I'm surprised that we are getting this much snow. I pulled out my phone and I have five miss calls from Axel. I guess I'll call him back.

"Astrid!" Axel yelled "I've been so worried about you all you said in the note was 'I have to go love you see you in a couple of days.' What are you doing? Where are you?"

"Look you were asleep and I didn't want to wake you up. Cas and Layla got kidnapped, so Vincent, Skyla, Valerie, Ridge, Lalna, Ryan and I went to go find them. I'm not sure what all happened."

"That still doesn't tell me where you are Honey."

"We stopped at a town called Witch Burrow. I'm fine we had a little problem with Ridge but it's good now. Lalna got snowballs thrown at him since he's an angel."

"Is he okay?"

"Yeah he's fine, Ryan is taking care of them in their room so I'm sure Lalna is fine. How is everything on your end?"

"Pretty good, you left me a lot of paperwork." I giggled and watched the snow fall on my hands.

"Sorry about that. How is the snow over there?"

"Kinda I think like two or three feet. I didn't know that it was winter here."

"Yeah it is, sorry for not telling you guys."

"Oh don't worry this guy named Leo made sure that I had plenty of winter clothes." I yawned. "I miss you."

"I miss you too."

"How much longer are you going to be gone?"

"I'm not sure." I looked at the time and it was about one in the morning. Have I really been talking for an hour?

"I should let you go."

"Yeah, love you."

"Love you too." I hung up and just stood outside for a bit longer.

~~~~

I yawned and was leading Skyla's horse through the snow. I didn't get much sleep last night with everything running through my head. I sighed and looked up at Skyla when she said my name.

"What?" I said a bit confused.

"Are you doing ok?" She asked a bit worried. "You seem tired." I nodded.

"I'm fine, I didn't get much sleep."

"Astrid," She groaned.

"What? I had a lot to think about. Like how we are going to get in and out of that building."

"You still need sleep you dork." I sighed

"I know." After a few more miles we made to a tall building just like Ryan said. I helped Skyla get down and got the horses tied up. We all got in a huddle.

"Lalna, Ridge I want you guys to stay out here to make sure if anything goes wrong you two can get away. Skyla, Valerie, go find Layla. Vincent go with the girls. Me and Astrid will go find Cas." Before anyone could say anything a portal opened up above the building and I recognized it. It was an angel's portal.

"Uh I don't think that's suppose to happen. Val do you have any idea who that would be?"

"Gabriel or Michael," She said softly. "They're the only ones I've seen open one. Maybe they got Tyler or Brandon to snap out of whatever happened to them and they told them where the base was."

"Maybe but who is watching the base if they come here?"

"Okay you guys let's get in there before things turn for the worst." Ryan chirped in.

"Yeah, I rather not have to worry about that," Valerie said quickly. We nodded and Ryan grabbed my wrist and we quickly went inside. Me and Ryan went down a couple of steps and ran into people.

"Well looks like we got some company." I pulled my sword and Ryan backed behind me. The guy lunged and I dodged him and hit him with the back on my sword and that kept him down long enough for me to cut his leg them stabbed him in the chest. I wiped the blood on that was on my sword on my pant leg and kept walking and looking into rooms. I opened another door and I saw Cas.

"Cas!" I yelled running over to him. He flinched and backed up into the far corner. He hid his face in his arms and I could see him shaking. "Hey it's okay, it's me Astrid." He slowly looked up at me, his bright blue eyes were red and watery. I sighed and looked at Ryan.

"I'll get him out of here, you go find the girls." He said slowly walking over to him. "Hey it's me Ryan, I'm going to get you out of here."

"O-Ok," He said softly. He slowly went to get up then winced and sat back down.

"Astrid can you do a spell to help here?" I nodded and used the levitation spell.

"There now get him out of here." Ryan grabbed his arm and I kinda laughed just seeing Ryan get a floating Cas out of the building. I walked out and went to go find Skyla and Valerie.