Chapter 21

I woke the next morning feeling strangely comfortable and at peace. It was as if for a moment I had been awarded total bliss though the niggling in the back of my mind told me that a shed load of responsibility. I felt an arm draped over my waist as soft even breathing blew against the back of my neck. I knew who it was, heck it was hard not to considering there were three fully grown adults in this bed. My hand that was stretched before me was touching the other person and I could feel Danny nestled next to me. The bed was absolutely huge yet in my drowsy state it brought a smile to my face at how close we all were. Not that that is how we started off, it was quite the opposite actually.

I think all of us were just looking for someone to tell us that it was going to be alright. For the others I think it was worse. I knew I was out of my depth, something that is familiar to me but to my devil and my angels, being helpless and relying on a human must be a totally new experience. There was nothing sexual about this arrangement, no strings attached, no awkwardness, just three and a half people looking for reassurance.

After the party had been a nightmare. Lots of people had been drunk and I had gotten lost in the colossal building. Eventually though my new little family found me and brought me back to the room which I was once again in awe of. No matter how many times I saw it I knew that the place would never get old and the fact that it all kept changing meant that there was always something new for me to drink in. It's weird because I had never been one of those people who were obsessed with décor or architecture yet since being here I just want to see what lay in the next room.

Peeling back my heavy lids, I had to blink several times before I could focus on the face before me. Gabriel looked like a lost little boy in his sleep, though I did wonder whether he was truly sleeping like us humans did. He looked like he was and if the flickering of his lid were any clue he was obviously dreaming of something, something nice if his lips were anything to go by as they pulled up in the corners into a contented smile.

Smiling to myself I slowly sat up, dislodging the arm from my waist so that Lucius' breathing halted for a moment before returning to its slow even pace. Picking up Danny who was smiling widely at me as he blew bubbles through his lips, I clutched him to my chest as I slid to the end of the bed. I gasped at my bare feet as they touched the floor before glancing over my shoulder at the guys only to see them now snuggled around each other. I lifted a hand to stifle a giggle. I so wished I had a camera right now.

I backed up a few steps and moved the other side of the suite where Ezekiel was sat in a chair. His eyes were staring unblinking at the wall across from him and he seemed to be in his own little world so I tried my best not to disturb him as I lowered myself down on the sofa opposite. Cuddling closer to Danny, I allowed my own thoughts to wander. My own heart ached in my chest as I tried to picture what life was going to be like. I knew Danny would be safe with Calantha but at the same time I couldn't get past the fact that I would be separated from him for so long. I knew that I had been allowing Lucius to hold him most of the time but I think even then I knew we would have to be separated. I think letting Lucius take care of him over the days past was just my way of adjusting to not having him around but right now, I just wished that I had held onto him that much tighter. Who knew if I would ever see him again, I might die in this venture and never get to hold my baby boy again. The thought alone made me hold Danny tighter.

A knock on the door pulled me sharply from my thoughts and I looked up in time to see Calantha waltz into the room as if she was the Queen or something though she could be for all I know, I had no idea how the hierarchy down here worked. As her eyes feel upon us she smiled but her eyes quickly caught sight of Lucius and Gabriel and a loud laughing escaped her lips, echoing off of the walls causing the two men wrapped lovingly around one and other to sit up startled. They blinked sleepily and glanced around, their arms still thrown over one another before they met each other's eyes and yelled before hastily scrambling away from one another.

"Dammit, where is the camera when you need it?" I murmured as I watched the two awkwardly walk around the bed with quick footsteps, neither one of them making eye contact with anyone. I shook my head. Guys were all the bloody same.

Calantha brought the attention to her once more with a  flourish of her arms as she brandished a pile of clothes at me that I hadn't even noticed her carrying. I looked between the clothes and Danny before raising an eyebrow. There really was no competition. I hugged Danny closer to my and nodded to the bed so that she could set them down, unwilling to give up any of my remaining hugging time.

The males in the room dispersed quickly, all of them going to get themselves ready while Calantha and I got to stay in the suite. I couldn't help but feel her penetrating stare on me as I paced around the room. Adding a bounce to my step every now and then to keep Danny entertained.

"Are you ready for this?" her voice reached my ears and caused my steps to falter. I turned my head to Calantha and stared into her entrancing green eyes and I knew that she could see what was going on inside of me, the complete and utter terror yet the acceptance that I had no choice.

I nodded my head when all I wanted to do was tell her what I really felt. She smiled at me a moment before I was pulled into a bone crushing hug, Danny nestled between the two of us. I revelled in the comfort, it was like the hug of a sister or an aunt, something that gives you support and comfort and although the worries were still there, I felt a little better.

"Now," she began as she pulled away from me and held me firmly by the shoulders at arm length.  "You need to get dressed the warriors are ready to go and so will your friends, the earlier you leave the earlier you can come back to your son." She must have caught the worry in my eyes as she smiled in reassurance. "I told you I would take care of him and I will. No harm will come to Daniel; the only people who know of our existence are the Arches of races, Him and now you. Humans are not often taken into counsel with our people so no one knows of us; we are not even a whisper on the wind."

Nodding as if I understood the whole 'whispers on the wind' thing, I pressed a kiss to Danny's head earning me a gurgling giggle before I passed him over to Calantha.

"Better go and get ready," my voice was shaky as I looked to the pile of clothes sat on top on the bed before sighing and retrieving them. I was currently in some flimsy fabric that offered no support but it was great to sleep in as it didn't get all twisted around my body like pyjamas usually did.

The clothes that had been left out for me looked like normal clothes, well compared to what Calantha wore anyway. As I put it on I couldn't help but feel a bit like Lara Croft. I had white tank top with a green shirt on top and then some black combat trousers. To top it all of I had walking boots which as I tapped the ends on the floor, I realised also had a steel toe. I didn't even want to know why they gave me that but I shook it all off. What I was most surprised to see was the blade and sheath. For starters I had no idea how to use one unless it was to cut onions but the obvious purpose this blade was meant for made me edgy.

Calantha saw me deliberating so she passed me back Danny and then deftly attached the sheath to my thigh.

"I know you fear it but it is there only for emergencies. None of this is child's play and as much I admire you unwillingness for blood, it will be kill or be killed out there and as our last hope I want you to be as protected as possible. Donalbain will give you lessons on how to use it. " She patted me on the shoulder as she straightened and then held her hands out for Danny.

Closing my eyes I sighed and pressed my lips on his forehead, lingering for a moment before allowing her to take him from me.

"Fight the pain Savannah, be strong for Daniel." I nodded my head numbly and tried to bury the ache in my chest. I wanted nothing more than to snatch him back and stay hidden in this palace until everything topside blew over but then I remembered Marianna, my best friend who since all this has happened has become an afterthought, to Kirsten, the girl who saved me on the first day and instead of being as plastic as she appears to be she is more real than half the people I know and then there is Lucius, Ezekiel and Gabriel. What would become of them if I ignored my destiny? I knew the answer before I even finished wording the question in my mind. They would become slaves to these idiots that want to rule the world. They would no longer be them; they would be vessels for someone else's will. No. I shook my head back and forth in distress; I could never let that happen to them. They're my friends, my family and quite possibly they were once more than that. I can't let them come to harm.

Pulling my shoulders back, I raised my chin as determination filled every fibre of my being. I was still a bit shaky but now I knew what I was fighting for, it made my purpose actually worthwhile. Not that the world isn't worth saying but it's easier to sacrifice yourself when it's for someone or something you care about but when it's a nameless, faceless mass of people it seems too unreal to even consider.

Calantha nodded her head at me and then without any words the two of us headed to the door. I was shocked to find about 50 people waiting outside of the door. Donalbain, Lucius, Ezekiel and Gabriel stood amongst them and all were dressed similarly. Black trousers, black boots, the only real variation between them all was the colour shirt they were wearing on top.

They nodded in greeting before Donalbain clapped his hands to get everyone attention. "Everyone to the plates, we leave in ten minutes, move out." He clapped his hands and like perfect soldiers, they group split up and went in different directions, all of them had the same tense and battle ready expressions on their face and I gathered by that look alone that these men were seasoned warriors; they had seen death many times.

Donalbain gestured for me to follow so I quickly placed another kiss on Danny's head and gave Calantha a hug before scurrying after him, my feet barely touching the ground as I tried to keep up with him.

Eventually we reached a large spherical room with a platform in the middle. I tried not to be daunted about the long drop beneath the flimsy walking gangway but I had no choice but to step out over the abyss as people impatiently prodded me in the back. Once on the platform, everyone took a place around the edge while Donalbain went to the centre of the circle and knelt down so that his palm was pressing flat on the floor.  I glanced side to side trying to figure out where to go and one of the men who had hair that was made from pure silver gesture to gap in the circle beside him. Taking that as my cue I hurried to the space just as the platform beneath my feet began to rumble. A squeak escaped my lips as I hopped into place just as it everything dropped out from underneath me yet I strangely remained suspended in air.

"What the-?"

"Hold on tight everyone, this is going to be a bumpy ride." Before I could ask what Donalbain meant, I felt arms latch around mine before all of us plummeted at an exceptional rate until we were moving so fast that my head got dizzy as I tried to breathe in air.

Then almost as soon as it started it stopped, a second later my feet touching down softly on a hard gritty surface, only the hands wrapped around my arms kept me from falling. I lifted my head and glanced around bleary eyed before my eyes widened and a gasp escaped my lips.

"Welcome to the archives." 

so sorry it's taken me so long, there 's been so much going on lately that I've been struggling to focus. anyway, this is more of a filler chapter but the next chappie will have more happening in it. I hope to get it up in a few days. I have to update my other stories too but be patient and I promise we'll get back to teh action soon . :)